LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – In the high valleys, benches and ridgelines of the Mayacamas and Vaca Mountains, the terroir of Lake County reveals wine of great quality, intensity and typicity.
Once again, the opportunity to professionally evaluate the wine from this distinct region has arrived and every winery producing wine from a least 75 percent Lake County grapes is encouraged to enter the 2013 Lake County Wine Awards Competition.
Entry forms and guidelines may be found at www.lakecowineawards.org . Entries will be accepted until Friday, June 14.
An esteemed panel of judges, led by Ray Johnson, director of the Lake County Wine Awards Competition, director of Sonoma State University’s Wine Business Institute and Assistant director of the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, will convene at Brassfield Estate Winery July 10-12 to perform the professional blind judging.
The panel includes:
- Deborah Parker Wong, tasting panel editor;
- Mike Dunne, Sacramento Bee wine writer;
- Martha Dunne, Winegigs.com creator and writer;
- John Buechenstein, Culinary Institute of America and UC Davis Extention wine educator;
- Don Neel, Practical Winery & Vineyard editor;
- Catherine Fallis, San Francisco’s premiere female master sommelier;
- Lee Reinsimar, Dean and Deluca Wine and Spirits buyer;
- Bob Ecker, Chicago Tribune, Dallas Morning News, Decanter, and others, freelance writer;
- Christopher Sawyer, Carneros Bistro & Wine Bar sommelier;
- Joel Riddel, Dining Around with Joel Riddell, host and executive producer.
Each gold medal recipient will have the opportunity to feature their wines at the Lake County Wine Awards Dinner at Twin Pines Casino on Wednesday, July 17, where the Best in Show Awards will be announced.
In addition, the top three medal winners in each category will advance to the People’s Choice Competition held at the Lake County Fair on Saturday, Aug. 31.
Limited sponsorship opportunities are available for the 2013 People’s Choice Competition. Contact Jacquelyn Farrington, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , or Megan Hoberg, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , for more information.