T

he judging system used by the AFWC is a combination of the best wine judging techniques as determined and put into place by Chief Judge and judging coordinator Monty Preiser.  It employs a four-member panel consisting of the best possible mix of industry professionals. Wines are poured in private and then taken to the judging tables by wine professionals serving as “Wine Angels.”  Glasses are numbered to correspond with the individual numbered wine bottles which are kept secret in the staging area. In order for a wine to be given any particular medal, at least 75% of the panel must agree.  Double Gold medals are given when 100% of the panel agrees the wine is worthy of a Gold medal.

The consensus necessary for individual awards may well be reached, and are often facilitated, through discussions led by the Panel Leader, who changes periodically throughout the judging.

Invited judges are chosen based on their wine knowledge, their palates, their dedication, and the fact that they have no fiduciary interest in any commercial winery, distributorship or supplier.  The judges are recognized professionals as wine educators, wine writers, restaurateurs, and sommeliers.  This is truly a “dream team” of judges – each possessing top qualifications, independence, and the ability to bring a wide variety of experience to the table in the wine & food industry. It is the combination of judges, wines, and the award system, that makes this a unique competition rivaling all others in prestige.

New Hampshire’s Joann Actis-Grande is the wine editor for Taste of the Seacoast Magazine, and writes wine and travel columns for Coastal Home and Garden and TheFiftyBest.com.  She also conducts video interviews with well known personalities and instructs wine tastings aboard a Maine windjammer.  A lover of food and wine, Joann has traveled the great wine regions from Napa to Cyprus.

Charlie Arturaola has perhaps the most varied wine qualifications of any person on earth. He has served as sommelier and wine buyer for top restaurants and cruise lines. He is a teacher and lecturer worldwide. He has served as advisor for some of the nation’s finest wine events from Aspen to Napa. And he is constantly in demand as a judge and advisor, being relied upon by several insurance companies to appraise wine collections of up to $1,000,000.00.

Fred Barger has been a highly praised wine writer for more than three decades. For the last 13 years he has penned a wine column for the chic and popular Ocean Drive Magazine of Miami Beach, and in the past has also written for, among other publications, the Miami Herald and the Wine News.

Jenny Benzie is the owner of Pour Sip Savor, a forward thinking wine business in which she is able to provide 'An Assemblage of Sommelier Services' by creating wine education opportunities for consumers, private client wine services, restaurant wine list consulting and brand ambassador to wine regions from around the world.  Her sommelier expertise has been honed by working at some of the finest establishments - Caneel Bay Resort in the US Virgin Islands, Michael's Restaurant in Santa Monica and Cafe Boulud - Palm Beach.

Azul, one of Miami’s signature restaurants, welcomed Cynthia Betancourt as its sommelier in January 2007. She holds certifications from the Court of Master Sommeliers and the Society of Wine Educators. In April 2008 Cynthia won the Les Chaines de Rotisseurs “Best Young Sommelier” Southeast Division.

Professor "Chip" Cassidy has served as head sommelier for the prestigious Breakers Hotel in Palm Beach, and is currently the wine buyer for a major chain of wine stores, Crown Wine and Spirits. Chip also teaches Advanced Wine Technology, and has developed a Wine Certificate Program offered to professionals already working in the wine or related fields.

Serving as sommelier and maitre d’ of Kentucky’s only five diamond restaurant, Julie DeFriend has helped bring the famed Oak Room to new heights. After graduating summa cum laude from the University of Louisville with a B.A. in art history she began her career in the food and wine industry as a server before receiving continuous promotions to her present prestigious position

Florida native Don Derocher, Sommelier at The Ritz-Carlton Fort Lauderdale, has achieved the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence for his wine programs at Via Luna in Fort Lauderdale and Solu in Palm Beach.  He is certified through the United States Sommelier Association, and currently pursuing his advanced level certification.

A Johnson & Wales University graduate, Tim Eagan served as sommelier at The Old Homestead Steakhouse before being hired to assemble the Beverage Program at the critically acclaimed Atlanta based Chops Lobster Bar. In addition, he holds Advanced Certification from the Master Court of Sommeliers, and will be sitting for the Master Exam in 2010.

Lyn Farmer is Senior Editor of The Wine News, and has produced a video series on wine created for cruise lines and hotels. He has won the James Beard Foundation Award for Best Writing on Wine and Spirits, was for ten years the restaurant critic of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, and has judged at wine competitions in the U.S. and South America.

Tylor Field, of West Palm Beach, is an internationally recognized wine expert, and winner of the highest honor from the Guild of Sommeliers Education Foundation – the Distinguished Service Award. As Morton's corporate VP of Wine & Spirits, Tylor has guided the world wide development of the restaurant’s world-class wine selections.

From a small town south of Rome, to working in the family pizzeria/restaurant in New York, to interning on the Italian Riviera, Vincent Gismondi aspired to own a restaurant on a par with the best of all these places. He has succeeded with Arturo’s of Boca Raton. Vince’s passion for, and expertise in, international and American wines is evident in his collection of fine wines, rare vintages, and prestigious labels.

Dr. Barry H. Gump is the first holder of the Harvey R. Chaplin Eminent Scholar’s Chair in Beverage Management at Florida International University’s School of Hospitality and Tourism Management.  Dr. Gump is a noted wine author, and has been a professional wine judge for many years at a number of major wine competitions.

Classically trained in Europe, and then serving innovative food in San Francisco, Chef Jan Jorgenson now owns and creates the wine list for Miami’s Two Chef’s Restaurant. Two Chefs is selected by many visiting wineries as the place in south Florida to show off their excellent wines with Jan’s compatible cuisine.

Virginia Philip, wine director at the Prestigious Breakers Resort in Palm Beach, FL, became the 9th woman in the world (currently there are 18 women and 198 total people) to earn the extraordinary accreditation of Master Sommelier.  That achievement was complemented when the American Sommelier Association conferred upon her the title of “Best Sommelier of the United States” in 2002.

Master Chef Angelo Romano, owner of Lake Worth, Florida’s Paradiso Risorante, honed his culinary skills at establishments located in a wide range of luxurious resort towns on the Italian Riviera and the Isle of Capri, as well as in Bermuda and Palm Beach. This international background serves Angelo well in his selection and evaluation of wines.

Peg San Felippo, has been writing about wine and wine related issues for the last decade. A past chair of The American Institute of Wine and Food - Wisconsin Chapter, Peg is also a former wine columnist for The Palm Beach Post, and has written for numerous publications across the country including Wine Business Monthly and Wine Business Insider.

Delius Shirley, proprietor of Ortanique in Miami, has been a restaurateur and consultant for nearly 20 years, consistently collecting accolades from his peers for his ability to create wine lists of distinction nationwide. He is driven by a passion for an evolving wine industry and its opportunity for education.

A wine journalist, consultant, and educator, Patrick Sullivan is the wine & spirits editor for DINE Magazine in Florida.  He has been involved in many aspects of the wine business for over twenty years - writing and conducting seminars and classes, as well as working in the retail and wholesale segments of the industry.

Scott Tracy, sommelier of the prestigious Michelin starred La Toque in Napa, has been at the forefront of innovative wine pairings for over 25 years. He probably evaluates as many wines as any person nationwide, as all vintners want their wine at La Toque. Scott chooses the best for the cuisine, regardless of the wine’s origin. Last year Scott was named top Napa Sommelier by the Tasting Panel in their Stars of 2009 awards.

Judges have included: