A day in the life of a wine judge
© by Scott Gunerman
Judging wines all day long sounds like a nice, easy going relaxing way to spend the day. You show up, take your seat, out comes the Mouton and Latour and you just taste away, one by one, separating the good from bad while handing out a few token medals along the way.
I was lucky enough to put this theory to the test the weekend of March 23-24 when I participated as one of thirty panel judges in the 2002 Finger Lakes International Wine Competition (for more details see http://www.fliwc.com) in downtown Rochester, N.Y.
When the event finally started, I found out I had more on my plate (and palate) than I bargained for.
Participating as a judge in a big wine competition was always one of those things that I wanted to do. It seems so glamorous - tasting the world's best wines with a group of experts - analyzing, discussing and arguing over wine and then handing out hardware for those wines deemed worthy. Five minutes into the competition I knew I was in for a very long day. After taking my seat the competition chairman mad some brief announcements, outlining the rules and procedures we were to follow.
"Six flights of eight wines each for each judge. Each wine to be evaluated on a 100-point scale, all wines in the flight to be discussed by the panel including each judges score for each wine. The entire flight has to be tasted, scored, discussed and medals (if applicable) awarded within 20 minutes per flight."
All of that before lunch.
After lunch, see above and repeat. The following morning at 8:00am sharp, repeat again. One more break for lunch and then one final session before being sent on our merry way.
A total of 192 wines later and after 16 hours of tasting, analyzing, spitting and discussing it was all said and done. I was tired physically and mentally. My lips were swollen and puffy {from the acid and the dribbles from spitting wine for two days straight, I think} and I promised myself to never eat another Stella D'oro breadstick again.
All in all it was a tremendous experience - there is nothing like the buzz and excitement in the air when you get a group of wine lover's in the same room with a whole bunch of wine to taste, analyze and discuss. What these events lack in glamour, they more than make up for in terms of experience, however raw it may be (especially on your lips!).
Tasting Notes - hey, give me a break! I'm not Robert Parker Jr.!
1998 Marques de Caceres Rioja Crianza - Rioja, Spain: Ruby red color, tinge of orange at the rim. Fruity nose - cherry and berry fruit, touch of vanilla. Delightful aroma. Light to medium body, smooth and velvety on the palate. Very gulpable. Excellent candidate for "house" wine. Smooth cherry flavors throughout the finish. Good deal at $9.99.
2000 Kenwood Sauvignon Blanc - Sonoma County, CA: Pale/watery color. Complex nose - fruity, floral, herby and grassy. Lemon and touch of cream (from partial oak aging). Long finish full of fruits and herbs. Tangy in all the right places - delicious wine ($9.99).
NV Chandon Brut Fresco - Argentina: Pale/straw color. Fresh, lively nose of citrus with a touch of toast. Racy on palate, zingy citrus and cream flavors. Straightforward but well made. 47% Pinot Noir - 42% Chardonnay - 11% Semillon. If it's bargain bubbles you seek, this is it - what a deal at $9.99 and from a very unique place for this category.
That's it, finally! Thanks for the visit. As always, please feel free to write me at cellarbrat1@yahoo.com with your comments, questions and suggestions. Everyone gets a reply! All feedback is welcomed and appreciated.
See ya next time from the cellar, and remember wine is more fun than you think...
Gunerman writes "The Brat In The Cellar" monthly for the Rochester, NY chapter of Wine Brats. The column is featured on Robin Garr's WineLoverPage.com and mirrored at www.BratintheCellar.com.
Also available is "The Brat Report", a weekly subscription based wine newsletter designed to educate and entertain. "The Brat Report" is available for $12/year. To subscribe, send a check/money order along with a valid e/mail address to: The Brat In The Cellar, PO Box 462, Pittsford, NY 14534. Have questions? Want to see a free sample? Send an e-mail to thebratreport@hotmail.com. Everyone gets a reply!
Volume Two
Number 4
April 25, 2002
