MikeDunne as an interesting & thought-provoking article in today’s SacBee:
DunneOnWineCompetitions
on how he’d improve wine competitions in this country.
He knows of what he speaks. Mike’s been a judge in a GadZillion (well…maybe only a BaZillion) of wine competitions around this GreatNation.
I particularly like his idea of a full accounting of expenses & expenditures. Many of these competitions, as well as many of the various wine festivals, are run as non-profits and to fund various philanthropic programs. It would be nice to see where the money and how much actually goes. I know of one wine festival where the BoD meets periodically at plush resorts, w/ extravagant meals & wines involved, over a weekend, allegedly to do planning. I asked one of the BoD members how I could see an accounting of the huge $$'s, inflow & outflow, that sustains the festival. I was bluntly told it was none of my business.
Same thing, as Mike espouses, of an accounting of all the btls of wine submitted by the wineries.
Anyway…Mike’s ideas are worth hearing out. Most of us pretty widely dismiss the various wine competitions as being shams or of little credibility. His ideas might bring some credence to these medal competitions.
Tom
The article is behind a pop-up paywall that prevents its reading on-screen. But I was, nonetheless, able to print the article & read it that way.