El Dorado County Fair Open Wine Competition

El Dorado County Fair Open Wine Competition

Friday, March 22, 2024

El Dorado County Fair Open Wine Competition
is open to all Commercial Wineries

Early Bird Entries due by February 19.
Last Call Entries due by March 11.

El Dorado County Fair invites commercial wineries to compete in the El Dorado County Fair Open Wine Competition. Thirty prestigious experts from around the country come together to judge these wines each year. Each panel consists of one judge from each industry: Education (winemaker, enologist, professor), Media (newspaper, blog, radio), Wine Sales (Restaurant, Retail, Hospitality).

Entry forms and wine received at Fair Office January 29 thru March 11, 2024 | Monday thru Friday 9am to 4pm

Mail forms and wine to:
El Dorado County Fair & Event Center
100 Placerville Drive
Placerville, CA 95667

Judging: Friday, March 22, 2024 at 9am (Closed to the public)

ENTRY FEE: $55 per wine by fax or mail by March 11, 2024
EARLY BIRD FEE: $45 per wine January 29 thru February 19, 2024

  • Entries become the property of the El Dorado County Fair and will not be returned.
  • Judges will award Double Gold, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Earth Friendly awards, as well as Best of Class and Special Awards.
  • Best of Class will be awarded to classes with a Gold award or higher.
  • All wines received will be stored in a temperature-controlled room prior to judging.
  • Wine must be bottled under bond by commercial winery.
  • Entries must be commercially labeled. Barrel samples are NOT allowed.
  • Each entry consists of four (4) bottles of wine (750 ml) or five (5) bottles of wine (500 ml) or (375 ml).

Special Awards

Best of Show
Golden Johnny Trophies for best red, best white and best sweet

Sponsored by the El Dorado County Fair Association

Best of Class
Sponsored by the El Dorado County Fair Association

Back Room Gold Awards
Best red wine, best Zinfandel and best white wine.

Back Room Staff Pick, a true "People's Choice" award, sponsored by the El Dorado County Fair Association.

Best Rhone Awards
Best red Rhone and best white Rhone,
Sponsored by the El Dorado County Fair Association

Best Barbera Award
Sponsored by the El Dorado County Fair Association

Frank Herbert Memorial Award
A perpetual award, sponsored by the El Dorado Wine Grape Growers Association, is offered for the best Zinfandel wine made from El Dorado or Fairplay appellation Grapes.

El Dorado Wine Grape Growers Award
A special award, sponsored by the El Dorado Wine Grape Growers Association, is offered for the best wine produced from El Dorado or Fairplay Appellation grapes. This award will be presented to both the winery and the vineyard.

Best of El Dorado: Winemaking
A special award offered for the best wine produced and bottled by a winery in El Dorado County.

Best of Amador: Winemaking
A special award offered for the best wine produced and bottled by a winery in Amador County.

Best of Lodi: Winemaking
A special award offered for the best wine produced and bottled by a winery in the Lodi area.

Best of Placer: Winemaking
A special award offered for the best wine produced and bottled by a winery in Placer County.

Best of Napa County: Winemaking
A special award offered for the best wine produced and bottled by a winery in Napa County.

Best of Nevada County: Winemaking
A special award offered for the best wine produced and bottled by a winery in Nevada County.

Best of San Luis Obispo County: Winemaking
A special award offered for the best wine produced and bottled by a winery in San Luis Obispo County.

Best of Sonoma County: Winemaking
A special award offered for the best wine produced and bottled by a winery in Sonoma County.

Wine Label Competition
See Entry Guide page for rules and entry form

David Akiyoshi

David Akiyoshi
Winemaker at Lange Twins Winery & Vineyards and Akiyoshi Wines– Naked Wines
David was Director of Winemaking for Robert Mondavi's Woodbridge for 24 years. He has been making wine for Lange Twins for 17 years and wine with Naked Wines for over eight years. He is a fastidious and dedicated winemaker–a leader of Lodi wines.

