Judge Bios | Former Judge Bios | Annual Judges' Dinner | Wine Judging Snapshots

Bob Fraser gives directions to judges with Red and White Sweepstake Round

2008 Chronicle Wine Competition Judges

MEDIA

• Michael Apstein, Columnist, WineReviewOnLine.com; Boston, MA

• Dan Berger, Syndicated Wine Writer, Santa Rosa, CA

• Jon Bonne, Wine Editor, San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco, CA

• Jeanne Christie, Wine Editor, Arizona Gourmet Living, Tucson, AZ

• Laurie Daniel, Wine Writer, San Jose Mercury News, San Jose, CA

• Eric Degerman, Managing Editor of Wine Press Northwest, Tri-Cities, WA

• Jill A. Ditmire, Omnimedia Wine Specialist, Indianapolis, IN

• Mike Dunne, Food Editor and Wine Columnist, The Sacramento Bee, Sacramento, CA

• Barbara Ensrud, Wine Writer and Regional Correspondent Appellation America, Durham, NC

• Bob Foster, Assistant Editor, California Grapevine Wine Newsletter, San Diego, CA

• DeWayne Holmdahl, Host, The Wine Show, AM1440 & AM 1410, Santa Maria, CA

• David Jones, Wine Writer, Educator and founder of Wine Works, San Francisco, CA

• Tim McNally, Host, The Wine Show, New Orleans, LA

• Rob Merletti, President/Publisher, Vineyard & Winery Management, Santa Rosa, CA

• Norm Roby, Wine Writer, Little River, CA

• Tom Simoneau, "The Wine Guy" KSRO and Dir. of Sales, Windsor Vineyards, Santa Rosa, CA

• Fred Tasker, Syndicated Wine Writer, Miami Herald, Miami, FL

• Diane Teitelbaum, Wine Writer and Wine Buyer, American Airlines, Dallas, TX

• Tara Q. Thomas, Managing Editor, Wine & Spirits, New York, NY

RETAIL WINE BUYERS

• Patrick “Chip” Cassidy, Wine Director, Crown Wine & Spirits, Miami, FL

• Kristi Mohar, Wine Buyer, Pacific Markets, Sebastopol, CA

• Ben Pearson, General Manager and Wine Buyer, Bottle Barn, Santa Rosa, CA

• Renay Santero, Wine Buyer, Oliver’s Markets in Cotati & Santa Rosa, CA

• Christopher Sawyer, Proprietor/Sommelier, Vine & Barrel Wine Shop, Petaluma, CA

• Ray Spencer, Owner, Lake Street Wines & Spirits, Penn Yan, NY

• Bill Traverso, Owner, Traverso’s Gourmet Food & Wine, Santa Rosa, CA

• Luigi Velo, President of Mercato Italia and Owner of The Italian Importing Company, Sacramento, CA

• Wilfred Wong, e-Commerce Cellarmaster, Beverages & more! Concord, CA

WINEMAKER AND INDUSTRY REPRESENTATIVES

• Brian Baker, VP Consumer Relationship Marketing, Kendall-Jackson, Santa Rosa, CA

• Dan Barwick, Winemaker, Paradise Ridge Winery, Santa Rosa, CA

• Mark Chandler, Executive Director, Lodi-Woodbridge Winegrape Commission, Lodi, CA

• Tim Hardin, Winemaker, Stryker Sonoma, Geyserville, CA

• Pat Henderson, Author and Winemaker, Kenwood Vineyards, Kenwood, CA

• Dan Kosta, Cofounder, Kosta-Browne Wines, Sebastopol, CA

• Mike Lee, Winemaker, Kenwood, CA

• Ann Littlefield, Consultant, New Vine Logistics, Napa, CA

• Charles Mara, Marketing and Sales Consultant, Mara Wine Group, Pound Ridge, NY

• Tim McDonald, Owner, Wine Spoken Here, Napa, CA

• Christopher O’Gorman, Public Relations, Merryvale Vineyards, St. Helena, CA

• Richard Peterson, Writer and Winemaker, Napa, CA

• Patrick Pickett, Winemaker, Kendall-Jackson, San Rosa, CA

• Kent Rosenblum, President, CEO and Dir. of Winemaking, Rosenblum Cellars, Alameda, CA

• Bill Smart, Director of Communications, Dry Creek Vineyard, Healdsburg, CA

• Kryss Speegle, Assistant Winemaker, Kenwood Vineyards, Kenwood, CA

• Sue Straight, Sales & Marketing Manager, Hop Kiln Winery, and Wine Writer, signonsandiego.com and Wine Country This Week Magazine, Redwood Valley, CA

RESTAURANT AND HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY BUYERS

• William Bloxsom-Carter, Food & Beverage Director, Playboy Mansion West, Los Angeles, CA

• Duane Daniels, Wine Steward, Plaza III Steakhouse, Kansas City, MO

• Paul Geisz, Owner, Village Tavern Restaurant & Inn, Hammondsport, NY

• Suzanne Geisz, General Manager & Wine Director, Village Tavern Restaurant & Inn, Hammondsport, NY

• Ellen Landis, Wine Director, Landis Shores Oceanfront Inn, Half Moon Bay, CA

• Ken Landis, Chef, Landis Shores Oceanfront Inn, Half Moon Bay, CA

• Dan McCoog, Director of Wine, Sommelier, Hacienda Del Sol Guest Ranch Resort, Tucson, AZ

• Richard Mercer, Owner, Experience Italy, Sacramento, CA

• Larry Van Aalst, Sommelier, Equus Restaurant and Host of The Sonoma Report, CRN Digital Talk Radio, Santa Rosa, CA

• Ann Walker, Author, Educator and Executive Chef, Ann Walker Catering, San Anselmo, CA

WINE EDUCATION

• Carl G. Brandhorst, Regional Vice President for Virginia, American Wine Society, Fairfax, VA

• Martha Dunne, Owner, winegigs.com, Sacramento, CA

• Les Ferguson, Wine Consultant, Robert Rue Vineyard, Fulton, CA

• John Giannini, Winemaker, California State University Fresno, Fresno, CA

• Barry H. Gump, Ph.D., Professor of Enology, California State University Fresno, Fresno, CA

• Ralph E. Kunkee, Professor Emeritus of Enology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA

• G.M. "Pooch" Pucilowski, Consultant and Chief Judge, California State Fair Wine Competition, Sacramento, CA

• Ron Rawlinson, Wine Consultant, Writer & Educator, San Luis Obispo, CA

• David Rogers, Senior Wine Consultant & Product Training Instructor, Windsor Vineyards, Windsor, CA

• Mike Stepanovich, Wine Journalist & Educator, Bakersfield, CA

2008 Professional Wine Judges

Click to enlarge.