My First Rodeo as a Wine Judge: Insights from the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo Wine Competition
I recently had the privilege of serving as a judge at the inaugural Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo Wine Competition. This marks my first official wine judging experience. Naturally, as the wine enthusiast I am, I did my research beforehand, consulting friends who’d judged at competitions before. I arrived feeling confident yet curious about how the day would unfold.
A Day in the Life of a Wine Competition Judge
Our judging panel is organized into groups of four to five, tasked with evaluating about 800 wines in one day. Yes, 800! My initial concern was whether my palate could handle it and if I could keep pace with the seasoned judges. To honor the winemakers’ hard work, I aimed to apply my knowledge from the WSET program. My goal is to give each wine the consideration it deserved—even with limited time for each.
Wine Competition Judging Process: Categories and Criteria
The wines submitted to the competition are grouped systematically. Each winery’s entry is categorized by wine style—from Sparkling Wine to Rosé, or Tempranillo to Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine is further divided by value, premium, and super premium tiers. This careful organization allows judges to make fair comparisons within each category. The aim is for consistency and accuracy in our assessment of bronze, silver, or gold medal.
Unlike typical wine ratings given by prominent publications or critics, competition judging focuses on comparing wines within their category. Each flight of wines arrived completely blind, identified only by a number. My task was to evaluate whether each wine was stylistically correct, a standout, and competitive within its class. In other words, which one was an award winning wine!
A Lesson in Spitting: A Vital Wine Tasting Skill
One of the golden rules in wine judging is to spit! With 85–90 wines to evaluate, spitting was essential to maintain my judgment and avoid palate fatigue. A word to the wise: if you’re ever at a tasting event with multiple wines, remember to spit. The alternative is to risk ending up tipsy and unable to truly savor the experience. Let’s just say that at our competition, I heard of one judge who neglected to spit and didn’t make it through the day of judging.
Texas Rodeo Wine Competitions: Growing Recognition
The Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo Wine Competition joins the ranks of other renowned Texas rodeo wine competitions. Renowned competitions like the San Antonio and Houston events, are globally recognized. The diversity and quality of wines at Fort Worth were exciting to see. The event gives a platform to small wineries, up-and-coming wine regions, and new winemakers.
These events are invaluable, especially for smaller wineries looking to showcase their work. They gain visibility among wine enthusiasts and industry professionals. For any winery, winning an award at one of these competitions signifies a level of quality that’s been validated by industry experts, sommeliers, and wine educators.
Final Thoughts
This experience judging the 2024 competition left me with a deeper appreciation for the winemaking process and the privilege of judging wines. Seeing the results and winners published afterward was rewarding. I know that each award we gave could make a difference for winemakers hoping to grow their reputation. To be invited to judge in future competitions in Houston, San Antonio, San Francisco, or an international wine competition is my goal. I truly look forward to helping even more wineries gain the recognition they deserve.
Cheers!
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