How many judges does it take to judge the best of the best in wines? Well more than 50 of them, it seems. That's how many — wine makers, professors, chefs, retailers, and wine critics — are participating as judges in the 2006 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. The results can be tasted at the public tasting at the Festival Pavilion on Saturday, February 25.
It all started in Cloverdale in the late 1800s. Over glasses of zinfandel, two wine lovers laid out plans for the first Cloverdale Citrus Fair Wine Competition — being that they considered Cloverdale the center of California's wine country. Fifteen wineries entered the competition with 45 wines. Each year the number of entrants increased. Gradually, they expanded the California counties that could be represented. By 2004, there were more than 2,500 entries from 565 California wineries, which explains why so many judges are needed.
Last year, the producers expanded the borders again, this time to include wines from Oregon, Washington, and Idaho.
Wines are judged within varietal categories and some — Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, and so forth. — within price-range categories as well. The Festival Pavilion event enables wine lovers to taste the winners.
The San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition benefits Santa
Rosa Junior College Wine Studies and Culinary Arts programs.
For more information, see the February
25 Calendar listing and visit www.winejudging.com.
CHRONICLE WINE COMPETITION
It all started in Cloverdale in the late 1800s. Over glasses of zinfandel, two wine lovers laid out plans for the first Cloverdale Citrus Fair Wine Competition — being that they considered Cloverdale the center of California's wine country. Fifteen wineries entered the competition with 45 wines. Each year the number of entrants increased. Gradually, they expanded the California counties that could be represented. By 2004, there were more than 2,500 entries from 565 California wineries, which explains why so many judges are needed.
