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Tennessee’s Wine QAP Program Expands with New Competitions and Faster Reimbursement

May 23, 2025 | by

The Tennessee Wine Quality Assurance Program (QAP) has recently expanded, offering more opportunities and faster access to reimbursement for Tennessee wineries. If your winery has not yet participated, now is an excellent time to take advantage of this valuable program.

What Is the Wine Quality Assurance Program?

The Tennessee Wine Quality Assurance Program is a voluntary certification initiative that highlights wines produced in Tennessee that meet rigorous quality standards. Wineries that participate can receive reimbursement for competition entry fees and testing costs, up to $3,000 per year. Wines that meet or exceed specific scoring thresholds are eligible to use the official QAP designation on their bottles and in marketing materials.

Key Updates for 2025

The Tennessee Wine Quality Assurance Program now allows wineries to submit for reimbursement immediately after entering an approved competition—no need to wait for results. Additionally, the list of eligible competitions has expanded to include several new, nationally recognized events.
Below is the complete list of QAP-approved competitions:

Newly Approved for 2025 and Beyond

 

Previously Approved Competitions

  • San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition
  • San Francisco International Wine Competition
  • New York International Wine Competition
  • American Wine Society Wine Competition
  • Finger Lakes International Wine Competition
  • East Meets West Wine Competition
  • Great American International Wine Competition
  • Texas International Wine Competition
  • The Rosé Wine Competition
  • Beverage Testing Institute (BTI) – wines scoring 85+ qualify for QAP designation

These updates provide more options and greater flexibility for Tennessee wineries to participate, earn recognition, and benefit from the state-supported QAP program.

Reimbursement Details

  • Wineries can receive up to $195 per wine (SKU) for eligible entries, covering both competition fees and chemistry analysis.
  • The annual reimbursement cap is $3,000 per winery.
  • Wines that score 85 points or higher from BTI or Wine Enthusiast, or receive a medal in an approved competition, may qualify to display the official QAP label.

 

How to Participate

    1. Enter an approved wine competition.
    2. Complete the reimbursement request form: Submit Here
    3. Provide the following chemistry analysis for each wine:
    4. Malic Acid Content
    5. pH (mg/100mls)
    6. Free SO₂ and Total SO₂
    7. Titratable Acidity (g/L)
    8. Volatile Acidity (g/100mls)
    9. Alcohol by Volume (%)
    10. Residual Sugar (%)

Once your wine is awarded or receives a qualifying score, your results can be submitted for verification and QAP designation approval.

Why Participate?

Despite being available for over two years, the QAP program remains underutilized across the Tennessee wine industry—largely due to uncertainty about how it works. This program not only helps offset costs associated with promoting and certifying your wines, but it also offers a valuable marketing advantage by signaling quality to consumers.

Questions?

For more information or assistance, please contact: ProjectConsultant@tennesseewines.com

The Tennessee Wine Quality Assurance Program is a key opportunity to elevate your brand and gain recognition for the quality of your wines. Don’t miss the chance to participate.