2010 National Women’s Wine International Competition
While the competition results won’t be released to the general public until April 2, 2010, we found out today (March 23, 2010) that we received four medals for our wines and ports.
Our 2007 Estate Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon wine, 2007 Estate Reserve Syrah wine, 2007 Estate Reserve Starboard Cabernet Sauvignon port-style dessert wine, and 2008 Estate Reserve Picpoul Blanc port-style dessert wine all Ramona Valley AVA estate grown and produced wines medalists in the 2010 National Woman’s Wine International Competition.We won three Silver Medals and one Bronze Medal.
Presently 100% of our 2007 & 2008 releases of estate wines are medalists, and 88% of our total 2007 & 2008 releases are medalists in highly credible National/International and Regional wine competitions since last year.
2007 Estate Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Ramona Valley AVA estate grown and produced (Silver)
2007 Estate Reserve Syrah, Ramona Valley AVA estate grown and produced (Bronze)
2007 Estate Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Ruby-Port-styled dessert wine, Ramona Valley AVA estate grown and produced (Silver)
2008 Estate Reserve Picpoul Blanc White-Port-styled dessert wine, Ramona Valley AVA estate grown and produced (Silver)
Enjoy our custom artwork labels featuring our winery, its animals, and local public service organizations.
We practice sustainable farming and use Olde English Southdown Baby Doll Sheep in our vineyards and on our estate to eliminate the need for herbicides and other chemicals. We even have a worm farm to produce natural soil nutrients and nutrient and foliage sprays.
Learn first hand how we made this wine by staying at Eagles Nest Vacation Villa/Cottage. Read actual guest comments – Click here!
Please visit us at http://eaglesnestwinery.com Click here!
We received four medals this year and one last year from NWWC – a medal in this competition is more significant than you might think – in past NWWC competitions, only 1 in 5 entries win a medal so winning ANY medal is quite an achievement. Judging rules stipulate that only “wines of merit” are awarded medals, and ALL judges must agree on the award for that wine.
For example, if you’re #3 of 3 entries in a category, that doesn’t mean you get a medal by default. If the judges don’t believe your wine is worthy – it doesn’t get any medal – as 4 of 5 wines submitted do not get medals. Also if there are too few entrants in a given category, NWWC policy is to judge your wine against a larger, combined group, making the competition that much more difficult.
Having women wine industry professionals judge wine is more than it appears when you consider that women make 60%-70% (or more) of the wine purchases in the United States.
Thus it only makes sense to craft a competition judged entirely by women. As a marketing tool, NWWC provides a “woman to woman roadmap” of the wine industry. Medal winners can be assured that the leading women in wine have judged their wines exemplary. (Please note: to win a Bronze or Double Gold medal, all judges must be in agreement.
Competition Background:
Eileen Crane 2010 Honorary Chair
We are honored that Eileen Crane, Founding Winemaker & President of Napa’s legendary Domaine Carneros, is the 2010 Honorary Chairwoman for the National Women’s Wine Competition. Often referred to as America’s Doyenne of Sparkling Wine, Eileen Crane has spent more than 30 years in the industry. She is the most experienced Sparkling Winemaker in the United States.
The 2010 National Women’s Wine Competition… judged by twenty-three of the leading women wine judges in America. Entries were limited to ~2,500 overall entries 2,000 entries for the Open Competition; 500 entries for the Women Winemaker’s Challenge.
Judging Methodology
NWWC is a true blind tasting, which means that the judges do not know the maker of the wine, they never see the labels, nor do they know the price of the wine.
This makes it possible for our judges to identify outstanding wines across the range of price points and varietals. We also begin each judging session with an initial tasting of brut champagne to clear the judge’s palates to create the best tasting conditions.
Further, our judges receive the results of their panel’s work, ensuring the integrity of the judging.
Competition Philosophy
Since women make 60%-70% (or more) of the wine purchases in the United States, it only makes sense to craft a competition judged entirely by women. As a marketing tool, NWWC provides a “woman to woman roadmap” of the wine industry. Medal winners can be assured that the leading women in wine have judged their wines exemplary. (Please note: to win a Bronze or Double Gold medal, all judges must be in agreement.
As in 2008 and 2009, NWWC limited the number of entries this year to ensure that they could maintain an atmosphere that gives their judges sufficient time to consider the wines and not overwhelm their palates. NWWC’s promise to entrants was that their wine will be appropriately categorized and well judged by superstar palates – the leading women in the wine industry.
Awards were awarded on a merit basis only and all judges must agree on the award level. The judges were instructed to grant no awards when, in their opinion, a wine was unworthy, and they were empowered to grant duplicate awards if the quality of wines so merits.
Judging was held March 22, 2010 in Sonoma, California.
The 2010 Judges
Eileen Crane, Founding Winemaker & President of Napa’s legendary Domaine Carneros, was the 2010 Honorary Chairwoman for the National Women’s Wine Competition.
Diane Teitelbaum, International Judge & Author, Dallas, TX
Amy Atwood, blogger, MyDailyWine.com
Rosanne LaVoy, Owner/Chef, Coast Café, Bolinas, CA
Cassandra Brown, CS, CSW, Consultant, The Chocolate Grape – Sommelier At YOUR Service
Eileen Hoffmeister-Mooney, Stone Hill Winery, Branson, MO
Traci Dutton, Beverage Manager, Sommelier, CIA
Laura Ness, Reporter/Consultant/Buyer Wines & Vines Magazine
Ramona Nicholson, Owner, Nicholson Ranch Winery, past winner, Judges’ Choice Award, 2009 NWWC
Julie Lumgair, Partner and Winemaker, Windsor Oaks Vineyard, past winner, Judges’ Choice Award, NWWC 2009
Staci Hunt, Member, Board of Directors, Specialty Wine Retailers Association & Wine Reporter, NPR’s GOOD FOOD Wine Report
Debra Del Fiorentino, Sommelier, CWP, Wine Educator and Consumer Marketing Director at Russian River Vineyards
Virginie Boone, Wine Writer, The Press Democrat
Maureen Downey, DWS, CWE, Owner, Chai Consulting
Jil Child, Sommelier, Wine Educator
Liz Thach, Ph.D., MW Candidate, Professor of Wine Business at Sonoma State University
Valery Uhl, Director of North of the Gate Wine Competition
Ann Noble, Ph.D., Emeritus Professor of Enology at UC Davis, inventor: The Wine Wheel(tm)
Deborah Parker Wong, Journalist, The Tasting Panel Magazine
Jan Manni, Wine Blogger, The Wine Attic
Prudy Foxx, Viticulture Consultant, Foxx Viticulture
Evelyn White, Winemaker, Taft Street Winery
Mariana Gil Juncal, Sommelier and Director Editorial, Baco Club, Argentina’s leading private wine club
Gillian Ballance, Wine Consultant
{ 5 trackbacks }
{ 0 comments… add one now }