# Wine competitions, at what cost?



## NorCal (Mar 2, 2017)

When I did my first wine from grapes in 2014, I set a goal of winning a gold medal at the state level; CA State Fair. They have 3,000+ wines entered and winning a gold is the top 10-15% of the wines. I entered my first year and received Silvers. It cost me $8, a bottle of wine and around an hours worth of driving. The entry fee has now gone up to $20 per bottle 

I make the wine first for my wife, then me, then family and friends, then fellow winemakers. Their feedback is more important than wine judges, but I'm not sure it is always honest, nor is it trained to evaluate fine wine making or detect faults in wine.

There are three wines I wanted to enter. I have plenty of wine, don't mind the drive, but the thought of spending $60 and 3 bottles of wine for a ribbon is making me think about abondoning my goal.

Actual clusters from the vineyard I source grapes from:


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## kevinlfifer (Mar 2, 2017)

If it's a bottle of wine good enough to win a gold medal, I'd rather drink it than pay $20 for someone else to.


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## Brickhouse (Mar 2, 2017)

I haven't entered anything like you mention, just because I'm brand new at this. However, although price has increased, I can see the fun in at least entering.

I'm not saying you need to have the "acceptance" of judges to appreciate your wine. But I can see how it adds some value to the process you go through making your wine. 

Like you said, sometimes a completely outside opinion is nice to have, actual critical feedback rather than family and friends that soften the blow if it's less than desirable, and maybe hype it too much if it's good.

My 2 cents.


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## Boatboy24 (Mar 2, 2017)

NorCal said:


> Their feedback is more important than wine judges, but I'm not sure it is always honest, nor is it trained to evaluate fine wine making or detect faults in wine.




I'm interested in feedback from non family and friends for the very same reasons you are. But the entry fees for many contests are simply unreasonable to me. Winmaker magazine's fees last year were $25/bottle. You can take that and stuff it in your bung hole!


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## kevinlfifer (Mar 2, 2017)

IMHO, all of us who enjoy, make and drink wine, know a decent wine when we taste it. I for one enjoy sharing the process with others. I really enjoy the competitions on the forum, (although I still think my Chardonnay in the "great white" comp deserved a silver, just sayin). I considered entry into the Lucas Co Ohio fair, but I don't think the judges know nearly as much as I do ( I know one from last year, he likes Yellow Tail). Again, $20 for a Fair membership (admission included) and $7 per btl entry. 

I'm happy with the feed back from friends. 

I often pour a glass from my homemade bottle at the country club without telling that it's my wine. When they ask the waitress if they can buy a bottle of what I poured, and the server says that they can't, I'm deviously satisfied.


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## dcbrown73 (Mar 2, 2017)

3" First Place Double Action Wine Medal - $3.29

That's quite a bit cheaper!


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## ibglowin (Mar 2, 2017)

Unfortunately $10-20 is the going rate these days. This is one case where you don't necessarily get what you pay for. I entered 4 wines into the Winemaker Magazine competition last year ($25 a pop) and while all four medaled, I did not get any better notes than what I got from a much smaller competition that I paid $10 for. IOW, your lucky to get one or two sentences max that are mostly illegible leaving your wondering what really was wrong with the wine and why didn't it score higher.


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## ibglowin (Mar 2, 2017)

Those actual clusters are actually *BEAUTIFUL!*

Where do I place my order!



NorCal said:


> Actual clusters from the vineyard I source grapes from:


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## JohnT (Mar 2, 2017)

You could always limit to that single wine that you like best. This way it only costs $20.


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## jburtner (Mar 2, 2017)

@norcal Those clusters are beautiful ! And I can just imagine each one ending up in a bottle and then in my belly!

Maybe trading bottles between members or coordinating a winemakingtalk assessment with part of the thing would be some detailed notes.

I do enjoy opening several bottles of a particular varietal at once and making notes and comparing on the diff's - usually gravitate towards one in particular.