Dan Berger

Dan Berger
Wine Writer, Columnist
In addition to his weekly wine commentary, Dan Berger's Vintage Experiences, Dan writes a nationally syndicated wine column for Creators Syndicate as well as articles for Decanter, Robb Report, Cheers, Beverage Dynamics, and numerous other publications. He is a judge at many wine competitions, including shows in Australia, Slovenia, Belgium and across the United States, judging in at least a dozen competitions each year. He also coordinates two wine competitions in California. He is a speaker at wine symposiums and universities on topics such as wine marketing, trends in the industry, regional character of wines, and the healthful benefits of moderate consumption. He also speaks to assorted large groups interested in learning about wine.

 Jay Bileti

Jay J. Bileti
Director of Wine Education for Deep Sky Vineyards
Jay Bileti is the Director of Wine Education for Deep Sky Vineyards in Elgin, AZ, teaching wine classes on a variety of subjects. He is also a Certified Wine Judge from the American Wine Society and has judged in wine competitions all over the world during the last 30 years. Jay holds International Wine Master and WSET3 credentials.

Bekah Burnett

Bekah Burnett
Bekah began working in the wine industry just over 10 years ago. She has held many positions within the industry, but all revolving around customer relations due to her unique ability to connect with people. Over the past 2 years, she has had the opportunity to judge numerous wine competitions and build upon her passion for wine education. Newly married into a vintner family, Bekah continues to expand her knowledge from vineyard to glass.

JM Cercley

JM Cercley
JM worked for Narsai David in the 80s—besides the restaurant's many accolades, the wine list was the jewel of the Bay area at the time. Then an adventure with "Ma Maison" at the end of Chef Wolfgang Puck's reign. Arriving in Sonoma County, JM worked at the Golden Bear Restaurant in Kenwood before Kenwood was on the map, and at Country French—an Escoffier house where the wine list was excellent and included some major first Growth Bordeaux. He also worked at the Sheraton, Equus, Mangia Bene with chef Todd Muir, and finished his career at Pinot Blanc—an Escoffier House, at the helm was Joachim Splichal where their wine list was a treasure trove for wine aficionados. JM left the restaurant business in the mid 90s to pursue a career in Computer Science but continues entertaining his palette with wonderful wine.

John Compisi

John Compisi
Wine, Food and Travel Writer
John has been a freelance wine, food and travel writer for over 10 years. His website BitesFlightsandSights.com has been the focus of his writing for the past two years but previously Examiner.com and other print and digital media have featured his wine writing. His travels have allowed him to enjoy the wines of New York, Virginia, Texas, Michigan, the Okanagan in British Columbia, most of Italy, Burgundy, Alsace, the Rhône region of France, Germany and Croatia. A longtime resident of Sonoma County, he and his photographer wife, Linda, relocated to Reno, NV in 2021.

Linda Compisi

Linda Compisi
WSET II, Wine, Food and Travel Writer
Linda Compisi has a passion for wine. Recently WSET II certified, she has been tasting and evaluating wine from around the world including most of California, Oregon, Virginia, New York, Texas, Italy, France, Germany and Croatia for over two decades. As a freelance photographer and writer, Linda’s focus with wine, food and travel is to capture images that stimulate the imagination while engendering the desire among viewers to go out and see for themselves. In her writing, Linda hopes to bring a woman’s perspective to her adventures. Particularly, the sights and wines of France and Italy where she has traveled most extensively. She is a member of the International Food, Wine and Travel Writers Association, is the co-founder of the website BitesFlightsandSights.com and the cofounder of the High Sierra Wine Society based in Reno, Nevada.

Prudy Foxx

Prudy Foxx
Foxx Viticulture, Santa Cruz, CA
Prudy is a Viticulturist, Agricultural biologist licensed PCA, and experienced wine judge. Her winegrower consulting firm is dedicated to growing quality vines that lead to ultra-premium wines using best practices that respect and support the natural surroundings. She knows that “wine starts in the vineyard” and that wine flavors and quality are derived from best management practices applied when caring for the soil and the vines.. Prudy has worked with and studied vineyards in California, the Pacific Northwest, Bordeaux, and Burgundy. www.foxxviticulture.com

Les Giang

Les Giang
Winemaker at F. Korbel & Bros
Les is a Bay Area native whose initial interest in all things wine started while he worked in hospitality at Meadowood Resort during college. Since then, he has enjoyed working in wine production for both Napa and Sonoma wineries including over ten as a winemaker at F. Korbel & Bros. When he’s not making and drinking wine, you can find Les cycling and running throughout Northern CA.

