The Tasting Panel magazine

May 2014

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Fresh Faces at SFIWC The San Francisco International Wine Competition Welcomes 17 New Judges At this year's San Francisco International Wine Competition taking place June 19 through 22, 17 new judges will join returning judges to create the most influential and authoritative panel in the Competition's 34-year history. Drawing from among the nation's most powerful wine buyers as well as key communi - cators from across the country, the San Francisco International Wine Competition further solidifies its preeminent posi- tion as the most prestigious and highly respected judging in America. SFIWC judges are an impressive and influential group: Together they're directly responsible for purchasing over $200 million in wine every year, and the journalists among them reach about 10 million trade and consumer readers every month. Tim McDonald, President of Napa's Wine Spoken Here and a longtime SFIWC judge, is the Competition's newly appointed Director of Judging; the Competition's Managing Director is Chandler Moore. Those interested in entering the 2014 Competition can find more information and entry forms at www.sfwinecomp.com. — A N T H O N Y D I A S B L U E Virginie Boone writes reviews, profiles and features for the Wine Enthusiast. She also writes about wine, beer and spirits for the Santa Rosa Press Democrat, Sonoma Magazine and Zester Daily. Randy Caparoso is Editor at Large for The SOMM Journal and pens columns for THE TASTINg PANEL, San Joaquin Magazine, Lodi News-Sentinel and the Lodi Winegrape Commission's lodiwine.com. Randy was named Santé's first Wine & Spirits Professional of the Year and was twice named Restaurant Wine's Wine Marketer of the Year. Michael Cervin is a frequent wine judge, and author of California Wine Country. He's THE TASTINg PANEL's California Central Coast Editor and con- tributes wine articles and reviews for the Hollywood Reporter, Decanter (London), Fine Wine & Liquor (China), Wine Enthusiast, Palate Press, IntoWine. com, Gayot.com and the Santa Barbara News-Press. Fred Dame, Master Sommelier, is VP of Prestige Accounts at American Wine & Spirits of California. He is the first American to have served as President of the Court of Master Sommeliers Worldwide and founded the American branch of the Court of Master Sommeliers in 1986. Traci Dutton is Wine Director for the greystone Restaurant at the Culinary Institute of America's Napa Valley campus. She is a Certified Sommelier who in 2011 was named one of THE TASTINg PANEL's Top Wine Country Sommeliers, and is an accom- plished educator, consultant, writer, and a frequent judge at wine competitions around the country. Dan Kosta, Founder of Kosta Browne Winery, is a director of the Sonoma County Vintners Association. He partici- pates in numerous judgings, including the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, the West Coast Wine Competition and grand Harvest Awards. Rowald Hepp is the Director of Schloss Vollrads wine estate in germany and received the gault Millau award for Estate Director of the Year in 2001. Hepp is an active judge in wine competitions worldwide and is a contributing member of the scientific board of the Forschungsanstalt geisenheim, the esteemed viticultural institute in the Rheingau. Phil Markert is VP of Merchandising Operations of Non-Perishables at Safeway Inc., where he oversees the merchandising of the national chain's wine and spirits and other non-perishables. Andy Perdue is the wine columnist for the Seattle Times and co-authors a syndicated weekly wine column. Andy is the Editor & Publisher of Great Northwest Wine and the Founding Editor of Wine Press Northwest Magazine. He is the author of The Northwest Wine Guide: A Buyer's Handbook. Heidi Peterson Barret is the much- lauded independent winemaker behind Screaming Eagle, La Sirena, Amuse Bouche, Paradigm, Lamborn, Kenzo Estate, Au Sommet, Vin Perdu and Fantesca. Joe Roberts is a writer and frequent wine competition judge, and the creator of 1WineDude.com, one of the world's most awarded wine blogs. His wine articles have been featured in the Guardian, Playboy.com, Publix Grape Magazine and PalatePress.com. Christopher Sawyer is Head Sommelier at The Lodge at Sonoma Renaissance Resort and Spa and an internationally renowned wine writer, wine judge, consult ant and public speaker. He was one of THE TASTINg PANEL's Top Ten Sommeliers of Wine Country 2011. Kristin L. Spencer has been in the food and wine industry for over 20 years, including positions in merchandising and category management at Andronico's Markets and the online grocers Webvan and Safeway.com. Kristina is currently Senior Buyer of Wine for Cost Plus World Market. Fred Swan is a wine writer, educator and authority on California wines and wineries. He is a Certified Sommelier and Certified California Wine Appellation Specialist and an inductee of the Échansonnerie des Papes, the honorary society of the Châteauneuf-du-Pape AOC. Mike Tadich is Italian Portfolio Manager at Wirtz Beverage Nevada and is one of the original judges for the Finger Lakes International Wine Competition. Bill Ward's "Liquid Assets" column runs in the Minneapolis Star Tribune and he has a wine website, www.decant-this.com. A longtime editor and reporter, Bill is winner of the James Beard Award for his articles on Italian regional cuisine. Robert Whitley is Publisher of Wine Review Online and is a nationally syndi cated columnist and wine reviewer. Robert is Founder of the Critics Challenge, Winemaker Challenge and Sommelier Challenge, and is Director of the San Diego International Wine Competition. W14-TPM-JudgePromo.indd 1 4/10/14 2:56 PM The largest, most influential international wine competition in America, judged by a prestigious panel of internationally recognized wine experts. THE 34 TH ANNUAL SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL WINE COMPETITION JUNE 19-22, 2014 ExEcutivE DirEctor: Anthony Dias Blue, Editor-in-chief of thE tAsting PAnEl Magazine DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES: FRIDAY, MAY 30, 2014 For information and entry materials or to enter online, visit our Web site www.sfwinecomp.com contAct: info@sfwinecomp.com W14-TPFullPageAd.indd 1 4/10/14 2:51 PM TP0514_001-33.indd 33 4/24/14 10:44 PM

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