Cheers!
-johann


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## wineforfun (Mar 2, 2017)

For me, I have no desire to get some "judges" thoughts. I and those I give my wine too like it, so that is all that matters to me.

However, with that said, it would seem to me that you have achieved your goal, somewhat. Achieving silvers out of that many contestants is quite an achievement. It appears you obviously know how to make quality wine. I am sure by now you have learned what tweaks to make to enhance it even further. Other than "needing a medal" I am not sure I would be entering, if I was you. Now, if in the future you try a new varietal, "recipe", etc. that you want feedback on, then maybe enter.

And I agree with the others, those are some awesome looking grapes. (I think I got in trouble saying that to someone back in my youth).


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## BernardSmith (Mar 2, 2017)

Getting good and helpful feedback seems to me to far outweigh winning medals. Perhaps the solution is for members of this forum to help organize wine tasting events of our wines at which we would receive feedback - and perhaps accolades or virtual cabbages - on a regular basis.


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## salcoco (Mar 2, 2017)

I would suggest finding an amateur wine club in your area that runs competitions. We had to raise our prices fro $8 to $10 last year to cover all costs. There is still the risk that you may know as much as the judge. but at least it is a separate opinion.

There is always a benefit to have someone else judge your wine, continual tasting it yourself can lead down the path of "cellar mouth" where the wine is slowly deteriorating but you cannot detect the reduction. other people palates are good occasionally. 
that is where a wine club helps, we have a happy hour before our meetings where we discuss wine problems and taste each others wines. Problems can be easily resolved in this forum.


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## LittleBearGameFarm (Mar 2, 2017)

There may be a couple ways to look at it depending on your goals. If you ever have any interest of going professional, it may be nice to have the accolades from a marketing perspective. We kind of have a ten (maybe 15 year plan) to look at going commercial as we get towards retirement. I think if someone sees a gold medal label on a bottle of Marquette or Petite Pearl, they might be inclined to buy and pay a premium price for it.

I've run one of my labs a couple times in the BDC competition (Bird Dog Challenge). You have to spend quite a bit of money to be one of the top dogs just in entry fees, travel, etc. I quit because of that but saw that my dog could keep up with the big dogs. Much like you know your wine can compete with the professionals. There wasn't a lot of money to win in the competitions but where I can get up to $500 for a pup, those guys are getting $5000+. That piece of paper that says BDC Champ, AKC Master, or Gold Medal Award Winning Wine, can generate quite a bit of revenue on that vintage or just in name recognition. However, if you aren't looking to go professional, you know your wine is good and I know my dog can hunt, we don't need a piece of paper to tell us.


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## Tnuscan (Mar 2, 2017)

I really don't think it could get any better than being a wine judge. To be able to do this on a daily basis "would be a dream come true".


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## wineforfun (Mar 2, 2017)

Tnuscan said:


> I really don't think it could get any better than being a wine judge. To be able to do this on a daily basis "would be a dream come true".



I agree and if you want a Super Duper Gold Gold medal, have me try your wine toward the end of competition. I can guarantee it will taste great at that point.


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## NorCal (Mar 2, 2017)

Thanks for all the replies. One of the benefits of entering the CA State Fair is that they do send you all the scoring sheets from all the judges. With UCD nearby and with a lot of top notch wineries around here, I value the feedback....$24 yes, $60 worth is making me pause. 

I do know a number of local commercial winemakers and have solicited their feedback. Most are pretty critical, which is good, (although, one in particular I would like to re-bottle one of his bottles and see what he has to say).


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## BernardSmith (Mar 2, 2017)

salcoco said:


> I would suggest finding an amateur wine club in your area that runs competitions. We had to raise our prices fro $8 to $10 last year to cover all costs. There is still the risk that you may know as much as the judge. but at least it is a separate opinion.
> 
> There is always a benefit to have someone else judge your wine, continual tasting it yourself can lead down the path of "cellar mouth" where the wine is slowly deteriorating but you cannot detect the reduction. other people palates are good occasionally.
> that is where a wine club helps, we have a happy hour before our meetings where we discuss wine problems and taste each others wines. Problems can be easily resolved in this forum.



