Saturday September 10, The Hudson Valley Wine & Spirits Competition was held at the Hudson Valley Wine Festival in Rhinebeck, New York.

 
I run this competition every year and it warms my heart when I hear the judges talk and comment to me on how the quality of the wine produced in the area has grown. 
 
I am really excited because this year the competition results shows the younger generation of winemakers rising to the top. There was some outstanding wine judged and we had quite the taste off to decide the best of the best. 
 
I am so thankful for the wonderful judges and  killer back room staff I had ths year..  I am the luckiest wine goddess around to have such wonderful childhood friends who came and worked the back room this year.  It was the smoothest run competition yet. 
 
The judges who come from as far away as South Jersey to judge the competition and to witness the great quality of wine produced in the Hudson Valley.
 

This years judges were: Bob Brink, Fine Wines Manager, Arlington Wine & Liquor; Christopher Matthews, Wine & Spirits Columnist for New York Law Journal Magazine; Ned Towle, Director, Westchester Wine School; Tom Edwards, Fox & Hound Wines; Dr. Evan Goldfisher, George Drivas, Sage Restaurant & Lounge, Dana H Lee, Certified Specialist of Wine; Chris Gerling, Extension Associate for Enology for New York State; John Hudleson, Assistant Professor of Global Wine Studies at Central Washington University; Diane Letulle, Wine Dine Go; Lori Budd, Dracaena Wines; Paul Tonacci, Vinedrea Wines, Gary Pavlis,  County Agricultural & Resource Management, Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Atlantic City and Frank Aquilino, American Wine Society President

.And the winners are:  drum roll please…………