Wine Judges

Experience: Certified Sommelier

Rodeo Uncorked! Judge: 5 Years

Favorite part of judging Rodeo Uncorked!

My favorite part of judging Rodeo Uncorked! is the opportunity to discover such a wide variety of wines in one place. It’s exciting to taste both well-known labels and hidden gems, and to share that experience with fellow judges who are just as passionate about wine.

Experience: Winemaker/Owner of Fall Creek Vineyards

Rodeo Uncorked! Judge: 9 Years

What are your favorite books and movies?

“What Price Bordeaux?” by Lewin MW, Benjamin.

Experience: CMS: Master Sommelier; SWE: Certified Specialist of Wine and Certified Wine Educator; WSET: Level 3 in Wines; French Wine Scholar

Rodeo Uncorked! Judge: 7 Years

Why work in wine?

Working in wine brings me joy because for the most part, wine brings people joy. I love how wine is a subject matter about which so many other subjects can be discussed.

Rodeo Uncorked! Judge: 12 Years

Favorite part of judging Rodeo Uncorked!

The people – both judges and volunteers.

Experience: DipWSET, WSET-Certified Educator, French Wine Scholar, Champagne Master, Sherry Specialist

Rodeo Uncorked! Judge: First Year

What makes a wine memorable to youÑeven after you’ve tasted hundreds or thousands of wines?

What makes a wine memorable is the story behind it – the place it came from, the vintage condition, the people who made it, generations of people who worked in that land, and the people I shared it with.

Experience: Houston-based wine educator, Advanced Sommelier, and tasting curator with over 38 years of experience in the grocery and beverage industry, most of it with one of the largest retailers in the U.S. Over the past two decades, he has played a key role in shaping in-store wine culture ? introducing curated selections, bilingual education tools, and customer-focused tasting experiences across Texas.

Rodeo Uncorked! Judge: 6 Years

Favorite part of judging Rodeo Uncorked!

The amazing wine communities including the volunteers has made this event an unbelievable success and I’m honored to be a part of this event!

Experience: WSET Level II, 25+ years working in the beverage alcohol industry having worked in all three tiers of the business including sales, marketing, merchandising, pricing and data analytics.

Rodeo Uncorked! Judge: 5 Years

What’s something about judging wine that most people would be surprised to learn?

It is a job not to be taken lightly. While it requires knowledge and experience, the most challenging part, I believe, is maintaining focus throughout the long day as one works through various changing flights. One also must be open and collaborative in discussions with others on the panel. And while expertise and confidence is important, it is also critical to be open minded as this is also an excellent opportunity to learn from the best in the industry who judge in this competition. It is work, which is why I have such an appreciation for those volunteering their time and experience to make this event possible.

Experience: SWE: Certified Specialist of Wine, WSET: Level 3 in Wines, Specialist of Texas Wine

Rodeo Uncorked! Judge: Second Year

What made you first interested?

I’ve grown up in the Texas wine industry, working for over 25 years at Kiepersol, and with wine, it’s a new, joyful adventure every day.

Experience: Author, “The Signature Wines of Superior California: 50 Wines that Define the Sierra Foothills, the Delta, Yolo and Lodi.” Mike has written of wine for more than 50 years, and continues to contribute to various publications and platforms.

Rodeo Uncorked! Judge: 21 Years

What makes a wine memorable to youÑeven after you’ve tasted hundreds or thousands of wines?

Whether in competition or at leisure, the most memorable wines provide animation, tension, complexity, persistence and fidelity to the grape, style and place on the label. They reveal new facets with each taste, inviting you back, rewarding you with a continuously unfolding kaleidoscope of flavor.

Experience: CMS: Certified Sommelier

Rodeo Uncorked! Judge: 10 years

What made you first interested?

I’ve always liked the taste of wine growing up, but I really got interested in wine during my last deployment. I needed something to escape the current surroundings, so I buried myself into every wine book possible. I fell in love with wine then. After the military, I starting working as a Manager and Sommelier in restaurants and hotels.

Experience: 20+ Years in the Wine Industry; SWE: Certified Specialist of Wine

Rodeo Uncorked! Judge: 23 Years

Favorite part of judging Rodeo Uncorked!

I’ve always loved that the work we do in judging these wines supports youth and education in Texas and at the same time promotes wine.

Experience: I have spent over twenty years tasting and learning about wine and sake. I have been blessed to share some amazing experiences and work with wonderful people in both a professional role, as well as hosting my own wine tastings for clients in their homes. I received my degree in enology and viticulture as well as my WSET II certification.

Rodeo Uncorked! Judge: 7 Years

What makes a wine memorable to youÑeven after you’ve tasted hundreds or thousands of wines?

Every wine comes from somewhere special, made by people who are passionate and have a story to tell. When one gets to pair the wine with the story of its origin of place and the hands that created it, it makes for a wonderfully memorable story.

Experience: 15 Years as Oenologist/Winemaker and Enthusiast

Rodeo Uncorked! Judge: 2 Years

What made you first interested?

I found wine and winemaking to be the place where my love of biology and chemistry come together to produce something so lovely, we get to enjoy in all avenues of life.

Experience: 20+ years in the wine industry in Texas; Instructor at The Texas Wine School for 7 years.

Rodeo Uncorked! Judge: 19 Years

Favorite part of judging Rodeo Uncorked!

The camaraderie and community!

Experience: Court of Master Sommeliers – Level 1

Rodeo Uncorked! Judge: 3 Years

Experience: Retired after 15+ years in wine industry; WSET: Level 2 in Wines

Rodeo Uncorked! Judge: 15 years

What are your favorite books and movies?

Bottle Shock

Experience: Winemaker, Owner & Founder of Franklin Vines Wines; WSET: Level 1 & 2; Specialist of Texas Wines

Rodeo Uncorked! Judge: 5 Years

What made you first interested?

I first became interested in wine in my late 20s, drawn to the elegance of holding a glass and the stories inside each bottle. My journey began with Pinot Grigio and weekend tastings that slowly grew into a true passion. Over time, that curiosity led me to study wine more seriously, become a winemaker, and now plant a vineyard on my ancestral land in historic Shankleville, Texas. Today, I’m proud to bring that passion to Rodeo Uncorked! as a judge, celebrating the wines that shape our industry and our culture.

Experience: CMS: Introductory Sommelier, SWE: Certified Specialist of Wine, WSET: Level 3 in Wines, WSG: French Wine Scholar, Champagne Masters, SSA: Certified Sake Sommelier and Certified Sake Educator

Rodeo Uncorked! Judge: 12 Years

What makes a wine memorable to youÑeven after you’ve tasted hundreds or thousands of wines?

Ultimately the person or people I’m drinking the wine with, and the occasion.