Bill Knox

Bill Knox
Wine Educator
An accomplished wine judge, Bill began judging homemade wines at Napa County Fair. He moved to commercial competitions including Jerry D. Mead New World International, San Francisco Chronicle, El Dorado County Fair, Amador County Fair, North of the Gate and Fiddletown. He began his career with Beringer Vineyards where he conducted tastings and wine presentations, including Robert Lawrence Balzer Discovering Premium Wines of California classes. After retiring, he opted to work for small family-run wineries, continuing his love of presenting good wines but to intimate audiences, choosing Nicholson Ranch Winery in Sonoma. When he and his wife Carole moved to El Dorado Hills, he continued that quest with Lava Cap Winery. He is now retired from Lava Cap, yet maintains his love of, and interest in, fine wines—particularly local wines—actively promoting interest in local wineries whenever possible.

 Barry Lawrence

Barry C. Lawrence
Barry has been involved in every aspect of wine all his life—home and commercial winemaker, vineyardist, winery owner, wine educator and wine sales including wholesaler, retailer and importer. He was a CA and national board member of Society of Wine Educators, is currently a Tastevin (DTM) member of the Dionysian International Wine Society. He has been a judge for the State Fair and El Dorado County Fair since 1988 and is proud to be the only person to have judged the El Dorado County Fair every year since its inception.

 Zoran Ljepovic

Zoran Ljepović
Winemaking and Quality Consultant
Zoran consults winegrowers in winemaking in California, Michigan and Croatia and teaches VESTA online enology classes. He worked previously at Badel 1862, Franciscan, R. Mondavi, Clos du bois and Wente. He very much enjoys judging and company at various wine competitions such as El Dorado, Ohio, Finger Lakes (FLIWC), Indiana (IIWC) and California State Home Winemakers Competition in Lodi. He presented various winemaking and quality topics at ASEV, UWGS and brewers and vintners symposium. Zoran is from Zagreb, Croatia, Europe, An engineer of Agronomy in Enology, Viticulture and Pomology - University of Zagreb, with a MSc in Enology from California State University – Fresno, CA.

 Steve Miller

Steve Miller
John Ash & Co Restaurant
John Ash & Co. has one of the most extensive wine lists in Sonoma County. We have been honored with the Wine Spectator “Best of Award of Excellence” for our extensive wine list and cellar of distinguished breadth and depth, and the Wine Enthusiast Magazine “Award of Ultimate Distinction.”

Lorenzo Muslia

Lorenzo Muslia
Vintner – Partner Andis Wines
After studying Civil Engineering at the Polytechnic University of Milan, a family wish, he switched directions. His desire to become a farmer did not sit well with his family so he wandered. His travels around Tuscany's wine region caused him to fall in love with cooking and wine - a realization that wine was not just a liquid in a bottle, but a way of life.
In 2013, Lorenzo with his wife and daughter, moved to California where he enrolled in the Wine Business Management program at Sonoma State University.
"It was a bottle of the 2012 Andis Cabernet Franc that got me hooked on this land," he says. In 2015, Lorenzo joined the Andis team in the tasting room and was soon promoted to National Sales Manager. In 2018, Lorenzo became a partner and joined the winemaking team assembling the best wines our vineyards can offer. Every day is a challenge: finding new outlets for Andis Wines and sharing Amador's history with folks nationwide.

