The New South Wales Small Winemakers Wine Show will return to Forbes this year for the 17th annual event.

Held August 26 and 27, the show has attracted over 630 entries from more than 100 wineries/vineyards throughout the state.

The event was established in 1991 after the NSW Small Winemakers Wine Show took over from the existing Cowra Wine Show and has since grown in stature, becoming a popular event on the industry calendar.

The 2008 schedule features a number of trophies including the Dr John Dent Memorial Trophy for the Best Shiraz 2005 and older, the Court Press Trophy for Best Carbernet Sauvignon, the Frank Chislett Trophy for Fortified Wine of Show and the Transtherm Trophy for Best Red Wine of Show.

While judging classes are strictly reserved for industry connoisseurs, members of the public will have the chance to appreciate the work of local wineries at a public tasting, which will be held on August 29 at the Forbes Youth and Community Centre between 6.30pm and 8.30pm, at a cost of $15.

A presentation dinner will be held next month (September 13) at Mezzanine Style with tickets available for $80 per person, which includes a five course meal with complimentary wines.

Maximum seating is 60 and reservations are essential, for more information contact committee secretary, Eleanor Lewis on 6852 1437.

Andrew Thomas of Thomas Wines, Tim Stevens of Huntington Estate Mudgee, Celine Rousseau of Chalkers Crossing Young, Daniel Binet of Capercaillie Wine Co in the Hunter Valley, Debbie Pearce of Bowral’s Journeyman Restaurant and Len Sorbello of Winewise in Canberra will be the official judges for the show while Sally Whittaker (Griffith), Lucy Maddox (Orange), Folkert Janssen (Cowra) and Mark Udy (Orange) are the associate judges.