Professional Wine Entry Information
Important 2012 Professional Wine dates:
Entries accepted July 24 to August 24
Wines Received - September 4 to September 7
Wines Judged - September 26 to September 28
Sonoma County Awards Dinner - September 29
Wines Received for Fairtime sales - October 1 to October 4
Fairtime - October 5, 6 & 7
Click here for Sweepstakes Winners and Grower Awards
Click here for Wine Winners Booklet
Meet the 2011 Wine Judges
William Allen – Wine Educator/Writer/Editor, Simple Hedonisms
William Allen is the creator and editor of Simple Hedonisms Wine Blog, dedicated to the wine country lifestyle. Allen is passionate about wine and has studied viticulture, oenology, wine history and sensory evaluation. He writes for wine consumers, with an emphasis on education. Allen also works as a marketing and social media consultant to members of the wine industry. He has given seminars for Santa Rosa Junior College and Sonoma State University. Allen, who lives in Healdsburg, CA, is also a “garagiste” and hobby viticulturist, producing 175 cases of Rhone varietals during 2010.
Dan Berger – Wine Columnist
Dan Berger, a wine columnist and publisher of the weekly wine commentary, Dan Berger’s Vintage Experience, has been judging wine competitions for 35 years. Preferring low-alcohol wines, Berger relishes Riesling, Grenache, and Pinot Noir. He likes participating in the Sonoma County Harvest Fair because he deems the event “regionally pertinent.”
Carl G. Brandhorst – President, Atlantic Seaboard Wine Association
Carl Brandhorst is the president of the Atlantic Seaboard Wine Association (ASWA), a trade group that promotes the wine industry. Brandhorst is also an active member of the American Wine Society (AWS), the Dionysian International Wine Society and a founding member of the Nation’s Capital Chapter of the Brotherhood of the Knights of the Vine. He’s been judging wine competitions since 2000 and is an AWS-certified wine judge. His favorite varietals are Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir and Gewurztraminer.
Chip Cassidy – Professor, Wine Buyer
Chip Cassidy, professor of wine technology at Florida International University, and author of Chip Cassidy’s Wine Travels, is known as “Mr. Wine of Florida.” Cassidy has judged wine competitions for 33 years, including the Harvest Fair. What makes him return to judge the Harvest Fair? It’s because of “the quality of the other judges and, of course, the great Sonoma County wines,” he says.
Jeanne Christie – Wine Educator/Consultant and Wine Editor, Arizona Gourmet Living
Jeanne Christie is the wine editor of Arizona Gourmet Living magazine. She and her husband, Dan McCoog, own Wine-ovations, a wine consulting firm focused on education and wine list development. Christie spent time in Northern California working for Dutton Estate-Sebastopol Vineyards, Chandon Estates, Simi Winery and Geyser Peak Winery. She’s been judging wine competitions for five years, including the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition and El Dorado County Fair. Additionally, while working as a winery public relations professional, she spent many years pouring wine at the Harvest Fair Awards Night. It was her favorite event of the year and says, “I know the importance of wineries winning in their own backyard – the passion is wonderful!”
Jill A. Ditmire – Owner/Buyer, Mass Avenue Wine Shoppe & Café and Omnimedia Wine Specialist
In addition to being the owner and buyer for Mass Ave Wine Shoppe & Café in Indianapolis, Ind., Jill Ditmire is an omnimedia wine specialist, discussing wine through radio, television, web and print media. She also lectures and consults through her travels as a buyer. Ditmire is an American Wine Society-certified wine judge and has been judging competitions for eleven years, including the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, Indy International Wine Competition and Michigan State Fair. A lover of white wines, especially Sauvignon Blanc, she notes that her store has “seen a BIG jump in sales of ‘blends’ from California.”
Mike Dunne – Wine Writer/Consultant, A Year in Wine
Mike Dunne is a freelance wine writer and consultant who divides his time between Sacramento and San Jose del Cabo, Baja California Sur. The former food editor, wine columnist and restaurant critic of The Sacramento Bee, he continues to contribute a weekly wine column to The Bee and its online platforms, including www.sacbee.com and www.sacwineregion.com. His blog - A Year in Wine - also is a partner in The Bee's online community of Northern California bloggers, Sacramento Connect. Mike contributed the Inland California and Mexico chapters to the recently published book "Opus Vino," and is at work on a spinoff about outstanding everyday value wines.
Traci Dutton – Sommelier, Wine Spectator Greystone Restaurant, Culinary Institute of America
Traci Dutton serves as the Sommelier in the Wine Spectator Greystone Restaurant at the Culinary Institute of America. With the goal of creating The Ultimate California Wine Cellar to be housed in the former Christian Brothers winery, the wine list has won awards and gathered national recognition for the extensive representation of wines from throughout the state, with a special emphasis on Greystone’s Napa neighbors. Dutton worked in New York City for 14 years and came to California with vast experience in fine dining beverage service and international wine buying. She has judged the Dallas Morning New Wine Competition and the LA County Fair “Wines of the World” Competition. She has spoken on marketing at UC Davis, Sonoma State University and the Wine Industry Financial Symposium. Her special interest is in passing on the belief that most wine should be for everyday drinking and to
Bob Foster, San Diego, CA– Assistant Editor, California Grapevine
Assistant Editor of the California Grapevine wine newsletter, Bob Foster has been a wine judge for over 25 years in California, Iowa, Missouri, Virginia and even Baja California. He is the Director of both the Mid-American Wine Competition (held in Iowa and open only to the wines of the Midwest) and the Temecula Valley Wine Competition. Bob is also a retired prosecutor, retiring after 33 years of service with the California Attorney General's Office. During his career he twice argued (and won) cases at the Supreme Court of the United States.
