Meet The Distinguished Judges
Our competition judges include a list of top-notch highly trained professionals in the wine industry including winemakers, wine educators, buyers and media who take their task very seriously! Their influence can have far-reaching effects on your wine consumers and their purchases. Find out if your wines suit their professional pallets.
Jessica Altieri
CS, CEO WineChannelTVGence Alton
SF Bay Area Accountant Manager, WineBid.comJamie Arevalo
Certified Specialist of Wine, E&J Gallo WineryJusden Aumund
DTC Director, Sextant WineryJenne Baldwin-Eaton
Winemaker, Plum Creek WineryDan Barwick
Winemaker, Paradise Ridge WineryHeidi Barrett
Winemaker, Barrett & Barrett WinesCorey Beck
Director of Winemaking/GM, Francis Ford CoppolaDan Berger
Wine writer, columnistVirginie Boone
Wine WriterCarrie Boyle
General Manager/Buyer, Total Wine & MoreTom Bohr
Professional wine judgeCarl Brandhorst
President of the Atlantic Seaboard Wine Association (ASWA)Thrace Bromberger
Walt WinesJeanne Burgess
VP, Director Winemaking Operations, Seavin, Inc.Dr. Christian E. Butzke
Professor of Enology, Purdue UniversityTina Caputo
Magazine writer, editor and columnist including Wine Review OnlineJim Caudill
Public Relations & Hospitality, The Hess CollectionMark Chandler
Executive Director, WineAmericaTami Collins
Winemaker, De La Montanya Estate Vineyards & WineryRich Cook
Director, San Diego County Fair Wine Competition/WineAndrew "Rew" Craig
Certified SommelierAllison Crowe
Winemaker, Garnet VineyardsFred Dame
Master SommelierDebra Del Fiorentino
Founder, Wine Competition Management & ProductionPaul Dolan
Industry Entrepreneur & AuthorSusan Doyle
Director of Winemaking, Diageo Chateau & Estate WinesMartha Dunne
Co-Owner, WineGigs.comMike Dunne
Writer/Business Owner, Sacramento BeeTraci Dutton
Beverage Manager & Sommelier, Culinary InstituteJanet Dyer
Independent Contractor and BrokerBob Foster
Assistant Editor, California Grapevine Wine NewsletterMelody Fuller
Founder/President, Oakland Wine Festival & Oakland Wine and Food SocietySara Fowler
Winemaker, Peju WineryRenata Franzia-Price
Classic Wines of California
(Bronco) & SommelierDoug Frost
Master Sommelier, Master of Wine, Author and TVRhett Gadke
Senior Wine Buyer, Bounty HunterGina Gallo
Winemaker, Gallo Family VineyardsNick Goldschmidt
Winemaker and Consultant, Goldschmidt VineyardsJoel Green
GM & Winemaker, Safe Harbor WinesDaryl Groom
Chief Judge, Press Democrat North Coast Wine ChallengeEric Harris
Winemaker, Two-EE’s WinerySherrie Holzer
Assistant Winemaker, Castoro CellarsKathleen Inman
Inman Family WinesDan Kosta
Founder, Kosta Browne WineryVirginia Marie Lambrix
Winemaker, Truett-Hurst Inc. BrandsEllen Landis
Wine Writer, Certified Sommelier and Certified Wine SpecialistKen Landis
Chef and Co-Owner, Landis Shores Oceanfront InnRoxanne Langer
Founder Wine FUNdamentals, Sommelier, EducatorCory Lester
Certified Sommelier, sales at Trusty Hurst WineryAnn Littlefield
Professional International Wine and Spirits JudgeVeronica Litton
Head Wine Buyer, Crown Wine & SpiritsSusan Lueker
Director of Winemaking, Simi WineryCharles F. Mara
President, The Mara Wine GroupKris Margerum
Head Sommelier, Auberge du Soleil, NapaDeb McCole
Mission Fine Wines, Certified Specialist of WineWilliam McNab
