Judge Bios | Former Judge Bios | Annual Judges' Dinner

Wine judging photos from the competition. click images to enlarge.

Jessica Altieri, Chicgo, IL	Mike Dunne, Sacramento, CA	Wilfred Wong, Concord, CA	Catherine Rabb, Charlotte, NC
Dr. Richard Peterson, Napa, CA	Andy Perdue, Richland, WA	Jim-Trezise, Canandaigua, NY	Ellen Landis, Half Moon Bay, CA
Bob Ecker, Napa, CA	Diane Teitelbaum, Dallas, TX	Christopher Sawyer, Petaluma, CA	Dr. Barry Gump, Miami, FL
Jim Caudill, Napa, CA	Bill Smart, Healdsburg, CA	Tom Simoneau, Healdsburg, CA	William Bloxsom-Carter Los Angeles, CA
Stuart Spoto, Sacramento, CA	TeeJay Lowe, Santa Rosa, CA	Winnie Alberg, Ellensberg, WA	Jill A. Ditmire, Indianapolis, IN

Media

• Jessica Altieri, Certified Sommelier, CEO of WineChannelTV, Chicago, IL
• Michael Apstein, Columnist of WineReviewsOnline.com, Newton, MA
• Jon Bonné, Wine Editor of San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco, CA
• Jennifer Cossey, Freelance Wine Journalist, Educator and Consultant, Yamhill, OR
• Laurie Daniel, Journalist, San Jose mercury News, San Jose, CA
• Eric Degerman, Co-Owner, GreatNorthwestWine.com, Richland, WA
• Martha Dunne, Administrator for Wine Events, Winegigs.com and Author of “Wait, What Do You Mean?” Asperger’s Show and Tell, Sacramento, CA
• Mike Dunne, Contributing Wine Columnist of Sacramento Bee and Chef Judge at the Calif. State Fair, Sacramento, CA
• Bob Ecker, Wine Writer and Photographer, Napa, CA
• Bob Foster, Wine Judge and Wine Competition Director, San Diego, CA
• DeWayne Holmdahl, Radio Wine Show Host, The Wine Show, Lompoc, CA
• Craig LaBan, Restaurant Critic and Drink Columnist of The Philadelphia Inquirer
• Paul Lukacs, Columnist, Author and Wine Educator Baltimore, MD
• Tim McNally, Host of Wine and Spirits Show WWWL-AM1350 and ESPN 1350.net, New Orleans, LA
• Andy Perdue, Co-owner of Greatnorthwestwine.com, Richland, WA
• Dr. Richard Peterson, Owner, Richard Grant Wine, Napa, CA
• Marguerite Thomas, Columnist of Vineyard & Winery Management Magazine, Baltimore, MD
• Larry Van Aalst, Talk Show Host of Sonoma Wine Report, CRN Digital Talk Radio, Santa Rosa, CA

Restaurant and Hospitality Industry Wine Buyers

• William Bloxsom-Carter, Director of Food and Beverages and Executive Chef of Playboy Mansion West, Los Angeles, CA
• Ellen Landis, Sommelier, Wine Writer and Owner of Landis Shores Ocean Front Inn Half Moon Bay, CA
• Ken Landis, Chef and Owner of Landis Shores Ocean Front Inn Half Moon Bay, CA
• Richard Mercer, Owner and President of Experience Italy Sacramento, CA
• Christopher Sawyer, Wine Educator, Sommelier, Carneros Bistro & Wine Bar at the Lodge at Sonoma, Petaluma, CA
• Dr. Richard Peterson, Owner Winemaker Richard Grant Wines, richardgrantwine.com, Napa, CA
• Diane Teitelbaum, Wine Consultant, Appraiser and Sales, Dallas, TX
• Ron Washam, Wine Curator, Lot18, Healdsburg, CA