Laura Ness

Laura Ness
Wine Writer
Laura Ness, otherwise known as “Her VineNess,” is an accomplished wine journalist and wine critic whose passion for wine was ignited by a visit to France when she became intimately familiar with the concept of terroir. This appreciation for wines of place drives her quest to explore and appreciate the wines of California’s fascinating wine regions, from coast to foothills and everywhere in between. She regularly judges a variety of wine competitions and is the founder of the Santa Cruz Mountains Wine Taster’s Guild, a professional tasting panel that reviews and rates wines. She writes regularly for publications including the Mercury News, Edible, Wine Business Monthly and the popular online website, wineoh.tv

Michael Overholt

Michael Overholt
Oenologist/Winemaker at Healdsburg Custom Crush
Michael is a passionate individual who enjoys both the science and artisan aspects of winemaking. The drive to learn more called him to finish a Bachelor of Science degree in the Viticulture and Wine department, concentration in Oenology, at California Polytechnic in San Luis Obispo after raising his four children as a single father. He’s continued his pursuit of learning by working alongside some of the best winemakers in Sonoma, Napa and San Luis Obispo Counties picking up the “why and why nots” of their hand-crafted art. He’s been judging wines for over ten years enjoying the authentic single varietal wines while discovering classic and tasty creative blends.
When Michael is not working, he is discovering the next great adventure or revisiting a familiar hiking trail, camping, on his bike through wine country or making dinners for family and friends while enjoying great conversation with a great glass of wine.

Greg Richtarek

Greg Richtarek
Wine Steward/Liquor Manager, Safeway
Currently wine steward at Safeway Stores, Greg has a broad background in the wine and spirits marketplace. His experience includes management in hospitality, marketing, production and business modeling. Greg is WSET certified and has been an accredited judge for several years.

 David M. Rogers

David M. Rogers
Senior Wine Consultant at Vintage Wine Estates, California Product Training Instructor, Outbound Wine Educator, Wine Judge
Besides growing Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, he also lives among the Redwoods in Forestville. Professional Wine Judge for many competitions including San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, and enjoys judging all wines, especially Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir and Zinfandel.

Leah Stafford

Leah Stafford
Certified Specialist of Wine, Sommelier, Certified American Wine Expert, WSET, UCDavis educated wine judge, Grower, Producer, Writer, Educator
Having had family that began one of California's wineries after World War II, Leah has studied California wines and history at length. She hosted wine tasting events at Cal Poly, SLO in the early 80s and began wine education in 1996. For over 30 years, Leah has worked in every aspect of the wine industry: Grower, harvest, crush, production, tasting room, hospitality, and judging.
Currently Leah works for Amador Wine Shipping and Amador 360 — a tasting room collective in Placerville. She is also a contributing writer to the WineMakers Magazine, and alongside her husband, has been recognized as contributing writers to their newly published book, "The Wine Maker Guide to Home Winemaking."

 Jackson Starr

Jackson Starr
Vineyard Manager and Assistant Winemaker
Sierra Starr Vineyard and Winery is a small vineyard and winery in the Sierra Foothills AVA. Owned and operated by the Starr Family, Phil and Anne since 1995 and their son Jackson since 2005. Jackson judges at a variety of competitions including Calaveras County Fair, California State Fair, Mendocino County Wine Competition and Nevada County Homemade Winemakers.

Julie Thiebaut

Julie Thiebaut
Wine Educator and Consultant
A retired financial services executive, Julie continues to use her sales and marketing expertise in the wine arena. She enjoys sharing her knowledge and appreciation of wine with consumers and tasting room staff at various wineries in the Santa Cruz Mountains and Santa Lucia Highlands. She has participated in professional tasting panels, seminars and judged numerous wine competitions over the past 10 years. She completed wine certificates in both World Wines and Wine Sales/ Service at Cabrillo College as well as viticultural course work at UC Davis and SRJC. Julie loves wine travel, especially exploring wineries and regions that are off the beaten path.

