The largest competition of American wines in the world opens its doors to the general public, offering an outstanding selection of the finest wines in the country
(San Francisco, January 8, 2018) — This February, the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition with presenting sponsor BevMo! celebrates its 18-year anniversary as the largest competition of American wines in the world. At the Fort Mason Center in San Francisco, wine enthusiasts will enjoy sampling award winning wines from all across the country at the competition’s popular Public Tasting. The San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition Public Tasting will take place Saturday, February 17th from 1:30 pm – 5:00 pm at Fort Mason Center in San Francisco.
Year after year, the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition (SFCWC) grows more competitive and more prestigious, drawing a huge number of entries from some of the finest wineries across the nation. SFCWC award-winners, especially the Sweepstakes and Best of Class winners, are widely regarded as among the best wines in America. Due to the SFCWC’s size and the expertise of the judging panel, this competition is often considered the ultimate barometer for wine consumers to select and measure wine.
The public tasting event is always a highly anticipated event for wine lovers, many of whom come to the tasting with very educated palates. At the public tasting, guests come together to learn even more about wines, while gourmet food purveyors offer delectable food samples that pair perfectly with the award winning selections. The public tasting—traditionally a sellout event—also features KGO Radio show hosts, writers from the San Francisco Chronicle and notable wine industry leaders.
“The San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition is the definitive competition for American wines. To win a medal here – to stand out in a crowd of 7,000-plus submissions – is an enormous accomplishment for a winery,” said Esther Mobley, the San Francisco Chronicle Wine, Beer and Spirits editor.
The San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition will kick off this year with the judging, which is set to take place from January 9-12 at the Cloverdale Citrus Fairgrounds. 67 elite wine judges from all areas of the wine industry, including media, trade, education, retail and restaurant/hospitality, will gather to participate in the blind judging. Wines are categorized by varietal and price range, evaluated, and then select winners will be invited to participate in the Public Tasting event.
Over the past decade, the number of wine entries submitted to the SFCWC has grown rapidly. In 2018, the competition had nearly 7,000 entries from 35 states, illustrating the steady demand for a variety of options among wine consumers and firmly establishing the event’s prestige as an esteemed wine competition.
The SFCWC supports wine studies, enology, and viticulture programs for higher education institutions in California. Leftover wines from the competition are donated annually to Santa Rosa Junior College, Fresno State University, Sonoma State University and California Polytechnic University in San Luis Obispo.
Follow the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition on Twitter@Winejudging and Facebook/winejudging for info on the event and for special contests leading up to the public tasting.
WHAT:
San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition Public Tasting
WHEN:
Saturday, February 17, 2018
WHERE:
Festival Pavilion, Fort Mason Center, San Francisco
TIME:
1:30pm – 5pm
COST:
$55 Early bird discount (before January 1), $70 Advance Purchase, $95 at the door (the event has sold out for the past seven years; advance ticket purchase is recommended.)
INFO:
For tickets and additional information, visit www.winejudging.com
PARKING:
Limited parking is available at Fort Mason Center. In addition there is public transportation and parking nearby. There is a new metered parking system on the Fort Mason Parking Lot and parking on nearby Crissy Field Parking Lot. We recommend you take advantage of public transport.
MEDIA:
Contact The Larose Group, 650-548-6700 or amadsen@prmagic.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. The Cloverdale Citrus Fair, host of the SFCWC, supports wine and food education at educational institutions and nonprofit organizations. Leftover wines from the competition are often donated to wine programs at the Santa Rosa Junior College, Fresno State University, Sonoma State University, California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, and other non-profit organizations.
