Wine Evaluation

Professional Wine Evaluation & Judging

My professional wine evaluation experience spans formal competition judging as well as hands-on analytical and sensory work within winery production environments. This combined background informs a disciplined, objective, and context-aware approach to wine assessment.

Wine Competition Judging

I regularly serve as a judge at both amateur and commercial wine competitions throughout California. All judging is conducted blind and in accordance with established competition protocols to ensure fair and unbiased evaluation across varieties, regions, and styles.

Years reflect scheduled competition cycles and availability.

Selected Competitions Judged

  • Alameda County Fair Wine Competition (2013–2019; 2022)
  • Amador County Commercial Wine Competition (2018–2019; 2022–2025)
  • Bottleshock Wine Competition (2016–2019)
  • California State Fair (2014–2019; 2023–2025)
  • Contra Costa Wine Competition (2016–2020; 2022–2025)
  • El Dorado Commercial Wine Competition (2017–2019; 2022–2024)
  • Foothill Wine Festival Wine Competition (2024–2025)
  • Sacramento Wine Competition (2016–2019; 2022–2023; 2025)

Judging panels have included winemakers, viticulturists, wine educators, and industry writers, providing broad comparative context and exposure to a wide range of production styles and quality levels.

Winery Laboratory & Production Experience

Laboratory Internship – Wente Vineyards
Completed a six-month internship in the winery laboratory under the direction of the head chemist. Responsibilities included routine wine chemistry analysis and quality monitoring, providing insight into the analytical foundations that support winemaking decisions.

Harvest & Cellar Work – Ruby Hill Winery (Livermore Valley)
Worked two harvest seasons alongside winemaker Chris Graves. Responsibilities included cellar operations, laboratory analysis, and participation in final blend evaluations. Regular barrel tastings provided practical experience connecting analytical data, sensory evaluation, and stylistic intent.

Harvest & Laboratory Experience – Thomas Coyne Winery (Livermore Valley)
Worked harvest under winemaker Thomas Coyne, whose background in chemistry informed a strong emphasis on analytical precision. Responsibilities included wine chemistry analysis and cellar operations, with hands-on experience interpreting laboratory results and understanding how analytical data guides practical winemaking decisions.

Sensory Evaluation & Tasting Note Work

I have authored winery tasting notes for consumer-facing materials and currently provide structured sensory notes, developed in collaboration with a winemaker, for use in winery brochures and related communications.

Approach to Wine Evaluation

My evaluation framework integrates:

  • Formal blind tasting discipline
  • Comparative panel experience
  • Understanding of wine chemistry and production constraints
  • Sensory assessment aligned with stylistic intent and regional typicity

This combined perspective supports both technical accuracy and practical, real-world understanding of how wines are made, assessed, and brought to market.