These wines, which were gold or double gold winners at this year’s San Francisco International Wine Competition, show the strengths and weaknesses of wine competitions. It’s not that the wines are bad or didn’t deserve the medals they got, but that the results speak to the perspective that the judges bring. In this case, three-quarters of the judges were from California, and many of the wines I tasted showed that perspective — pricey, fruity, and oaky, with lots of alcohol. How about a 15.1 percent tannat?
It’s this perspective that is overlooked when we debate the merits of wine competitions. How can a wine — technically well-made and delicious — do well if the judges don’t appreciate its style? The biggest problem I have when judging is being fair to the kinds of wines like those that won at the San Francisco competition. I find them difficult to enjoy and so mark them down. But at least I know I do this and make an effort. Hopefully, this idea of perspective is something that competition organizers take into account when they select judges.
Having said this, I tasted some terrific wines when the San Francisco wine competition did its Dallas road show last week (and the tannat, if not to my taste, was a wonder of winemaking skill). Check them out after the jump: Continue reading