"Probably the largest aggregation of Masters of Wine on one Panel in Australasia's wine judging history.  And the other Judges are equally well qualified in their specialised fields."  Warren Mason, Competition Director

No sooner do we announce the results of the 2009 Competition, than planning is well under way for the 2010 Competition. As the Competition's reputation continues to grow within the international wine community, finding the right balance of technical judges and style judges has become easier and easier. Technical judges are usually practicing winemakers with tertiary qualifications in wine and other sciences. We need them to detect wines with subtle (and not so subtle) faults. That is not to say our technical judges do not also have a keen interest in the complementary nature of wines and food. Style judges, on the other hand, have knowledge of wines technical aspects but their training is usually broader. Particularly in the case of Masters of Wine where, to pass that rigorous wine qualification, their training encompasses knowledge of the full cycle, from before it became wine to everything that happens after it became wine, particularly the marketing aspects, be it hotel, restaurant, liquor chain, supermarket wine lists or superannuation funds and private collectors' investment wine choices. Here is our Judging Panel for next October, 2009.

2010 INTERNATIONAL JUDGING PANEL ANNOUNCED

Panel Chairman
Kym Milne MW (SA) International Wine Consultant

Panel
Adrian Atkinson (UK) International Wine Development Director, Pernod Ricard UK.
Neil Hadley MW (NSW) Export Manager, Taylor's Wines
Steve Flamsteed (Vic) Chef, Cheesemaker, Chief Winemaker, Innocent Bystander Wines,.
Ken Dobler (NSW) National Wine Judge. 4th term SIWC Panelist.
Tony Allen (UK) International Wine Buyer/Marketeer.
Warren Gibson (NZ) Chief Winemaker, Trinity Hills Wines, Proprietor/Winemaker, Bilancia Wines.
Martin Williams MW (Vic). Wine Consultant, Proprietor/Winemaker, Metier & Milkwood Wines.
Jane Boyce MW (Northern Ireland) Wine Writer, international wine/food consultant.
Peter Marks MW (USA) Vice President (Education), Constellation Wines (USA)
James Cluer MW (CAN) BC Government Wine Consultant, Educator, Winery Manager.
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW (SIN) From USA, via London and Tokyo. Parker's Asian Wine Correspondent.
Liam McElhinney (NZ) Winemaker, The Ned, Marlborough.
Andrew Kemeny (NSW) Reserve Judge in Residence, Award Winning Wine Retailer.

On Line Entry Forms:
Available 1 June 2009 at www.top100wines.com. Entries restricted to 2,000, first come. Our 2010 Competition's Awards will be announced to individual entrants, mid November 2009.