The problem is, though, there is not always wine clubs in the area. Near me there are at least two , perhaps three beer groups and while I am more than happy to share my wines and meads with them the members tend to be less interested in wines and and far more interested in beers. Trying to get a wine group started was something that even my LHBS said was a real challenge


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## Tnuscan (Mar 2, 2017)

BernardSmith said:


> The problem is, though, there is not always wine clubs in the area. Near me there are at least two , perhaps three beer groups and while I am more than happy to share my wines and meads with them the members tend to be less interested in wines and and far more interested in beers. Trying to get a wine group started was something that even my LHBS said was a real challenge



Same here!


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## Mismost (Mar 2, 2017)

NorCal said:


> I do know a number of local commercial winemakers and have solicited their feedback. Most are pretty critical, which is good, (although, one in particular I would like to re-bottle one of his bottles and see what he has to say).



Do it! THAT would be a real interesting experience....for the both of you. I would try to do a simple video to prove to him that he just judged his own wine.

I used to spend a lot of time in competitive shooting. While I love the pure competition...it is not subjective in anyway...you score what you hit....the costs just keep going up and up. Travel, meals, hotels, time...it is getting to where it just doesn't make sense. I can shoot 3 times as many non-competition targets for the same money and often have more fun doing it.

I confess....sometimes my hobbies wind up playing me instead of me playing with my hobbies....just saying.


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## NorCal (Mar 3, 2017)

We have one of the best wine making clubs around, here in Sacramento. I am looking to organize an event during a group buy at harvest this year. The SHW incorporated in 1973 and is the oldest continuously operating home winemaking club west of the Rockies. I know a lot of the members, but the meetings are a half hour away and I have a thing about not drinking and driving.

Reflecting on the comments, makes me conclude that I have a good network to get feedback, without having to pay $20. Since I still have an interest in participating in the competition, perhaps it is ego vs. feedback, wanting to prove to myself and perhaps others that my wines were judged to be among the best.


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## hounddawg (Mar 3, 2017)

Up to you, but as for my ego as long as I'm pleased and my loved ones and a few friends are please I'm beyond proud, most especially since nine chances outta ten that if I took a drink of the judges wine I'd try to find a way to discretely spit it out, when younger I got around some, and I realized that most award winning wines are discribed as earthy=DIRT, CHAULKY=TASTED THAT IN GRADE SCHOOL, an LEATHERY= TASTED THAT MANY A TIME BREAKING/RIDING/DRIVING HORSES,, all of which is not me, if others enjoy that then god bless them I am so happy for them, but you and others told me years ago I only had to please myself, and I get my ego rush knowing my wines has been cleared by eight criminal judges on being legal the way I only charge for the fruit labels corks an so fourth, I help out leaders of the community, some super rich row crop farmers after lol my family an friends that is my ego. Trip, but best of all when I kick back alone pull a cork and take a sip an my eyes roll up in my head, then I am happy, as you and others taught me I only have to please myself, AN THAT I HAVE DONE THANKS TO YOU AMOUNG OTHERS ON HERE,,,,
Dawg











NorCal said:


> When I did my first wine from grapes in 2014, I saet a goal of winning a gold medal at the state level; CA State Fair. They have 3,000+ wines entered and winning a gold is the top 10-15% of the wines. I entered my first year and received Silvers. It cost me $8, a bottle of wine and around an hours worth of driving. The entry fee has now gone up to $20 per bottle
> 
> I make the wine first for my wife, then me, then family and friends, then fellow winemakers. Their feedback is more important than wine judges, but I'm not sure it is always honest, nor is it trained to evaluate fine wine making or detect faults in wine.
> 
> ...