Retail Wine Buyers

• Patrick "Chip" Cassidy, Professor, Wine Consultant, Florida International University, Miami, FL
• Jill A. Ditmire, Owner of Mass Ave. Wine Shoppe Café & Spirits, Indianapolis, IN
• Ann Littlefield, International Wine & Spirits Marketing, Napa, CA
• TeeJay Lowe, Wine Grape Grower and Retailer, G&G Supermarkets, Santa Rosa, CA
• Kristi Mohar, Wine Buyer and Liquor Manager of Pacific Markets, Sebastopol, CA
• Carolyn Mulas, Wine Manager, Southern Wine& Spirits; Proprietor Partner, Alta Vista Vineyards, Sonoma, CA
• Ben Pearson, General Manager and Wine Buyer of Bottle Barn, Santa Rosa, CA
• Wilfred Wong, e-Commerce Cellarmaster, BevMo!, Concord, CA

Wine Education

• Carl Brandhorst, President of Atlantic Seaboard Wine Association, Fairfax, VA
• Rick Fraga, Wine Consultant, Santa Rosa, CA
• John Giannini, Winemaker and Lecturer of Fresno State Winery, CSU Fresno, Fresno, CA
• Dr. Barry Gump, Professor of Beverage Management of Florida International University, Miami, FL
• Catherine Rabb, Associate Instructor of Johnson & Wales University, Charlotte, NC
• Gerry Ritchie, Professor of Enology of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo, CA
• Derrick Schneider, Freelance Wine Writer and Wine Educator
• Gerry Thomas, RLT Vineyard Consulting, Healdsburg, CA
• Rich Thomas, Educator and Wine Writer, Healdsburg, CA
• Darby Tarantino, Chef and Wine Educator of Meadowcroft Wine, Petaluma, CA

Winemaker and Industry Representatives

• Winnie Alberg, Professional Wine Judge and Vineyard and Winery Consultant, Ellensberg, WA
• Sean Brosnihan, Guest Services Manager of Jordan Winery, Healdsburg, CA 
• Jim Caudill, Director of Public Relations & Hospitality of The Hess Collection, Napa, CA
• Mark Chandler, Owner of Chandler & Company, Lodi, CA
• Mark Elcombe, Hospitality of Sonoma-Cutrer Vineyards, Santa Rosa, CA
• Denise Gill, Director of Sales & Hospitality of Ancient Oak Cellars, Santa Rosa, CA
• Daryl Groom, Owner and Winemaker of Groom Wines
• Pat Henderson, Senior Winemaker of Kenwood Vineyards, Santa Rosa, CA
• Tim Hardin, Winemaker, Stryker Sonoma, Geyserville, CA
• Pat Henderson, Senior Winemaker, Kenwood Vineyards, Winemaking Instructor at SRJC, Author, Kenwood, CA
• Dan Kosta, Proprietor of Kosta Browne Winery, Santa Rosa, CA
• Robert Larson, Director of Communications, Rodney Strong Wine Estates, Santa Rosa, CA
• Charles Mara, President, The Mara Wine Group, Pound Ridge, NY
• Tim McDonald, Owner of Wine Spoken Here PR, Napa, CA
• Christopher O'Gorman, Director of Marketing & Communications of Merryvale Vineyards & Starmont Winery, Napa, CA
• Ron Rawlinson, Wine Sales Guru, Grande, CA
• David Rogers, Senior Wine Consultant, Windsor Vineyards, Santa Rosa, CA
• Kent Rosenblum, Winemaker/CEO of Rock Wall Wine Company, Alameda, CA
• Tom Simoneau, Owner and Winemaker of Simoneau Vineyards, Healdsburg, CA
• Bill Smart, Director of Communications of Dry Creek Vineyard, Healdsburg, CA
• Clark Smith, Winemaker and Winesmith, Santa Rosa, CA
• Stuart Spoto, Owner and Winemaker of Spoto Wines, Sacramento, CA
• Sue Straight, Vice President of Direct Sales of Martin Ray Winery, Freelance Writer, Wine Wench Productions, Occidental, CA
• Eric Stine, Winemaker Langtry Estate & Vineyards, Middletown, CA 
• James (Jim) Trezise, President of the New York Wine & Grape Foundation, Canandaigua, NY
• Miro Tcholakov, Vice President and Winemaker of Trenedue Winery, Cloverdale, CA

2013 Professional Wine Judges

Click to enlarge.