Meet The Judges
The 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.
An indicative list of the judges at the competition are listed below:
| Judge | Winery Experience | Qualifications & Background |
|---|---|---|
| Paul Ahvenainen | Korbel Champagne Cellars | UC Davis: Degree, Enology Sonoma SU: Professor, Wine Chemistry |
| John Allbaugh | Bronco Winery | UC Davis: Degree, Viticulture & Enology California SU: Graduate, Chemistry |
| Lisa Amaroli | Benziger Family Winery | Sonoma SU: Degree, Biology & Chemistry |