Commercial Wine CompetitionThe 90 experienced judges are comprised of only qualified winemakers or winery principals. This group is a combination of seasoned professionals representing almost every AVA in the State of California. Ranging in experience from 10 to 40 years, they are extremely qualified to fairly evaluate wines of diverse characteristics.
Rob McNeill is a UC Davis Enology graduate and resides in Healdsburg. Rob has been a winemaker for over 30 years. His major experience relies in sparkling wine involving the North bay counties of Napa, Sonoma, and Mendocino (Mumm Napa, Piper Sonoma, and Scharffenberger). Other winemaking experience includes still wine primarily Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Gris. Experience in Alambic brandy production via Remy Martin’s RMS distillery.
The former Vice President, Winemaker at Fetzer Vineyards, Martin earned an Agricultural Business degree in 1973 from California State University at Fresno and a master’s degree in Enology and Food Science there in 1975. He worked at United Vintners as a cellar supervisor, white and sparkling winemaker until 1982, when he moved to Scott Laboratories, a major winery supply company where he served as a sales enologist. In 1985, Fetzer Winemaster Paul Dolan selected Martin as his assistant. When Fetzer was acquired by Brown-Forman in 1992, Martin was named
Director of Winemaking. In 1996, Martin ascended to the position of Vice President/Winemaking accountable for all winemaking at Fetzer Vineyards for their several brands.
Martin and his winemaking staff was dedicated to working with individual grape growersand committed to the concept that winemaking is an integrated team effort. Martin focused on the Fetzer super premium and Luxury collection and selecting the highest quality varietal fruit from vineyards in the finest growing regions of California. “I think one of our major strengths as a winery is our ability to blend consistently, vintage after vintage,” Martin said.
With the Luxury wines, production lots are kept relatively small to emphasize individual vineyard character in the wine’s true expressions of the terror they represent. “We strive to make the best possible wine we can from each vintage, emphasizing the true character of each varietal. Our goal is to offer our consumers quality wines that are stylistically pleasing and consistent from vintage to vintage.” Fetzer was acquired by the Chilean wine company Vina Concha y Toro in 2011 and Martin was excited about the future opportunities for investment, growth and improved quality for all of the brands. “It’s great to be owned by a wine company again,” Martin said.
Dennis is a member, former director and a past President of the American Society for Enology and Viticulture. He is married and has two children. Dennis was with Fetzer Vineyards for 31 years.
As the chairman and CEO of J. Lohr Winery, Steve Lohr combines a big picture view of the wine industry with a hands-on work ethic. In this role, Steve is responsible for the overall management and strategic planning of J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines
Barry has been involved in every aspect of wine all his life; Home and Commercial wine Maker since 1983, vineyardist, winery owner, wine sales. inc. wholesaler, retailer and importer and Wine Educator at colleges and specialized wine schools. He was Calif. and National Board Member of SWE, is currently a Tastevin (DTM) member of the Dionysian International Wine Society. And is a published author. He was one of the first to pass the professional wine judges exam for both Intervin and California State fair in 1985 and has been a judge every year for he Orange County fair since 1989.
Currently he still operates a Syrah vineyard high atop Sonoma mountain and is a consultant to Fogline Winery in Fulton
Jim Klein views himself as a winegrower more than a winemaker. After graduating from UC Davis, he worked making wine in the Santa Ynez Valley, New Zealand, Napa Valley and the Golan Heights in Israel. He joined Navarro Vineyards in 1992 and won the title of winemaker of the year from the San Francisco Chronicle in 2002. He chose to live on the ridgeline above the Anderson Valley to get a feel for how the weather affects the grapes every day of the year. With loads of experience, he has developed definite ideas about how to best bring out the character of his estate-bottled Pinot Noirs.
Winemaker Kris Kato grew up in Portland, Oregon, where he developed “the beer bug.” But the fermentation science program at Oregon State University led him down the path of winemaking. He’s worked at Central Coast wineries large and small, and notes both experiences prepared him for his role at Carmel Road, where he focuses on Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
“Pinot expresses itself more than any other variety, in terms of being nuanced-driven,” Kris says. He’s excited to be working with Monterey fruit, including from the winery’s Panorama Vineyard. “I love to make small lots of wine from different parcels. It’s incredible to be able to choose the most distinct wines from the vineyard, and showcase them in different bottlings.”
A native Californian, Randle attended the University of California at Davis and graduated with an M.S. in Viticulture in 1974. As a Viticulturist for the original Souverain Winery in Rutherford, he gained first-hand knowledge about Napa Valley’s diverse microclimates and their influence on grape characteristics. Later, he became Assistant Winemaker, under the guidance of Souverain Winemaker Phil Baxter.
