After a recent conversation with some friends, I realized there are a lot of people out there that are curious how these International Wine Competitions work, who are the judges and why would a winery send in their wines. So if you are one of them, pour yourself a glass and settle in.
An International Wine Competition brings professionals in the industry together to judge wines that are submitted from all over the world. There are literally wines in every part of the world these days and many of them are incredible, yet they are not exported so we don't know about them. These competitions are located in different areas of the world because you will get a bulk of the wines submitted from the country it is held in and its neighbors. Shipping wine is costly so in order to truly judge the best of the world, there needs to be competitions in very different areas. Bringing judges from all over the world is important for the same reason, as is having judges with different jobs in the industry.
Who are these judges? They are Masters of Wine, Master Sommeliers, renowned winemakers, respected wine writers, viticulturists, professors, and prominent wine buyers for impressive restaurants or stores. What they all have in common is they have not only a vast knowledge of wines from around the world, a good sense of winemaking and vineyard practices, but also a gift for smelling and tasting what's in a glass without many details (called blind tasting).
Some competitions are only a couple days of judging, some are a couple of weeks. But they are all more or less set up the same. Some competitions have 40 judges, some have 300 judges, but they all break it down to panels of 4-6 judges to judge any one flight of wines. Here is an example: I am a Certified Advanced Sommelier and co-owner of Vivac Winery (but it is really my ability that has gotten me an invitation to judge), I may be at a table with a Master of Wine, a wine writer, a wine buyer, a wine professor and a winemaker. We will get a flight of 12 wines (some flights are small like 8, some are big like 17), each wine that is poured will be registered with a number, we will see that number on our personal ipads. The only information we are given is the number associated with that wine, at some the grape or blend it is (sometimes it just says "white wine blend" or "red wine blend" or isn't included at all) and a vintage year. Now each of us silently rates that wine on our ipads and submits the score. The final score will be an average of all 6 scores. In some competitions the highest and lowest scores are kicked out and the average is taken of the remaining scores. Then we discuss the wine. If all the judges gave the wine a similar score, it is a short discussion. If there is a large swing in scores (some high, some low) the discussion in more in-depth as to why someone liked it so much and why someone else disliked it. It is during this time that personal backgrounds come into play, maybe the winemaker caught a flaw the others didn't, maybe the wine writer is freshly back from an area of the world that specializes in this style wine and has details that shed light on how the wine should be thought of. Sometimes the scores are adjusted up in light of the details that came up in the discussion and can be the difference between a wine gaining a medal or not. Sometimes they can be adjusted down specifically so that they don't medal. All wines are tasted and spit out; you can actually be escorted out of the competition for swallowing. I know, so sad right? When you have a wine that has blown you away and got a gold, it is sad to spit it out and dump the rest of the glass, but sometimes the wine is so bad, you can't believe you put it in your mouth. Believe it or not, this work is really exhausting. We all take this very seriously, and each wine gets our full attention and respect, which after a full day of doing it, it can leave you utterly zapped... and really really "thirsty".
After the final wine of a flight is scored, there will be a short break, a palate cleanser and then the next flight starts. At some competitions the flights come out prepoured, others are poured at the table, but the bottle will be cloaked in a jacket so it is never seen. The idea is that each wine gets an unbiased evaluation. Imagine if a judge was allowed to see a label and had the thoughts of 'oh bummer, I hate that cheap crap', that would color the scores that judge gave. Instead, we have to trust our ability to seek out details in a glass and match that to the knowledge of wines around the world. If I know a Chardonnay is being poured (or if that info is not given, but based on my ability to smell and pin point what that varietal is and I've placed it as a Chardonnay), I think of all the places in the world (and there are a lot) and how the grape expresses itself in those places. The vintage date can sometimes play a part in deciding location; France will age Chardonnay longer than say South Africa. Then you analyse the wine. First, how is the color and intensity? Then, are there any faults? Then, assessment of the smell (aromas and bouquet), are they in keeping with what a Chardonnay grape should be? This is usually a good indicator of where it is grown as well (If you want to really see what I'm talking about, literally anyone can try this by comparing a Marlborough, New Zealand Sauv Blanc to a Loire Valley, France Sauv Blanc side by side. Same grape, extremely different characteristics. Usually this distinction is much more subtle, but that is a very good comparison that will get my point across). Then you finally taste the wine and evaluate the palate and finish of the wine. You score all of these components individually and then decide if it represents a Chardonnay from such and such a region or such and such a style and decide if it represents it well, if so how well? Make sense? If you don't get to know the grape it makes it fun to discuss with the panel. Because it is blind tasting, sometimes the reveal of what the wine was at the end of the day can really surprise you, suddenly you see that a winery you'd not thought very highly of, is actually doing some great stuff!