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## Johny99 (Mar 4, 2017)

I've entered a few. Ego is part of it, but my hope is for good valuable feedback like I received from th Great white wine competition. Medals and ribbons are nice, but I really crave the feedback, as in specifics. That is hard to get from family and friends, at least for me. They just want more.


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## NorCal (Mar 7, 2017)

Done deal. Three wines entered. Results in a month or so. 2015 Mourvèdre, 2016 Chardonnay, 2015 Zinfandel


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## joeswine (Mar 7, 2017)

*wine competitions*

I myself started out trying to make a wine that wouldn't make me go blind, after that, a wine worth the cost and effort , mostly effort, and lastly a wine pleasing to it's own natural profile. Time pasts and I entered my first local contest, at Gino's, total lost and I wondered why? Then I got smart and joined a wine club,35 members most all decent wine makers in their own right ,a few not so good and a few who excelled at winning contest, now I was on to something. When I ask why the competition one stated it was challenging and his question*?,* was he on the correct path to the _wines profile_ and could he make it so that were every where he sent it, it would consistently score ,to him this was the end game ,to make a wine that people from the* west coast* to the *middle of the country* and back home in *NEW JERSEY* could say they understood what he's was doing and he was doing it well. So for me I was inspired not to make wine in a style (_*my way*_) but so that know matter where I send it or who I give it to I know unless something went _terribly wrong in the bottle_ I was on course and could stand side by side with anyone in any contest do to the fact I have tested the wine and it came back with decent results (consistently).If contest aren't your thing that's ok, just remember your friends might not tell you the truth about your wines faults, that doesn't help fine tune you skills and abilities as a wine maker and that's why this forum is here to listen and inform, if possible *,for* *we are all cellar dwellers.as a foot note you can also make outstanding contacts throughout this country by sending a bottle of yourself to another to taste ,even if their are another 1,000 bottles being sent also.contest have their time and place learn to us them.*


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## dcbrown73 (Mar 7, 2017)

The only winemakers club near my house I believe is a commercial one. (Shelter Rock Winery) One where you pay a lot more to make the same wine I will make at home.

So I have to ask myself. Is the meeting other winemakers worth the added expense vs talking with everyone here for the very small amount I donate to support this site each year. (even though it's not necessary, but I believe is supporting things that give me real value)


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## Kraffty (Mar 7, 2017)

"At what Cost?"..... it can be more than just the shipping and entry fees. I've advanced enough to really want feedback from experienced judges. Last years Cellar Masters notes said my super tuscan was all Oak. I like lots of oak but after reading the notes and tasting again I have to agree I over did it and it was really out of balance. Another set of notes on my '14 cab (juice and lug) all mentioned possible mercaptans or slight oxidation. It was very slight but they were right, there were off scents/flavors. 

Today I ordered the Vinmetrica 100 assuming that my adding x-amounts of KMeta throughout the year with no idea of my SO2 levels probably contributed to my Cab problems. I have close to $1000.00 (shared with a friend) in grapes going right now and hopefully that investment at Cellar Masters Competition and the notes from it taught me it was time to spend a little more in equipment to monitor one more aspect of my process.

I'm thinking of opening about 3 gals of the cab, treating with reduless, getting the so2 levels correct then maybe blending with a few gallons of the Tuscan to reduce the Oak flavor and hopefully make a better wine from the two. If it works I'd say it was worth the extra Costs.

Oh, and I also like Shiny - Sparkly things too!

Mike


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## dcbrown73 (Mar 7, 2017)

Couple of things.

When you submit a wine. Do you submit a red that is 2 years old, or a recent one? 

Second, you said you will blend your current over-oaked wine with another wine to lower the oak in it. Though every place I've read said never blend a wine with issues with other "good" wine. Otherwise you risk having "more" wine with issues. 