In 1977, Randle became the Vineyard Manager and Cellar Master for Mayacamas Vineyards, located at 2,500 feet elevation on Mount Veeder in the western hills of Napa Valley. This experience fostered an intense interest in the unique attributes of mountain grape growing. At Mayacamas, he experimented with producing wines from different Mount Veeder vineyards.
Randle then took a position as Winemaker at Stags’ Leap Winery for two years before joining Donald Hess. Randle started as Winemaker for The Hess Collection in 1983, when Donald Hess set aside a portion of the grapes from his Mount Veeder vineyards for his own premium wine label. Since then, Randle has continued to hone and refine his winemaking style to create elegant wines with great complexity, depth and structure.
With Artezin, Randle handcrafts wines with pure varietal character and focuses on heirloom varieties, being sensitive to their inherent uniqueness and to the terroir in which they grow. Artezin currently produces Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Carignan, Charbono and Mourvèdre – an interesting and diverse portfolio. To create these expressive wines, Randle seeks out sustainably farmed, family-owned vineyards in Mendocino and Amador Counties and Sonoma’s Russian River and Dry Creek Valley. Most of these vineyards are farmed by second- and third-generation growers with whom he has enduring relationships.
Marlowe Huber was born and raised on the prairies in central Canada where hockey and grain fields dominated the culture. With cattle, horses and farming, his father always taught him to make things with his hands. While growing up he always felt a connection to the land.
He began making wine in the early 80’s and took it more seriously when he moved to Vancouver, B.C in 1989. After being inspired by an Italian winemaker, Marlowe studied oenology for two years. Subsequently, as a hobby vintner he won many wine awards from crushing fresh grapes that he purchased from the rolling cool hills in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia.
As the prairies led him to the vineyards, he dreamt of turning his passion for winemaking into a business. He purchased an existing winery in the Vancouver area in 1993. After gaining valuable experience he went on to build another winery in Vancouver in 1996. His passion for winemaking intensified. He continued his dream by moving near wine country in Southern California and built Orange County’s first urban winery in Laguna Beach. In 2003 construction was complete and he began to ship fresh premium grapes direct to Laguna Beach from the Napa and Sonoma regions. Marlowe makes many blends at the winery and is quoted saying “I believe blending is better as you’re adding layers of complexity to wine”. Laguna Canyon produces quality expressive crafted boutique wines.
The son of Temecula pioneer winemaker Joe Hart, 2nd generation winemaker Jim Hart grew up in the wine business. A graduate of Cal. State San Marcos with a post grad certificate in winemaking from U.C. Davis, Jim has been the head winemaker at his families winery, Hart Winery in Temecula since 2008. In addition to Hart Winery Jim previously made wine for Milagro Farm Winery in Ramona Ca and currently is owner/winemaker of Volcan Mountain Winery in Julian Ca. In addition to his winemaking duties Jim teaches winemaking and viticulture at MiraCosta College in Oceanside Ca.
After securing his B.A. from the University of California, Santa Barbara, Steven recognized that winemaking was his singular passion and he committed himself to making it his vocation. Shortly thereafter, he accepted a position as Cellar Assistant at Brander, where he had yet another opportunity to work for a distinguished Central Coast winemaker. In that position, he gained experience integrating an old-world winemaking approach with the opulent fruit of the central coast. He also gained experience working with Bordeaux varietals.
In 2003, with a yearning to work with Pinot Noir once again, Steven took the production assistant job at Rusack Vineyards. He saw Rusack as a place where he could “create quality-driven wines and be involved with the recently planted, state-of-the-art vineyard.” Steven has been with Rusack nearly eleven years, beginning as production assistant, moving on to Cellar Master, and working his way up to Assistant Winemaker. While completing his Certificate in Winemaking at the esteemed University of California at Davis in 2012, Steven was appointed Winemaker.
At Rusack Vineyards, he oversees a portfolio of estate-grown, Rhone-inspired wines; the production of Anacapa, the popular Bordeaux style blend, and a Burgundy-inspired selection of Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs from the Sta. Rita Hills and Santa Maria Valley appellations of Santa Barbara County. Our wine program also includes an estate-grown Zinfandel, Sauvignon Blanc and several other notable offerings.
Additionally, Steven oversees all winemaking for the Santa Catalina Island Vineyards wine project; an elite collection of wines grown on Catalina Island. Steven’s outstanding results speak for themselves and are testament to his talent, drive & commitment.