Claire Torbeck

Claire (Sudsy) Torbeck
DipWSET, Certified Sommelier, FWS and CSW
Claire is the Cellar Master for the International Wine & Food Society where she purchases wines and maintains the cellar inventory, designs food and wine pairings for events, and presents educational seminars to the members. She attended a two-year Enology program, interning in various cellars, labs, and vineyards of several wineries during crush, working alongside the winemaker. Claire has also provided education for tasting room staff, hosted private clients, lead barrel tastings, and food and wine pairing events as well as purchasing wine for private clients. She is a sought-after speaker on all things wine and provides seminars and events for other fraternal wine organizations and other organizations. Claire plans to apply to the Master of Wine program after completing Educator training for the WSET in London. She also blogs at: www.sudsyscellar.com

Larry Van Aalst

Larry Van Aalst
Radio Talk Show Host, Vine, Wine & Dine
Larry Van Aalst is a highly esteemed figure in the world of wine, boasting over four decades of experience in the food and beverage industry. His career as a sommelier in Santa Rosa’s Equus Restaurant spanned more than 25 years, during which his passion for wine and exceptional palate earned him a place in The Book of American Sommeliers. Larry’s excellence extends beyond the restaurant, with accolades from the Sonoma County Harvest Fair and Wine Spectator Magazine.
Notably, Larry is a devoted educator, imparting his wine knowledge to students at local universities and colleges. He is also a certified International Wine Judge, evaluating wines in numerous competitions. Larry’s dedication to the wine community is evident in his role as the Northern California Auctioneer for the PBS Wine Auction, a position he held for 15 years.
In 2007, Larry ventured into radio as a Talk Show Host for CRN Digital Talk Radio, where he shares his profound wine expertise with a broad audience. His life journey has been dedicated to appreciating, understanding, and celebrating wine, leaving a lasting legacy as a sommelier, educator, and wine advocate. Currently he hosts Vine, Wine & Dine with Michael Haney and Dustin Valette broadcasting live from The Matheson, a Sonoma Farm-to-Table Restaurant & Bar. Sponsored by Sonoma County Vintners, the show offers listeners a unique opportunity to explore the world of wine and culinary excellence.

 Dr. Valery Uhl

Dr. Valery Uhl
Wine Educator; Viticulture Manager; Competition Director, North of the Gate Wine Competition
Dr. Uhl is the Chief Judge and Director of the “North of the Gate” Wine Competition for the Sonoma-Marin Fair in Petaluma, California as well as the California Zinfandel Championships in Pittsburg, California. She judges Wines and Spirits at numerous competitions throughout the world. Valery has a degree in Viticulture Management and graduated Cum Laude from U.C. Davis where she was a Taster for the U.C. Davis Enology and Food Science Departments. Her family owns Gold medal awarded Pinot Noir vineyards in the Russian River Valley AVA. She has written papers and given lectures across the nation on the health benefits of wine, including at the Midwest Grape & Wine Conference in Missouri. She also educates the public on wine and food pairings and has been a guest speaker for the Wine Enthusiast’s “Wine & Film” series.

Stacey Vreeken

Stacey Vreeken
Stacey is a writer and editor based in Northern California, splitting her time between her adopted Santa Cruz County and her native El Dorado County. She writes weekly wine reviews and has a monthly column, Wine Press, in the Santa Cruz Sentinel and the Monterey Herald. She also writes for Santa Cruz Style Magazine. Since her retirement from the newspaper world, she has expanded writing to cover a variety of interests beyond win including food, travel, art, automobiles, music and more.

Evan Williams

Evan Williams
Owner, Evan's Restaurant
Evan has lived in beautiful South Lake Tahoe California for 40 years. When his restaurant isn't keeping him busy, he enjoys skiing, sailing and golf, cooking, reading and sampling wines. He also loves to travel and always tries to include golf on the itinerary, and of course wine tasting, too! He and his wife, Candice have owned Evan's American Gourmet Cafe for thirty-five years, it is the top rated Haute Cuisine restaurant in the Sierras and the only DiRoNA Award recipient between the Bay Area and Reno. Evan started judging wine competitions professionally in 1988.

2023 EDCF Open Wine Competition Awards
2023 EDCF Open Wine Competition Awards sorted by Winery
2023 EDCF Open Wine Competition Special Awards

2024 Competition Flyer
2024 Entry Form (with form fields)
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One not only drinks wine, one smells it, observes it, tastes it, sips it and—talks about it.

King Edward VII