Testimonials for the Sunset International Wine Competition

“The Sunset International Wine Competition is quickly becoming one of our most important competitions. Sunset has assembled a stellar panel of judges for 2013, including esteemed winemakers, journalists and wine educators. The winning wineries gain unprecedented exposure among Sunset’s coveted wine savvy subscribers, making this a can’t-miss competition.” –Gina Gallo, Winemaker, Gallo Signature Series

“We are all very pleased with the results of the competition, not only because of the great quality of your magazine and what a great fit a serious wine competition is for your readers, but also because we have applied the Best of Class sticker on our Fetzer Moscato product and we’ve seen very positive Nielsen results. As of Feb 2nd, our Moscato is up 26% in the past 13 weeks, which is when we estimate for the sticker to be on most shelves across the country.” –Rodrigo Maturana, Global Marketing Director, Fetzer Vineyards 

“The Sunset International Wine Competition is quickly becoming one of our most important competitions. Sunset has assembled a stellar panel of judges for 2013, including esteemed winemakers, journalists and wine educators. The winning wineries gain unprecedented exposure among Sunset’s coveted wine savvy subscribers, making this a can’t-miss competition.” –Gina Gallo, Winemaker, Gallo Signature Series

“While our wines have received accolades from many top competitions and publications, few have matched the Sunset International Wine Competition in terms of consumer recognition. The exposure we’ve received from the Sunset Wine Competition has been remarkable.” –Amanda Wittstrom Higgins, VP of Sales and Marketing, Ancient Peaks Winery

“In 19 years of judging major wine competitions, I have never experienced a better debut than the SIWC. Sara and the Sunset team brought together a stellar collection of world class wines and world class judges into an exceptionally well-organized venue that guarantees fair, meaningful and well-respected results.” –Ron Rawlinson, Wine Sales and Marketing Consultant

“Sunset magazine is really setting the standard for how wines should be evaluated for the everyday wine consumer.” –Bryan Avila, Winemaker and Professor, Viticulture & Winery Technology, Napa Valley College

“The Sunset International Wine Competition provides a fantastic opportunity to reach a highly engaged, wine-loving audience. For Waterbrook Winery, this was an opportunity expose Washington State wine to wine enthusiasts across the West–first, among top judges and later, with consumers. When we took gold with the Sangiovese Rose, we poured at the post-competition event Savor the Central Coast, which resulted in more visibility and ultimately, a sell-out wine. I look forward to entering this competition year after year for Waterbrook and all of its sister wineries under Precept Wine.” –Heidi Witherspoon, Communications Director, Precept Wine

“Sunset magazine created the ultimate International Wine Competition in the USA. To achieve this goal, Sara Schneider, the Wine Editor, and team studied world-renowned wine competitions and created this comprehensive wine judging event using:

• An impressive selection of wine judges with accomplished expertise and tasting experience from various fields in the professional wine industry
• A balanced ratio female/male judge selection from many age groups
• A well-defined strategy on how to approach wine judging and reward attribution
• A very high-quality array of wines from all regions of the world
• A beautiful and comprehensive booklet to present the results from the competition” — Christian Roguenant, Vice President, Winemaking, Niven Family Wine Estate

“Delivering Hanzell wines to Sunset’s Cellar 35 years ago, I never imagined returning as a judge in a Sunset wine competition.  But who better to tell the story of wine in West Coast life and cuisine?  Happily it is possibly the best-organized and well-thought-out competition in which I’ve had the pleasure to participate.  I anticipate this second year’s competition will have learned from the last and provide even more reliable results and insight into the current state of wine quality.  Thanks to the very large number of wineries who have chosen to participate, we’ll have one of the most comprehensive competitions of the year.  Look for the results!” –Tom Stutz, Winemaker, La Rochelle Winery

“A good wine competition begins with the pure intention of bringing honest and informed opinions about the quality of the wines entered to the consumer so that they can make better choices. It starts with great behind-the-scenes organization which allows the judges to do their job with ease. Both the caliber and the character of the judges is vital. A good wine judge has a broad range of knowledge and a keen palate, but is also sensitive to the needs of the competition, its entrants and the consumer. Prima donnas need not apply. Find the best wines of the competition, keep your taste level relevant and always think about the end result: the wine lover enjoying a good glass of wine.” –Traci Dutton, Beverage Manager and Sommelier, Culinary Institute of America

► Enter the Sunset International Wine Competition now through April 4, 2014.