Barry H. Gump, Ph.D – Professor
Professor of beverage management at Florida International University, Dr. Barry H. Gump is also the co-author of two scholarly texts: Wine Analysis and Production and Fundamentals of Food Chemistry. Dr. Gump has been professionally judging wine competitions since 1981 and enjoys judging the Harvest Fair because it’s a “very well-organized competition with high-quality wines, professional judges and outstanding hospitality.” In addition to teaching throughout the United States, Dr. Gump spent time during spring 2011 teaching a wine course in Tianjin, China.
Ellen Landis – Owner/Sommelier, Landis Shores Oceanfront Inn and Writer
Ellen Landis is a certified sommelier and co-owner, with husband and Chef Ken Landis, wine director and sommelier at Landis Shores Oceanfront Inn in Half Moon Bay, Calif. Landis also writes the wine blog “Ellen on Wine.” She has judged various national and international wine competitions for ten years, including the Sonoma County Harvest Fair, San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, Mid America Wine Competition and Riverside International Wine Competition. Landis comes back to the Harvest Fair because it’s “extremely well-organized, and has a great staff and backroom team, wonderful judges’ dinner and Award Night at Grace Pavilion,” and because the “focus is on Sonoma County wines.”
Ken Landis – Owner/Chef, Landis Shores Oceanfront Inn
Ken is Chef and co-owner with wife and Sommelier Ellen Landis at Landis Shores Oceanfront Inn. In addition to creating recipes for Landis Shores, Landis participates as a guest chef at off-site events including the Lodi ZinFest, creating and demonstrating unique recipes, and attends numerous trade events to assist in choosing top notch wines from around the globe for their 3000 bottle wine cellar. In addition to his degree in marketing, he has successfully completed wine courses at UC Davis, and course work at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. He participates in numerous blind tastings, and regularly participates as a wine judge at various wine competitions including the California State Fair Wine Competition, The Sonoma Harvest Fair Wine Competition, The Grand Harvest Wine Competition, the Amador County Fair Wine Competition, the San Francisco Chronicle Competition, The West Coast Wine Competition, the top 12 ZINS of Lodi, and Affairs of the Vine competitions.
Ann Littlefield – Interantional Wine Marketing Specialist
Ann Littlefield fell in love with wine during college years in Europe. A longtime international industry veteran and professional international wine and spirits judge, she specializes in new market development. Pioneering many facets of the international wine business, Ann’s diverse focus includes marketing, buying, selling and teaching in the United States, Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand and South America. Ann launched and developed a successful company to market and sell wines of the world to the international airline industry. She went on to create global wine sourcing and corporate wine programs for the leading Internet wine retailer. She enjoys judging the Sonoma County Harvest Fair Wine Competition because of the diversity and quality of Sonoma County Varietals.
Paul Lukacs – Wine Writer and Educator, Washington Times
Paul Lukacs is the wine columnist for The Washington Times as well as a regular contributor to Wine Review Online. Lukacs is also the award winning author of “American Vintage: The Rise of American Wine” and “The Great Wines of America: The Top Forty Vintners, Vineyards and Vintages.” He’s extensively traveled wine regions throughout the world, reviewing thousands of varietals each year. He’s judged numerous wine competitions throughout Europe and North America and is one of the organizers and founders of the International Oyster Wine Competition, held annually in Washington.
Charles F. Mara – President, The Mara Wine Group
Charles Mara is a nationally recognized wine judge, winery producer-owner and wine merchant, in addition to being the president of The Mara Wine Group. Mara has been judging wine competitions for 30 years and is a professor of oenology and member of the Society of Wine Educators. His favorite wines are Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc and sparkling wines. Mara has also appeared in the Guinness Book of World Records twice: once for “most paid for a single bottle of wine,” for his purchase of an 1806 bottle of Lafite-Rothschild for $28,000 in 1978, and the second time for “most paid for a case of American wine,” for his purchase of a case of 1979 Opus I in 1981 for $24,000.
Debra Meiburg, MW – Wine Educator and Writer
Debra Meiburg is one of only 273 people world-wide to hold the prestigious Master of Wine designation. Meiburg, a resident of Hong Kong, is a wine educator and writer, serving as a wine columnist for the South China Morning Post and as a contributing editor for Asian Tatler magazines. She recently founded the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International Wine & Spirits Competition. She also presents her wine education class, Let Me Introduce You to Your Tongue, to audiences throughout Asia, to wine novices and connoisseurs alike.
