If you follow this space you probably already know I am a strong advocate of wine competitions. I have judged in numerous international wine contests around the globe, and I’m also Director of three major international wine competitions here in the U.S.
Competing is useful for wineries on two levels. First, it’s an opportunity for a winery to see how its wines stack up against the competition (this is only true of those wineries unafraid of what they might learn about their wines). Second, it’s a chance to gain recognition for solidly made wines that might nor be reviewed by one of the influential wine publications, or perhaps be reviewed less than enthusiastically due to the bias of a particular critic.
Over the years I believe wine competitions have served the industry and wine consumerism well because they’re set the bar higher and pushed the envelope on quality; at the same time giving broad exposure to well-made wines that might otherwise be overlooked.
Robert Mondavi must have had something like that in mind when he toured the nation tasting wine and food journalists on his earliest Cabernet Sauvignons. He loved to meet in a restaurant and have a critic order a Bordeaux for comparison. Mondavi was never afraid to watch his Cab go mano y mano with the finest French wine any critic could throw at it. He won some, he lost some. But history tells us he won far more than he lost.
I’m bringing this up now because I’ve just confirmed the roster of judges for the 25th annual San Diego International Wine Competition, and I can hardly wait for the new year. Our own Michael Franz, Editor of Wine Review Online, will serve as Chief Judge of the SDIWC for the second consecutive year, and we have a banner crop of judges coming in for the silver anniversary event, April 19-20, 2008.
I’m also pleased to announce that Gold and Silver medal-winning wines will be published on the Reviews page of Wine Review Online shortly after the event, and thus available by text message on your cell phone or PDA through a new Wine Reviews On Demand text-message service I will announce later this week.
Our results are followed closely by savvy wine buyers and always elicit a tremendous response when announced in my syndicated Copley News Service “Wine Talk” Column.
2008 SDIWC Judges
Chief Judge
Michael Franz, Editor WineReviewOnline.com
Judges
Michael Beaulac, Winemaker, St. Supery Winery
Sarah Belk King, WineReviewOnline.com
Richard Carey, Winemaker, Vitis Research
Kimberly Charles, Charles Communications
Jac Cole, Winemaker, Spring Mountain Vineyards
Mark Deegan, Henry Wine Group
Traci Dutton, Culinary Institute of America
Gary Eberle, Winemaker, Eberle Winery
Bob Foster, California Grapevine
Dixie Gill, Premium Port Wines
Patty Held-Uthlaut, Stone Hill Winery
Ashley Hepworth, Winemaker, Joseph Phelps Vineyards
Linda Jones-McKee, Wine East Magazine
John Larchet, Winemaker, The Australian Premium Wine Collection
David Lattin, Winemaker, Kuleto Estate
Adam LaZarre, Winemaker, Hahn Estates
Mark Lovett, Connoisseur
Tim McDonald, Wine Spoken Here
Jon McPherson, Winemaker, South Coast Winery
Linda Murphy, WineReviewOnline.com/Decanter/Jancis Robinson.com
Rebecca Murphy, Dallas Morning News
Damian Parker, Winemaker, Joseph Phelps Vineyards
Ron Rawlinson, Domaine Alfred
Lisa Redwine, Wine Director Molly’s Restaurant
Ray Pompilio, Wine Appreciation Guild
Nick Ponomareff, California Grapevine
Roman Roth, Winemaker, Wolffer Estate
Eric Runyon, Southern Wine & Spirits
Bob Small, Los Angeles International Wine Competition
Lisa Weeks, TGIC Imports
Duncan Williams, Winemaker, Fallbrook Winery
Wilfred Wong, E-Commerce, Beverages & More
Email questions or comments to [email protected].
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