Wine Editor, Piedmont PostPeg Melnick
Wine Critic, Blogger & Writer, The Press DemocratMary Melton
Director of Beverage, P.F. Chang's RestaurantsShow More
Listed alphabetically by last name, a-m click to see N-z
Jessica Altieri
CS, CEO WineChannelTVGence Alton
SF Bay Area Accountant Manager, WineBid.comJamie Arevalo
Certified Specialist of Wine, E&J Gallo WineryJusden Aumund
DTC Director, Sextant WineryJenne Baldwin-Eaton
Winemaker, Plum Creek WineryDan Barwick
Winemaker, Paradise Ridge WineryHeidi Barrett
Winemaker, Barrett & Barrett WinesCorey Beck
Director of Winemaking/GM, Francis Ford CoppolaDan Berger
Wine writer, columnistVirginie Boone
Wine WriterCarrie Boyle
General Manager/Buyer, Total Wine & MoreTom Bohr
Professional wine judgeCarl Brandhorst
President of the Atlantic Seaboard Wine Association (ASWA)Thrace Bromberger
Walt WinesJeanne Burgess
VP, Director Winemaking Operations, Seavin, Inc.Dr. Christian E. Butzke
Professor of Enology, Purdue UniversityTina Caputo
Magazine writer, editor and columnist including Wine Review OnlineJim Caudill
Public Relations & Hospitality, The Hess CollectionMark Chandler
Executive Director, WineAmericaTami Collins
Winemaker, De La Montanya Estate Vineyards & WineryRich Cook
Director, San Diego County Fair Wine Competition/WineAndrew "Rew" Craig
Certified SommelierAllison Crowe
Winemaker, Garnet VineyardsFred Dame
Master SommelierDebra Del Fiorentino
Founder, Wine Competition Management & ProductionPaul Dolan
Industry Entrepreneur & AuthorSusan Doyle
Director of Winemaking, Diageo Chateau & Estate WinesMartha Dunne
Co-Owner, WineGigs.comMike Dunne
Writer/Business Owner, Sacramento BeeTraci Dutton
Beverage Manager & Sommelier, Culinary InstituteJanet Dyer
Independent Contractor and BrokerBob Foster
Assistant Editor, California Grapevine Wine NewsletterMelody Fuller
Founder/President, Oakland Wine Festival & Oakland Wine and Food SocietySara Fowler
Winemaker, Peju WineryRenata Franzia-Price
Classic Wines of California
(Bronco) & SommelierDoug Frost
Master Sommelier, Master of Wine, Author and TVRhett Gadke
Senior Wine Buyer, Bounty HunterGina Gallo
Winemaker, Gallo Family VineyardsNick Goldschmidt
Winemaker and Consultant, Goldschmidt VineyardsJoel Green
GM & Winemaker, Safe Harbor WinesDaryl Groom
Chief Judge, Press Democrat North Coast Wine ChallengeEric Harris
Winemaker, Two-EE’s WinerySherrie Holzer
Assistant Winemaker, Castoro CellarsKathleen Inman
Inman Family WinesDan Kosta
Founder, Kosta Browne WineryVirginia Marie Lambrix
Winemaker, Truett-Hurst Inc. BrandsEllen Landis
Wine Writer, Certified Sommelier and Certified Wine SpecialistKen Landis
Chef and Co-Owner, Landis Shores Oceanfront InnRoxanne Langer
Founder Wine FUNdamentals, Sommelier, EducatorCory Lester
Certified Sommelier, sales at Trusty Hurst WineryAnn Littlefield
Professional International Wine and Spirits JudgeVeronica Litton
Head Wine Buyer, Crown Wine & SpiritsSusan Lueker
Director of Winemaking, Simi WineryCharles F. Mara
President, The Mara Wine GroupKris Margerum
Head Sommelier, Auberge du Soleil, NapaDeb McCole
Mission Fine Wines, Certified Specialist of WineWilliam McNab
Wine Editor, Piedmont PostPeg Melnick
Wine Critic, Blogger & Writer, The Press DemocratMary Melton
Director of Beverage, P.F. Chang's RestaurantsShow More