Winemaker Magazine Conference

[seth8530]

That is a really good idea, I did not really think in the past o really scout out the competition. I should do that next time. I might just wait untill this fall to enter into the next round of competitions since I will not have access to my wine until then anyways....

 

[joeswine]

No place like home

I'm not sure were you live at but try and stay close to home in competitions, once you've got your knocks, and the finances, then venture out, just my way........

 

[seth8530]

Good idea. I usually live in Knoxville or Etowah TN. But right now I am in fortmill SC working for URS for the summer. So I had to leave a lot of my stuff behind. My wine being one of them.

 

[WVMountaineerJack]

So your a virtual winemaker now, maybe one of us can capture some fermentation vapors in a bottle and send them to you to open up while you are dreaming up your next batches WVMJ

 

[seth8530]

Hehe, about all I can do eh? That and plot new batches of wine. It is no coincidence that I have been posting so much in the past few weeks lol.

 

[seth8530]

Ok, I am uploading my judging results for everyone to see. That way we could perhaps encourage others to also post theirs. When the wine was judged it was around 13 months old. I am defiantly mildly disappointed with the results. I wonder if the reason why the judged the taste and after taste so harsh was because of category I put it in. Around the July 4 weekend I will do my own tasting with some friends and we will see if we can find these flaws.

 

[ibglowin]

Seth did I miss the details of what wines you entered in another post? I see you entered a Black Current Port. What were the other two?

 

[seth8530]

Those are three different score cards for the Black Current Port all entered into the port style category.

 

[WVMountaineerJack]

I think someone tried to talk you into another category Black currant is a hard one to do, its very strong, the judges are not used to such intensity and the acid levels are hard to balance. Only important thing is you like it! WVMJ

 

[seth8530]

I am going to try and wait it out. I hope after some time it might come into ballance, if not oh well. I know atleast one person who will drink it eh (;

 

[Runningwolf]

I agree with the others. Is this more of a brandy rather than a Port? Careful how much you drink. By next year in a different category this might be a totally different wine after some aging. Hang in there buddy and quit making crap. LMAO Kidding, I think just give it some time.

 

[seth8530]

I agree with the others. Is this more of a brandy rather than a Port? Careful how much you drink. By next year in a different category this might be a totally different wine after some aging. Hang in there buddy and quit making crap. LMAO Kidding, I think just give it some time.

Thanks wolf, I will give it more time. Mine is much closer to a port with the abv being off the top of my head in between 18-20%. The only thing that truly disappoints me is the lack of good tasting notes from this competition. Nothing that they wrote on there will help make me a better wine maker. Thus, I am moving on to better competitions in the future.

Next year, I will make sure to enter it into a different competition that gives better notes and I will make sure to put it into a better category as well.

BTW, does any one else find it strange that an overwhelming majority of the wines that meddled at the competition were kit wines?

 

[Runningwolf]

I did not look over the winners list. A preacher friend of mine took about six medals for wine from grapes and many of our juice customers got medals.

I wouldn't enter it due to cost. I very rarely ever see judges notes that will help you become a better wine maker. They just judge the wine for what it is. I was hoping for the same thing when I first started entering competitions.

That's the great thing about wmt we help each other.

 

[blazerpb]

I entered three wines (made from grapes) this past year in four separate competitions. I tried to avoid those competitions that were heavily sponsored by the wine kit manufacturers.
Competitions entered were one in Ct. one in NJ and two in Missouri.
2011 Sangiovese, 2010 Super Tuscan and 2011 Petite Syrah. The 2011 Sangiovese was my favorite followed by the Super Tuscan ( a little too fruit forward for my liking) and the Petite Syrah was Ok but there was something about it that was off and I could not put my finger on it. The Petite Syrah was entered primarily to get feedback.
The 2011 Sangiovese received a Gold, two Silvers and a Bronze. Super Tuscan received two golds and two silvers. Petite Syrah did not medal in any of the competitions. However, in one competition it received a 17.5 out of 20 from one judge.
Most all judges were in line with what I felt about the wines but as Seth said above no real feedback on what the problem was and how to correct on my Petite Syrah. Except for one judge that took the time to write several comments on her thoughts on my Petite Syrah and how she would correct the problem.
I found my best feedback came from bringing the wine to one of the award dinners. Every one there was an avid wine maker and had no problems giving me ideas.

 

[ibglowin]

At $25 a pop X ~4600 wines entered makes $115K in revenue just from that alone. Not so much a wine competition as it is a money making machine for the Magazine.

The only thing that truly disappoints me is the lack of good tasting notes from this competition. Nothing that they wrote on there will help make me a better wine maker. Thus, I am moving on to better competitions in the future.