The Wine Competition has been an integral part of the Columbus Food & Wine Affair since it began in 2003. Rob Somers, Ohio Manager, Limestone Estates Division, Foster’s Wine Estates America’s co-chairs the competition with Ryan Valentine, Director of Beverage, Cameron Mitchell Restaurants. The competition was started to add a level of excitement not only to the Columbus Food & Wine Affair but to the local wine industry itself.

Each wine sampled at the Grand Tasting is automatically entered into the Wine Competition unless a vintner specifically requests it not be. In its first year, just over 300 wines were tasted and judged. As of last year, the competition grew to include more than 400 wines.

Judging is based on a modified version of the 20-point system developed in the 1950s by Maynard Amerine, a professor in viticulture at the University of California Davis. The scoring structure puts in a place a system to objectively analyze the wines. All of the wines are judged in a blind tasting, and each wine is judged by two separate panels.

The number of judges for the competition has grown to 45 who spend no less than 3-1/2 hours judging wines on number of attributes including color, aroma, taste, texture and overall appeal. Gold, silver and bronze medals are awarded the day of the Grand Tasting.