International judges Michael Hill Smith MW (left), Charles Metcalfe (centre)  and Joe Czerwinski have their glasses poised and are ready to sniff, swirl and spit their way through almost 1500 wines, as the judging begins for the 2011 Air New Zealand Wine Awards in Auckland.

The three days of judging will see the 21-strong judging panel identify the best wines in each varietal category and pick the prestigious medal and trophy winners for 2011.

This year is a huge milestone for the competition as it marks a 25-year partnership between the Awards and New Zealand’s national airline, with Air New Zealand becoming the naming right sponsor of the awards for the first time in 1987.

The medal-winning wines will be announced on November 4.