State
Fair event in Lodi lets
home vintners go for gold
Thursday, June 17, 2010 12:00 am
More
than 6,000 glasses of wine were poured during Wednesday's Cal Expo State
Fair Home Winemaking Competition at the Wine & Roses Garden Ballroom.
The contest featured 1,200 homemade wines from all over the state.
"The event is important because it gives home winemakers a chance at an award they can be proud of," said G.M. "Pooch" Pucilowski, the chief judge of the competition.
Unlike the State Fair's commercial competition, the home competition requires judges do more than just rate the wine and move on. Judges are required to make tasting notes and advise winemakers how they can get a higher score next year.
"Instead of just stamping a score on moving on, judges are helping the home winemakers improve," said Paul DeSa, media representative for the competition.
Thursday's competition featured 65 core judges who were advised and educated by a panel of seven professional advisers during the event. The advising team roamed the floor during the competition and offered advice and assistance when necessary. The advising team included winemakers, professors and consultants.
There are more than 50 categories and winners will be formally announced in the coming days. The winners will be honored at a ceremony at the California State Fair on July 29. The News-Sentinel will report any local winners as soon as information becomes available.