Largest Competition of American Wines in the World Sees Highest Number of Entrants in 16 Years
(San Francisco, Calif., January 5, 2015) — The 2016 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition (SFCWC) has received 7,164 entries this year. This is the highest number of wine entries seen to date, shattering 2015’s previous record of 6,417 entries from 28 states. Submissions came pouring in from across the nation, from independent winemakers and boutique wineries to large scale producers.
The SFCWC is the largest competition of American wines in the world, and it continues to expand in size and scope. This year, the SFCWC is adding five new categories of ciders, including heritage ciders, fruit ciders, culinary ciders, wood-aged ciders and specialty ciders.
“Every year the competition grows in size and prestige. Breaking the 7,000-entry mark is an astounding accomplishment. What was once a modest regional event has developed into the largest competition of American wines in the world,” said Bob Fraser, Executive Director of the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. “I’m honored to be associated with a nationwide competition of such quality and integrity.”
At the Cloverdale Citrus Fair from January 5-8, the wines will be evaluated and rated by 65 wine judges during the judging portion of the competition. Once the judging is completed, many of the award winning wines will be featured at the annual Public Tasting, which takes place on February 13, 2016 at the Fort Mason Center in San Francisco.
For more information on the SFCWC and the Public Tasting event, please visit https://www.winejudging.com
About the SFCWC: Founded in 1983 as the modestly sized Cloverdale Citrus Fair Wine Competition, the current competition has evolved immensely over the years, expanding its eligibility to wineries throughout the United States. In 2000, the event gained sponsorship from the San Francisco Chronicle and appropriately assumed the title the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. Celebrating its 16th anniversary this year, the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition is pleased to help support the non-profit Cloverdale Citrus Fair, as well as wine and food education at educational institutions and non-profit organizations. Santa Rosa Junior College Wine Studies Program and Culinary Arts Program, Fresno State University Enology Program, California Polytechnic State University Enology Program at San Luis Obispo, and other non-profit organizations have all received support from past competitions.
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