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International Eastern Wine Competition

IEWC Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


WCWC contact:    Jennifer Merletti (jmerletti@vwm-online.com, 800.535.5670)
IEWC contact:       Richard Leahy (rleahy@vwm-online.com)

Registration Opens for West Coast Wine Competition and International Eastern Wine Competition

Santa Rosa, California (February 16, 2009) -- The opening of registration for two of the oldest professional wine competitions in the country, West Coast Wine Competition and International Eastern Wine Competition, was announced today by their producer, Vineyard & Winery Management magazine (www.vwm-online.com). The 27th Annual WCWC takes place April 22-24, 2009 in Sonoma Mountain Village, Rohnert Park, California while the 33rd Annual IEWC will be held May 18-20, 2009 in Watkins Glen, New York.

Online registration, details and instructions for both events are now available at www.vwm-online.com. Phone 800.535.5670 for additional information. Comprehensive lists of category winners for both competitions with links to numerous winery web sites will be posted after results are tallied.

Judges for both competitions are selected from a well-qualified group of experts from winegrowing regions and major wine markets throughout the USA: food and beverage media, winemakers, wine marketers, enology and viticulture professors and researchers, restaurateurs and sommeliers, hospitality and tourism consultants, and fine wine retailers.

The WCWC recognizes outstanding wines from the following western states and countries: Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon and Washington as well as Australia, Baja California (Mexico), British Columbia (Canada), and New Zealand. In 2008, judges awarded a total of 16 Double Gold, 179 Gold, 600 Silver, and 506 Bronze medals from a field of over 1,700 entries.

Bill Traverso is now chairman of the WCWC. In addition to more than 35 years as the wine buyer of Traverso's Gourmet Food and Wine (Santa Rosa, California), Traverso has notable experience as a wine judge and consultant. He chaired the Sonoma County Harvest Fair Wine Competition for 10 years and is currently a member of the Board of Visitors and Fellows at the Viticulture and Enology Department, University of California Davis. He is also an adjunct faculty member at Santa Rosa Junior College, teaching in the wine studies program.

The deadline to enter the WCWC is March 20, 2009.

Now in its 33rd year, the IEWC is one of the oldest and largest competitions in the United States, held each May in the Finger Lakes region of New York. To broaden the field, wines from home winemakers are now accepted. In 2008, wineries from 13 countries, including 38 American states and three Canadian provinces, submitted over 2,200 entries from which judges granted 71 Double Gold, 133 Gold, 658 Silver and 762 Bronze medals.

The IEWC awards five Best of Category wines (red, white, sparkling, dessert and fruit) as well as the winner and four finalists of the Riesling Championship.

The IEWC added a Riesling Championship in 2001. All Rieslings entered in the IEWC are judged in one of four sweetness grades: dry, semi-dry, semi-sweet and sweet. The four Best of Class winners then compete for the Riesling Champion award.

The entry deadline is April 15, 2009.

About the producer
Vineyard & Winery Services, Inc publishes Vineyard & Winery Management magazine (www.vwm-online.com), the Wine Industry Index and Wineries of the Index on compact disc. Based in Santa Rosa, California, the multimedia corporation also produces seminars, conferences and trade shows (Wineries Unlimited, Tasting Room Profitability, Wine Club Summit, and Managing the Winery Laboratory) as well as three wine competitions (Grand Harvest Awards, International Eastern Wine Competition, and West Coast Wine Competition).

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