Depending on the competition, you could be there 8am-4pm with flight after flight after flight, others are 9am-1pm with a set limit of how many flights judges may taste in a day. All of them treat their judges like celebrities, it is pretty cool. Some competitions pay for travel expenses, most pay for lodging and meals. All encourage you to explore the city you are in and that can be them taking you to cultural events as we did in Budapest seeing a famous Russian Pianist in the city's most beautiful, historic theater. Or you could be reimbursed for the city tours and cultural events you seek out on your own as was done in Berlin. All have a welcome event that includes being wined and dined. All make sure you have plenty of wine after judging at your disposal. And all of them make sure you are happy. Oh ya and they give you gifts of some sort as a thank you.
So how do you get in on this? Well, my way in started out by a coordinator of one competition doing a search for recruiting new judges, came across this blog, did some recon on me, saw listings of classes I had taught and feedback on those events and rolled the dice on inviting me. Doing well at that 1st competition (meaning my scores were within range of the already respected judges on my panel, and getting feedback from those revered judges on how discussions with me went during the judging i.e. did I know what I was talking about, was I an asset at the table and in the discussion, did I have insights...), meant when I had a friendly discussion with a very influential judge, he was able to pull this info from the 1st competition, liked what he heard and submitted me for a 2nd competition in order to meet me in person. Judging along side me impressed this influential judge to the point he put his name on the line to submit me for 3 competitions in Central Europe. Submitting my name doesn't equal an invitation to judge, but helps a lot! Especially when it is this influential judge. Then that competition does its own vetting of you, like that judge had also done. I had the honor of being invited and participating in all three of those competitions, evidently they also liked what they heard. During that tour of awesomeness, I also had a chance to impress this influential judge even more with some geeky super taster wine skills that blew his hair back enough to submit me for a truly big deal competition that has respected judges waiting on wait lists for over 10 years. I participated in that one in July. I have been extremely lucky with the opportunities offered to me within only 1 1/2 years since my very first competition. Most judges have been at this for over 20 years and not been to some of the competitions I've been to. It is a huge honor. And yes, I am obnoxiously patting myself on the back. Finally my alcoholism has a purpose!
Now there are TONS of small differences in how different competitions are run and the reasons why, if you really want to geek out with me on that topic, you can message me and we will fall down that rabbit hole together. But after 7 competitions in 4 countries, that is what I have seen to be the basics.
Final thing, why would a winery send their wines in to a competition? In one word, its SALES. Having a panel of expert tasters and influential industry people all agree your wine is a wine worthy of a medal gives the general consumer a safety net when shopping. The wine buyers hear your wine got a medal, they want your wine on their shelves, on their wine lists and when consumers walk into your winery out in the middle of no where New Mexico, they feel reassured that their preferences and what they enjoy, are signed off on as OK by the wine professionals. Our winery has won Gold and Silver medals at every International Competition we have entered, San Francisco Chronicle, Finger Lakes, Great American and even at ones in Hungary and Czech Republic!
That was a lot of heady info about this wild niche part of the wine world, don't let it overwhelm you. When it comes right down to it, wine is meant to be fun! It is meant to be consumed, enjoyed, loved, and a element that makes an experience exceptional. So drink what you like, with whatever you like and ignore all the rules.
-Cheers from the Vivác Winery Family!
www.VivacWinery.com
Written by Michele Padberg, co-owner of Vivac Winery. If you enjoy this blog, check out her personal blog at Wine First Adventures
Running on Wine; from Marathons to Rafting to "Fueling" on the Patio, We are Fueled by Vivác.
