WINE JUDGES
Benjamin Green
Experience: Texas Wine Grape Grower Certification - Texas Tech
Rodeo Uncorked! Judge: 8 Years
Why work in wine?
I love the exploration of the wines and how much the location, environment, processes and more impact the finished product and the overall variability in wine.
Echo Green
Experience: CMS: Introductory Sommelier
Rodeo Uncorked! Judge: 7 Years
Favorite part of judging Rodeo Uncorked!
I am a Rodeo scholar and this is a great way to give back and have fun while giving lots of consumers at Rodeo something they will enjoy too. It's fun to see the wines you judged and have them in the Wine Garden with friends after the competition - and find out what you judged once the results are released!
Peyton Gutierrez
Experience: WSET: Level 3; WSET Diploma Candidate; Pairing Consultant for Pop Up Restaurants like The On?ry; Cellar Management; FWSSR Vine 2 Wine Competition Judge 2 years
Rodeo Uncorked! Judge: First Year
Why work in wine?
Wine is like a science! Things are always changing and being discovered and there are many variables that go into every bottle. It's so fun to discover those, what your preferences are, and pair others with the perfect bottle!
Kristina Hackney
Experience: WSET: Level 3, Texas Wine Specialist, Chilean Wine Ambassador
Rodeo Uncorked! Judge: First Year
What made you first interested?
A bottle of Rioja! I wanted to learn more about wine after that, so.I jumped right in!
Una Hadzimahmutovic
Experience: CMS: Certified Sommelier; SWE: Certified Specialist of Wine; WSET: Level 3 in Wines; French Wine Scholar; Italian Wine Scholar; Spanish Wine Scholar
Rodeo Uncorked! Judge: 9 Years
Scott Hall
Rodeo Uncorked! Judge: First Year
Gail Harrison
Rodeo Uncorked! Judge: 7 Years
Why work in wine?
As a consumer, wine provides me a continuous learning experience. The grape vine, the climate/soil, harvesting, de-stem/crush, fermentation, clarification, aging and bottling, and finally the tasting tell a story that I as a consumer appreciate.
Cindy Hart
Experience: WSET: Level 3 in Wines, Spanish Wine Scholar (SWS), Certified Wines of Chile Ambassador
Rodeo Uncorked! Judge: 9 Years
Favorite part of judging Rodeo Uncorked!
It is an amazing opportunity to be surrounded by fellow judges who share the same passions to judge a wide diversity of wines, and to support our youth in their educational endeavors.
Tammy Heizelman
Experience: SWE: Certified Wine Specialist; WSET: Level 3 in Wines; French Wine Scholar; Italian Wine Scholar; Spanish Wine Scholar; Specialist of Texas Wine
Rodeo Uncorked! Judge: 9 Years
What are your tips for others?
Keep an open mind (and taste buds).
Christine Hollenberg
Experience: Attended many tasting classes at Rice University with Bear Dalton, have traveled extensively to wine regions Italy, Portugal, Spain, Argentina, Chile and Washington, Oregon, California, Finger Lakes and Texas of course!
Rodeo Uncorked! Judge: 13 Years
Why work in wine?
My father started a wine tasting group in St. Louis when I was an infant. I grew up in homes filled with laughing and wine tasting - he died in 2004 and I started learning more to honor his memory.
Lori Huffman
Experience: 25 years experience in the wine industry from working for a distributor, running a distributorship of super high end wines, working retail, working as national sales manager for a winery out of central CA, and now owning a wine bar/restaurant for the last 3.5 years. In addition, I was on the wine committee from literally, day one of it's start until moving out of town and still tried to maintain that for awhile. I've Judged since the first time and have been a panel head over 10 times.
Rodeo Uncorked! Judge: 23 Years
Favorite part of judging Rodeo Uncorked!
Seeing everyone that I don't have the opportunity to see during the year as well as tasting excellent quality wines and doing my very best to always give every wine it's best chance! The wineries put a lot into this, and I truly enjoy making them proud of their decision to enter the competition.
Lorie Jacobs
Favorite part of judging Rodeo Uncorked!
It is soooo much fun! And a wonderful learning experience. While I feel pretty well versed in varietals and regions generally, each year is an opportunity to brush up skills on the featured region. And judging itself always brings at least one category that challenges my wine experience and helps me expand my understanding of winemaking. It's also a joy to spend time with people in the industry and hear their opinions on each wine.
Chuck Jenkins
Experience: Bisou- Wine Director; CMS: Certified Sommelier; SWE: Certified Specialist of Wine; Napa Valley Wine Educators Academy (WEA) Graduate 25+ years in the Houston wine industry
Rodeo Uncorked! Judge: 9 Years
What are your tips for others?
You can read all you want, but here's no substitute for popping corks!
Tom Jensen
Experience: 10 years fine dining GM and Floor Somm. 20 years in Wine sales as both distributor and supplier. CSW, Certified Sommelier, WSET Level 2
Rodeo Uncorked! Judge: 8 Years
What are your favorite books and movies?
Kurt Vonnegut, Charles Bukowski, Cormac McCarthy. Oh yeah, all those Wine writers too.
Julie Johnson
Rodeo Uncorked! Judge: First Year
Troy Johnson
Experience: 25+ Years in the Wine Industry; Certified Sommelier
Rodeo Uncorked! Judge: 17 Years
What are your tips for others?
Remember the best wine in the world is the one "you" like best.
Monica Jones
Experience: Wine Writer and Educator; WSET: Level 2 in Wines; Specialist of Texas Wine (ASTW)
Rodeo Uncorked! Judge: 2 Years
Why work in wine?
Discovery feeds my passion to work in wine. I look forward to sharing my passion for wine, especially Texas wines, with curious palates. There's always a new wine to sip and a new region to explore.
Tika Kasaji
Experience: Wine consulting business owner, CMS, WSET 2 & 3, FWS, SWS
Rodeo Uncorked! Judge: First Year
What made you first interested?
The opportunity of being apart of a historic event that educates and showcases the artistry of wine in a setting that provides so much fun and inclusive variety. Having wine at the rodeo is more than just drinking something you like but exploring the craftsmanship of local growers, new varieties or regions and getting being able share it with everyone involved.
Caroline Kenney
Experience: SWE: Certified Specialist of Wine
Rodeo Uncorked! Judge: 4 Years
What are your tips for others?
Whether one is new to wine, or experienced, "the more you taste, the more you know!"
