Once again I find myself staring down the barrel of another wine competition season.
I’ve just finished the entry books for both the Monterey Wine Competition, where I have been Director for the past 16 years, and the San Diego International Wine Competition, where I am in my sixth year as Director.
I will soon begin work on the entry book for the Critics Challenge, which I founded six years ago, the same year I took the reins of the SDIWC.
The three competitions keep me busy from now until the end of May, a span also sprinkled with trips to the Bordeaux primeurs tastings, Vinitaly and various other wine events here in the U.S. and around the globe.
But the wine competitions have a special place in my heart because of the good vibes I get when I see old friends, such as Wilfred Wong of Beverages & More, or the legendary Gary Eberle of Paso Robles, or the very talented Long Island winemaker, Roman Roth.
The sense of reunion and renewal makes the long grind of three major wine competitions well worth it. This year we’ve brought back Wine Review Online Editor Michael Franz back as Chief Judge in San Diego, and a large part of our Napa Valley contingent from 2008 has signed up for a return engagement, including winemaker Ashley Hepworth, who was promoted recently from associate winemaker to winemaker at the iconic Joseph Phelps Vineyards.
You can see the entire San Diego judging lineup (scheduled for March 21-22, 2009) over at Whitley On Wine. Click here.
Of course, you will be able to find results of all three competitions right here at WRO shortly after the tastings conclude.
PHOTOS: Top, winemaker Duncan Williams; bottom, Linda Murphy of Wine Review Online, Decanter, and JancisRobinson.com.
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