2012 Wine Judging

The Contra Costa Wine Group evolved from a group of wine tasters at the Cutting Board Deli in Walnut Creek on Treat Blvd.  The leader of that group was a retailer by the name of Matt Tinonga.  Unfortunately for him, his wine intake has been curtailed dramatically by diabetes.  There are now only two families remaining from the “charter” members of the Contra Costa Wine Group.  They are Bob & Gwen Bogardus and Marv & Carolyn Schick.

The members of that tasting group that were also making their own wine decided to start another group that would focus on two things.  First and foremost was learning to make better wine.  A secondary reason at that time was to receive the annual list of grape growers that would sell to home winemakers.  Luckily for us, that secondary reason no longer exists.  Grape growers that sell to home winemakers are becoming more and more prevalent each and every year.  Just ask our members.  I will say that this year was a little tougher than previous years. 

The 34^th Annual Professional Wine Judging and Potluck Dinner, being held on Saturday, January 21^st 2012, brings with it a great opportunity to have your wines critiqued by some very knowledgeable and distinguished wine judges.  These judges have been instructed to develop “writer’s cramp” during the competition.  We’re all looking for constructive criticism on our wines, information that can be put to good use in future vintages to improve our product.  These judging notes present invaluable ideas that can be put to good use by all of us. 

These notes on all entries are collated and compiled for distribution at the February 24, 2012 (Red Wines) and March 30, 2012 (White, Fruit & Dessert wines) meetings.  It currently appears that we will have to rent the Mt. Diablo Women’s Club in Concord for the February 24^th meeting.  No one has volunteered their home for the meeting yet.  Those meetings are other “biggies” in that all First Place wines are tasted those nights.  Winners (who bring in another 2 bottles for the evening) prepare handouts on how they created their winning wines.  This information gives CCWG members wonderful information about yeast selections, acid adjustments, pH guidance, fermentation temperatures, wood/barrel treatment, if any, wine label ideas, and especially, where the grapes came from and how much they cost.  All of the awards and plaques are also handed out those two evenings.  Tasting notes and/or ribbons are later mailed to those who are unable to attend.

What I’m trying to say is that this is an incredible opportunity to have your wine critiqued by a group of wine professionals that will provide guidance in making even better wine in the future.

Entries (3 or fewer) should be delivered to a drop off family no later than 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, January 18, 2012.  (Your wine label needs to show the Appellation, varietal percentages, vintage and your name on it)  Bring a check made out to “Contra Costa Wine Group.”  (Our Treasurer, Lee Wines, wants to avoid CASH please.)  CHANGE: The cost is $10.00 per entry and we require 2 bottles of wine from everyone (3 if you’re not attending the Potluck Dinner).   The Entry Fee has been raised because the Parish Hall rental went from $500 last year to $650 this year, a 30% increase!  If your wine is selected as a First Place winner, we’ll call you at home to bring in another bottle or you can go out to your car and bring in the extra that you brought along.  Again, please note that you need to have at least 5 bottles of your wine left in your inventory, just in case you’re a First Place Winner.

The dinner on Saturday night, January 21^st is the highlight of our year.  From 6:00 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. is the “Tasting Hour.”  All of the wines that were entered into the competition plus appetizers/hors d’oeuvres can be tasted at that time.  We then have a potluck dinner starting at 7:30 p.m.  

As members of the Contra Costa Wine Group, I would encourage you all to attend this great event and get to know the fine people in our group.  Even if you don’t have any wine to enter yet, just talking to our members can bring to light all kinds of interesting and valuable information about winemaking.  This is your chance to become an integral part of WineMaker Magazine’s 2010 and 2011 Club of the Year.  Don’t miss it!

Please give Josie Fike a call at your earliest convenience to reserve a seat and let her know whether you’d like to bring an Entrée, Appetizer, or Salad.  Dessert will be 3 Costco half sheet cakes, one white, one chocolate and one carrot paid for by the club.  Josie also needs to know the count of those coming.  Her telephone number is (925) 942-0452.    

Don’t miss out on this wonderful opportunity!  I hope to see all of you there!  

Al Turner, Secretary, CCWG (925) 837-9384

Enter Your Wine for Judging

There is a MAJOR change to this years’ judging.  NO WINES MAY BE DELIVERED ON SATURDAY MORNING, THE DAY OF THE JUDGING!  All wines will have to be delivered NO LATER THAN WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18, 2012 to one of the five drop off homes located in the “Bay Area.”  Those homes are as follows:

         Moraga –
Tony Inzerillo, 500 Rheem Blvd., Telephone: (925) 260-9734    

           Pleasant Hill –
Donna Guedon, 85 Collins Dr., Telephone: (650) 888-0444   

           Berkeley -
Bonneau Dickson, 2428 McGee Ave., Telephone: (510) 845-8625 

           Concord –
Rich Eber, Days @ “Amerasa,” 936K Detroit Ave., Cell:(925)518-5852           

           San Ramon –
Al Turner, 3776 Norris Canyon Rd., Telephone: (925) 837-9384   

      Please call ahead to insure that someone will be there to accept the wine entries and the check (made out to CCWG) for $10.00 per entry.  Our Treasurer insists on checks for better accountability

          To be able to enter the judging, everyone should have a minimum of 5 bottles (explanation follows) of each entry in their possession.  If you’re attending the potluck dinner that night, you need to bring only 2 bottles of each entry to the drop off homes listed above.  If your wine is given a First Place award, you will be called and told to bring an additional bottle with you when you come to the dinner.  If you are unable to attend the dinner, or don’t know yet, you need to deliver 3 entries to that drop off home.  This is because everyone wants to taste the First Place and Best of Show wines upon their arrival for the dinner.  Note that, if you aren’t quick enough after the dinner, any unopened bottles of wine remaining will be collected and donated to the Contra Costa Interfaith Housing charity for their February dinner.