That said, an over-oaked wine may not be in that league of thinking since you are just trying to dilute the oak flavoring. Though, I have no experience or idea of that is correct or not.


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## joeswine (Mar 7, 2017)

All to often wines are submitted to contest t9 young it's been my experience only to enter wines at least 2 years of age.Pary wines such as Island Most kits about 1 year.When I mentioned wine clubs mine was local, SouthJersey Wine Club.


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## Kraffty (Mar 7, 2017)

dcbrown73 said:


> Couple of things.
> 
> When you submit a wine. Do you submit a red that is 2 years old, or a recent one?
> 
> ...



I'd say min 2 years, as joe said, probably more would be better but '14 was my first year using grapes. I'm thinking the oak is just a matter of Too much, not really a flaw, so yes I want to dilute the oak flavor just a bit.


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## joeswine (Mar 7, 2017)

Just remember judging is always subjective,you take it as a statement but not as the gosbil,good winemaker's always think outside the box.


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## NorCal (Mar 8, 2017)

joeswine said:


> Just remember judging is always subjective,you take it as a statement but not as the gosbil,good winemaker's always think outside the box.



My prior hobby was car restoration. I would bring the cars to shows and thought the same thing. It is the judges opinion and their personal bias, but fundamental good workmanship was indisputable. If I were building a car to be period correct, it wasn't better or worse than a "resto-mod" just different and subject to the judges preference. 






I did get good feedback from last year, on my Cab Franc which was in a (very expensive) French Oak barrel. It didn't even receive a Bronze, while my other wines received Silvers. It was clearly over oaked, and as I really reflected, I understand what they were saying. However, there are people that love that wine and I only have a case or so left.


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## joeswine (Mar 8, 2017)

It all goes back to the individual, doesn't it , however,being true to your wines style and content is what it is all about.Or once a Ford always a Ford ,until you tweak it then it becomes your style Ford.Wine making to me is listing,doing and waiting to what the wine is asking of you.Then react accordingly.


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## cgallamo (Mar 8, 2017)

What kind of feedback did you get from the last time you entered. If it were me, and for the amount of wine you make, I would think having an expert opinion would be worth the $20. I guess it depends on if you feel you are able to assess your wines well enough to know how to improve them. That is where I come up short. 

Congrats by the way on the silver medals!


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## joeswine (Mar 8, 2017)

The last time out I took a Best Of show and 4 silvers, lets talk about the silvers, on two of my entrées which I post all the results they missed gold by .5% in both cases was* 2 out of3*/// in another case *3 out of**@4** judges*...scored gold still didn't get there. In another contestI entered my_ coffee port_ one judge wrote back he *didn't like coffee,* so my score was not good,,*2* *out of 3* but still received silver. It's not all about the scoring, _although it is_ .It's the feeling of accomplishment that you get from knowing you've done your best and this is the result, you may or may not like the result but there it is and there are other contest to explore. Never give up trying to ask yourselfis it *good enough or what could I've do differently .Then see what other objective people think, being competitive is* (_not for everyone_) _but for those of us who are the challenge is __always out there and always keep _*thinking outside the box.*


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## Johnd (Mar 8, 2017)

When I'm surfing WMT, I use the "New Posts" button at the top of the page, hit the little arrow next to the thread, and read the new replies to each thread, scroll back up to the top and hit the New Posts button again. Kind of a pain in the butt to scroll back to the top to hit the New Posts button, especially since I finish reading at the bottom of the thread. If the black bar at the top of the page was at the bottom too, that would save a lot of scrolling up on long threads......


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## NorCal (Apr 6, 2017)

Judging is on a Saturday! Last year they were real quick with the results. I'll post the results and then the judges scorecards when I get them.


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## cmsben61 (Apr 6, 2017)

Good luck Norcal


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## JohnT (Apr 6, 2017)

I would wish you luck, but luck has nothing to do with it. I am sure that you will be straining under the weight of medals!


