Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/81015
WINE COMPETITIONS 7 1 1. The judging crew poses with glassware sponsor Maximilian J. Riedel of Riedel Crystal (front row, fifth from right). 2. Sweepstakes winners are decided by total number of votes. 3. Entries are organized and labeled in the back room. 2 4. NextGen chief judge Giovanni Balistreri (right) and Liam McCormick of Benevolo Wines in Napa express differing opinions about a Sweepstakes wine. 5. (Left to right) Clarisse F. Kostrzewski of The Right Blend, Zack Zimmerman of the Sonoma County Farm Bureau and Leta Soza of Bottlenotes get started on a new flight of whites. 6. Clarisse F. Kostrzewski, founder and CEO of The Right Blend, gears up for the Sweepstakes judging. 7. Marin McElhany, wine club director for Kitchenette SF and sommelier for Living Room Events Catering, reads over her scoring notes. 3 8. Tyler Balliet of The Second Glass (center) and Jessica Altieri, founder and CEO of WineChannelTV, smile for the camera before the Sweepstakes judging. 9. Alan Kropf of Mutineer magazine evaluates a flight of reds. 10. White wines are brought out for distribution to various panels. 9 8 4 5 WWW.VWM-ONLINE.COM 6 10 SEPT - OCT 2012 VINEYARD & WINERY MANAGEMENT 81