Deborah Parker Wong – Editor, The Tasting Panel magazine
Deborah Parker Wong is the Northern California editor of The Tasting Panel and a contributor to Sommelier Journal, Cheers, Vineyard and Winery Management and Examiner.com. Parker Wong holds a diploma from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust and is a professional wine judge with a demanding schedule, having participated in 13 competitions in 2010 alone. She’s excited to be judging the Harvest Fair for her second year because it provides a good snapshot of wines that Sonoma County produces and a great event for one-stop wine shopping. She considers Pinot Noir, Syrah and Sauvignon Blanc her favorite varietals and is currently working on a book, In Pursuit of a Global Palate.
Kent M. Rosenblum – Owner and Winemaker, Rock Wall Wine Company, and Veterinarian
Kent Rosenblum is the owner and winemaker at Rock Wall Wine Company in Alameda, Calif. Rock Wall Wine Company is a part of a growing urban winemaking movement and produces ultra-premium wines from multiple California regions. A judge for 20 years, Rosenblum has participated in the West Coast Wine Competition, Pacific Rim Wine Competition, San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition and Orange County Fair. He’s an avid skier and pizza maker and prefers Chardonnay, Zinfandel and Petite Syrah. He finds the Harvest Fair to be an attractive event because of “the quality of the wines and the region.”
Tammy Ruesenberg – Lead Sommelier, Olives Bellagio
Tammy Ruesenberg is the lead sommelier at Olives, a favorite restaurant at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas. Ruesenberg began her career in hospitality in Colorado as a way to stay close to the ski slopes, and along the way, became passionate about wine. After working for several distributors throughout the United States, she joined the Bellagio team at its opening in 1998. Ruesenberg enjoys the challenges of pairing wine with the deeply flavored Mediterranean-style food at Olives. She’s worked hard to expand the list of wines offered by the glass, focusing on Mediterranean wines. Las Vegas is appealing to her because it’s “a cool market. People like to know about wine.”
Christopher Sawyer – Sommelier, Carneros Bistro & Wine Bar
Christopher Sawyer is a sommelier, wine journalist, consultant, critic and public speaker, and travels the world following trends in wine and participating as a judge in international wine competitions. He was named the 2009 Best Sommelier in Sonoma County by The Wine Tasting Panel Magazine, and is the recipient of many prestigious awards and industry honors. As the world's first and only Film Festival Sommelier, Sawyer conceived and curated the wine experience throughout the Sonoma Valley Film Festival, including creatively pairing wine and food with films throughout the festival and at celebrity tributes. He is currently sommelier-in-residence at the Carneros Bistro & Wine Bar at The Lodge at Sonoma Renaissance Resort and Spa, where he has received numerous awards for his wine list spotlighting wines from Sonoma Valley and Carneros.
Ronald Siragusa – Wine Director
Ronald Siragusa is the wine director at Kuleto’s and Bar Norcino in San Francisco. Siragusa’s interest in wine developed at a young age as he watched his grandfather’s home winemaking. He became a Certified Sommelier by the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in 1999, and began his judging career over ten years ago with the San Francisco International Wine Competition. A fan of Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet and Merlot, he enjoys judging at the Harvest Fair for its friendly atmosphere and fun and lively people.
Fred Tasker – Wine Columnist, Miami Herald
Fred Tasker is the wine columnist for the Miami Herald, where he also covers business, government affairs, and medicine, among various other topics. Tasker has made it his life’s goal to taste a glass of wine from every winemaking state, region and country throughout the world, preferably while visiting the regions where the wine is made. His quest has taken him to various locations – California, New York, France, Spain, Chile and even Uzbekistan. Tasker has judged wine competitions throughout the United States and Europe.
Marguerite Thomas – Travel Editor, The Wine News
Marguerite Thomas is the travel editor for The Wine News, writes “The Intrepid Gastronome” column for the Los Angeles Times and contributes to Wine Review Online. Thomas, an accomplished author, has penned three books: “Wineries of the Eastern States,” “Touring East Coast Wineries,” and “The Elegant Peasant cookbook.” She’s been judging wine competitions for over 15 years and appreciates the quality of the judges at the Harvest Fair. Because of her Eastern United States wine knowledge, she has been asked to appear on numerous television programs.
Ron Washam, Healdsburg, CA - Sommelier and Blogger/HoseMaster of Wine
After 19 years as a Sommelier in Los Angeles, twice named Sommelier of the Year by the Southern California Restaurant Writers' Association, Ron moved to Sonoma County to explore the other aspects of the wine business. He has spent the last 30 years learning about and teaching about wine. In addition to the Sonoma County Harvest Fair, he has also judged the San Francisco International Wine Competition.
Wilfred Wong – Cellar Master/Buyer, BevMo!
Wilfred Wong is the cellar master and wine buyer for BevMo! Wong is a 35-year veteran of the wine industry and has been with BevMo! since 1995. He manages over 4,000 wines for the retailer and has seen the chain grow from six to 62 stores. He tastes between 8,000 and 10,000 wines annually. Wong writes regular columns for Vineyard & Winery Management and Beverage Industry News. He lives in San Francisco with his wife, Alice, and dog, Cody.