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## grapeman (Apr 6, 2017)

Best of luck Norcal. I had to chuckle when you mentioned the high price of wine competitions with something like $20. The invites I get are quite a bit more and require more wine to be sent in. Here is part of an email I got today from one as an example.

*YOU ARE INVITED!*
 
TO ENTER YOUR TOP WINES!
 
*IN AMERICA’S MOST FOOD FRIENDLY**
WINE COMPETITION!*
 







*Call For Wine Entries!*

*Enter Now Online Via Enofile!*

 
​​*DETAILS: *
Ship wines to arrive in Colorado before May 24, 2017
*Entry fee:* $70 per entry
*Bottles Required:* 4-750ml
Winners receive physical award medals, actual scores & royalty free artwork!


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## cgallamo (Apr 9, 2017)

We are all sitting by our keyboards and screens waiting with bated breath and anticipation! So??


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## 4score (Apr 11, 2017)

No results yet. It took CA State Fair officials about a week to post the commercial winners after the judging. So, it could be any day or next weekend.


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## NorCal (Apr 11, 2017)

I hope @4Score doesn't mind me posting, but we predicted what we thought our wines would get and what we thought each other would get. I think overall, we are optimistic in our predictions, as I found out last year, a good % of the wines do not receive any mention and only the top 12% (1 out of 8) or so receive a Gold.

NorCal's prediction of NorCal's wine:
2016 Chardonnay Silver
2015 Mourvedre Gold
2015 Zin Silver

NorCal's prediction of 4Score's wine:
2015 Barbera Silver
2014 Syrah Gold
2014 Cab Franc Silver
2016 Chardonnay Silver

4Score prediction of NorCal's wine:
2016 Chardonnay Silver
2015 Mourvedre Silver
2015 Zin Bronze

4Score prediction of 4Score's wine:
2015 Barbera Gold
2014 Syrah Silver
2014 Cab Franc Silver
2016 Chardonnay Silver


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## NorCal (Apr 11, 2017)

Full disclosure. Here are the results from last year's State Fair on the wines that received ribbons; they do not publish how many wines did not place at all. You can see why receiving a gold is a pretty lofty goal, given we are in wine country with arguably some of the world's best fruit and a lot of budding winemakers in the area; UCD is 20 minutes from the State Fair Grounds, Napa 1 hour away.


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## cgallamo (Apr 11, 2017)

NorCal said:


> I hope @4Score doesn't mind me posting, but we predicted what we thought our wines would get and what we thought each other would get.



This is great - just amped up the anticipation. 

Also - you guys must be great friends.


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## NorCal (Apr 11, 2017)

@4Score called the guy running it and he sent him the results ahead of time. Now mind you, there are hundreds of wines entered in this competition, so it is one of the biggest home wine making events around. But, he got the pdf file. I'll let him post the results.


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## 4score (Apr 11, 2017)

RESULTS ARE IN!!!

(drum roll please)


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## 4score (Apr 11, 2017)

NorCal's prediction of NorCal's wine:
2016 Chardonnay Silver: *SILVER*
2015 Mourvedre Gold: *GOLD*
2015 Zin Silver: *SILVER*

NorCal's prediction of 4Score's wine:
2015 Barbera Silver: *DOUBLE GOLD & BEST OF CLASS*
2014 Syrah Gold: *SILVER*
2014 Cab Franc Silver: HM
2016 Chardonnay Silver: *BRONZE*

4Score prediction of NorCal's wine:
2016 Chardonnay Silver
2015 Mourvedre Silver
2015 Zin Bronze

4Score prediction of 4Score's wine:
2015 Barbera Gold
2014 Syrah Silver
2014 Cab Franc Silver
2016 Chardonnay Silver


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## 4score (Apr 11, 2017)

Beyond Happy!


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## ibglowin (Apr 11, 2017)

OK I am officially LOST! 

