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Two
Days to Judge Record-Breaking Number of Entries
Grand Cru judges arrive from throughout the United States to participate in the international wine competition. We have a list of professional judges that includes local wholesalers, wine merchants and restaurateurs, as well as wine industry leaders and wine columnists who are skilled in judging under the American Wine Competition System developed for us and a few other forward-thinking competitions. Dan Berger, Syndicated Wine Columnist and Publisher of Dan Berger's Vintage Experiences, is continuing as Chief Judge for the tenth year in a row. The competition takes place over two days.
Over 1,800 wine entries are anticipated for 2009. Hundreds and hundreds of cases of wines are received from February through June in our storage facility and loaded on pallets. In June they are then moved to the competition prep site where all wines entered are processed for the competition. One day before the competition the wines are then moved to the Long Beach Petroleum Club site where they will be judged over a period of two days.
The Competition will be held on Saturday and Sunday, July 17 and 18,
2010. The competition is closed to the public.
For information on the LBGC's judging process, please visit Judging Process.
To meet the demands of another record-breaking year, the Grand Cru is continually improving its computer systems to provide results accurately, efficiently and quickly. Judges are selected by a Steering Committee chaired by Dan Berger and recruited from a pool of winemakers, restaurateurs, wine store representatives, noted wine writers, educators and recognized wine connoisseurs.
(as of June 30, 2010)
Dan Berger, Chief Judge
Syndicated Wine Columnist and Publisher of Dan Berger's Vintage Experiences
A message from our Chief Judge, Dan Berger [Please View Now]
- Steve Bloom, Importer, Tesori Wines
- Tom Bohr, Professional Wine Tasting Champion, Redlands CA
- Rene Chazottes, Director of Wine, Mâitre Sommelier, The Pacific Club Newport Beach CA
- Christopher Cook, Restaurant Critic & Wine Writer, Detroit MI
- Mike Dunne, Food and Wine Writer Sacramento Bee, Sacramento CA
- Traci Dutton, Sommelier, Culinary Institute of America at Greystone, St. Helena CA
- Bob Foster, California Grapevine Wine Newsletter
- David Friedenberg, Member, Tasting Panel California Grapevine, San Diego CA
- Donald Galleano, Owner/Winemaker, Galleano Winery
- Ron Gillies, Importer, Lone Cypress Importers
- Jane Goodnight, Young's Market Company, Specialty Market Division Tustin CA
- Wes Hagen, Wine Maker, Clos Pepe, Lompoc CA
- Joe Hart, Owner-Wine Maker, Hart Winery, Temecula CA
- Randy Kemner, The Wine Country, Signal Hill CA
- Ellen Landis, Sommelier, Wine Writer, Owner, Landis Shores Oceanfront Inn, Half Moon Bay CA
- Ken Landis, Chef and Owner, Landis Shores Oceanfront Inn, Half Moon Bay CA
- Adam LaZarre, Winemaker, Director of Operations, Villa San Juliette; LaZarre Family Wines, Soledad CA
- Ann Littlefield, Littlefield Wine & Spirits Marketing, International Beverage Industry Marketing & Sales, Napa CA
- Douglas Lumgair, Windsor Oaks Vineyards and Winery, Windsor CA
- Julie Hagler Lumgair, Windsor Oaks Vineyards & Winery, Windsor CA
- Michael Martini, Master Wine Maker, Louis M. Martini Winery, Calistoga CA
- Tim McDonald, President, Wine Spoken Here, Napa, CA
- Dr. Fred Nury, Emeritus Professor of Enology, CSU Fresno CA
- Jeff Slankard, Wine Director, Barons Marketplace, San Diego CA
- Clark Smith, Wine Maker, Vinovation/SmithCraft, Sebastopol CA
- Mike Stepanovich, Wine Journalist, Bakersfield CA
- David Stevens, Senior Wine Consultant, Davon International, Napa CA
- Tom Sweet, Restauranteur, Ca ‘del Sol, Sherman Oaks CA
- Jim Trezise, President, N.Y. Wine & Grape Foundation, Penn Yan NY
- David Vergari, Wine Maker, Vergari Wines, Sierra Madre CA
- Gus Vizgirda, Wine Maker, Maurice Carrie Wines, La Cereza Winery, Temecula CA
"All of the entries are of premium status, which puts the tasters on their mettle," observed Chair Judge Dan Berger. "Every wine in every entry becomes a challenge," he added.