I see "prediction, prediction, prediction"

Nowhere do I see official RESULTS! 



4score said:


> NorCal's prediction of NorCal's wine:
> 2016 Chardonnay Silver: *SILVER*
> 2015 Mourvedre Gold: *GOLD*
> 2015 Zin Silver: *SILVER*
> ...


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## Stressbaby (Apr 11, 2017)

I took it to mean the bolded parts are the results. I had to read it twice too.


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## AZMDTed (Apr 11, 2017)

That's fantastic guys, huge congratulations to both of you. So, to answer the original thread question, yes it Is worth the cost.


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## 4score (Apr 11, 2017)

Stressbaby said:


> I took it to mean the bolded parts are the results. I had to read it twice too.



Yes, sorry....the Actual results were *bolded* in the post.


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## 4score (Apr 11, 2017)

4score said:


> NorCal's prediction of NorCal's wine:
> 2016 Chardonnay Silver: *SILVER*
> 2015 Mourvedre Gold: *GOLD*
> 2015 Zin Silver: *SILVER*
> ...



And, if you notice, NorCal correctly predicted his results! Congrats @NorCal on the *GOLD* for your Mourvedre!!!


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## NorCal (Apr 11, 2017)

And to @4Score for the best Barbara in Barbara country! The funny thing is that we've swapped bottles over this last year and I have 4 left . Really happy that your wine received the recognition that it deserved.

So, to answer the question was it worth it? Sitting here, having achieved my winemaking goal of winning a gold medal at the state level, I have to say yea. I won't remember the $60, but I will remember achieving the goal.

Now will I do it again next year?


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## Ajmassa (Apr 11, 2017)

Those predictions are very telling. And affirms that the winemakers themselves are the best judge of their own wine. (Or at least 4score and NorCal) 
Congrats. That's gotta feel pretty damn good right about now.


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## NorCal (Apr 12, 2017)

@4Score and I were talking about these wines today. Both the double gold Barbera and the gold Mourvèdre were problematic wines, which we aired our dirty laundry on he first few pages of this thread.

Both had a case of H2S. It really shows to not give up on your wine when they are struggling.


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## Boatboy24 (Apr 12, 2017)

Congrats guys. Excellent results.


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## grapeman (Apr 12, 2017)

Way to go guys!


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## sour_grapes (Apr 12, 2017)

That is so excellent! Way to go, guys!


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## AZMDTed (Apr 12, 2017)

It's time to share bottles with the rest of us now


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## cgallamo (Apr 12, 2017)

NorCal said:


> @4Score and I were talking about these wines today. Both the double gold Barbera and the gold Mourvèdre were problematic wines, which we aired our dirty laundry on he first few pages of this thread.
> 
> Both had a case of H2S. It really shows to not give up on your wine when they are struggling.



Thank you for linking this! I replied to that thread on my experience the H2S issue. We need to get to the bottom of that! 

Are you going with Andante yeast going forward? Seems after you won gold and @4Score won best of variety with another yeast it may be worth the H2S risk to get the best wine.


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## Kraffty (Apr 12, 2017)

Congratulations to both of you. There is some real talent here.
Mike


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## 4score (Apr 12, 2017)

cgallamo said:


> Thank you for linking this! I replied to that thread on my experience the H2S issue. We need to get to the bottom of that!
> 
> Are you going with Andante yeast going forward? Seems after you won gold and @4Score won best of variety with another yeast it may be worth the H2S risk to get the best wine.



Interesting question - it does get you thinking. We have some Syrah in the barrel from 2016 that was done with Andante yeast and it's coming out very nice. So I'm not sure what we'd be losing. I'm sure using the D254 in combination with D80 did add some depth and complexity to the Barbera, but that H2S issue was a real pain in the rear. We had some high fermentation temps that may have contributed. Andante is good up to 95 F and has zero chance of H2S. I like those odds especially if the flavor and attribute profile of the strain is still solid.


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