Wine Judges

Experience: SWE: Certified Specialist of Wine

Rodeo Uncorked! Judge: 5 Years

What are your tips for others?

Whether one is new to wine, or experienced, “the more you taste, the more you know!”

Experience: DipWSET, Winemaker Kleinlerer Wines, Managing Director Covenant Wines

Rodeo Uncorked! Judge: Second Year

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

It’s never really about what’s in the glass, it’s about the moment around it. After thousands of bottles, technical perfection is just the price of admission, so what sticks is who sat across from me and why we bothered to pull the cork. I live for that split second when a wine makes someone’s eyes go wide, and I’m still chasing it, because it happens to me too, every time a bottle catches me off guard and I’m a first time taster all over again. The ones that haunt me always come with a story, a place, a person, a night I’d never trade. And the very best don’t just taste good, they stop me mid-sentence, and that silence, that feeling, outlasts every tasting note I’ve ever written.

Experience: Wine Writer

Rodeo Uncorked! Judge: 11 Years

What made you first interested?

When I was a high school teacher, I spent my summers as a cycle tour guide in Europe. There, I first learned about the magic of wine and I have been hooked ever since.

Experience: Owner, Pedernales Cellars; WSET Diploma; Wine Educator; Board Member Texas Hill Country Chapter of Women For WineSense; CMS: Introductory Sommelier

Rodeo Uncorked! Judge: 5 Years

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

It is really hard work! Most of my non-wine friends act like I am going on a booze cruise when I say I am going to judge at a wine competition. But it takes a lot of focus to taste and evaluate wine after wine. The reward is in what one learns about what is being produced worldwide, and watching how it changes over the years.

Experience: 11 Years WSETll

Rodeo Uncorked! Judge: Second Year

What’s one wine that completely changed the way you think about wine?

Cabernet Franc! One of those grapes where the wine can feel alive in the glass. You might get raspberry or cherry first, then graphite, violet, tobacco, pepper, earth, or herbs as it opens. She is also very temperamental. Must be handled with care and harvested at the perfect moment.

Experience: 20+ Years in the Wine Industry; WSET: Level 2 in Wines

Rodeo Uncorked! Judge: 11 Years

Favorite part of judging Rodeo Uncorked!

I take immense pleasure in participating as a judge for the Rodeo Uncorked! International Wine Competition. This incredible opportunity allows me to indulge in my love for wines and give back to my community in a unique and impactful way.

Experience: Judged the first 2-3 years of the competition, took some time off and rejoined sometime in 2015-16.

Rodeo Uncorked! Judge: 14 Years

What are your favorite books and movies?

Biography’s & stories that become personal off of historical events.

Experience: Founder & Co-Producer, Food & Vine; 20+ Years in the Wine Industry; WSET Level 3 Tasting with Distinction

Rodeo Uncorked! Judge: 6 Years

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

Plain Ruffles with Ridges is my best friend to keep my palate fresh when judging.

Experience: CMS: Introductory Sommelier; SWE: Certified Specialist of Wine; WSET: Level 3 Award in Wine & Spirits, Level 4 Diploma in Wine & Spirits and Certified Educator; French Wine Scholar; NASA: Italian Wine Specialist

Rodeo Uncorked! Judge: 9 Years

Favorite part of judging Rodeo Uncorked!

It is great to be involved in such an organized wine competition with the area’s wine professionals… Particularly since it is for such a good cause.

Experience: Winemaker with nearly two decades experience working within six climatically different American AVAs.

Rodeo Uncorked! Judge: 7 Years

What’s one wine that completely changed the way you think about wine?

La Cala Vermentino di Sardegna. The wine’s bright acidity and saline edge met the brininess of the oysters, and neither was the same without the other. It was the most memorable tasting of my career, and taught me that great wine is about balance, place, and the table.

Experience: Master of Wine Student, DipWSET, Champagne Master, French Wine Scholar, CMS Introductory Sommelier

Rodeo Uncorked! Judge: 8 Years

When you’re not judging or working with wine, what are you most passionate about?

I’m most passionate about fitness, travel, and helping people live balanced lives through wine, wellness, and community. As a longtime Jazzercise instructor and franchise owner, as well as wine educator, I love making both movement and wine approachable, engaging, and fun. I’m happiest teaching a class, exploring the world’s wine regions, sharing a memorable bottle with friendsÑor spending time with my beloved golden doodle, Rosie, who keeps me grounded and brings joy to every day.

Rodeo Uncorked! Judge: 11 Years

What are your tips for others?

Stay hydrated during judging.

Rodeo Uncorked! Judge: 2 Years

Experience: WSET: Level 3 in Wines, SWE: Certified Specialist of Wine, Cava Educator, CMS: Introductory Sommelier, Wine Writer: The Corkscrew Concierge

Rodeo Uncorked! Judge: 8 Years

When you’re not judging or working with wine, what are you most passionate about?

Empowering women and helping people to exercise their right to vote.

Experience: President of Women For WineSense Grapevine, Retired Executive Director of the Texas Wine and Grape Growers Association, Wine Educator

Rodeo Uncorked! Judge: 3 Years

When you’re not judging or working with wine, what are you most passionate about?

Theatre…I am a season passholder to multiple theatres, both Broadway and community. I do everything from popping popcorn and acting on stage to painting sets and promoting shows.

Experience: 1973-1988 VP Domaine Chandon, 1988-2009 CEO St. Supery, 1989-Present Owner Villa Ragazzi

Rodeo Uncorked! Judge: Second Year

What’s one wine that completely changed the way you think about wine?

We arrived in Napa Valley in 1972, introduced to ageworthy, reasonably priced Cabernets made with moderate alcohol and oak. Early in 2026 we opened a 1974 Stags Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet (the previous vintage won the famous Paris tasting in 1976). It was delicious, balanced and complete. The big surprise? The grapes had come from very young vines.

Experience: 20+ Years in the Beverage Industry; Currently with Churrascos Restaurant; CMS: Introductory Sommelier

Rodeo Uncorked! Judge: 12 Years

What are your tips for others?

Try different varietals until you find your favorite one there’s so many good options just have fun doing it. Salud!

Experience: Founder/winemaker at The Cause Urban Winery, founded in 2019. Holds French Wine Scholar, Specialist of Texas Wine level 2, and WSET level 3 certifications.

Rodeo Uncorked! Judge: 3 Years

Why work in wine?

You can never know everything about wine! It is so fun to explore new wines and regions, and it is fun to experiment while making wines.

Experience: Wine Education; Wine Distribution, CMS Certified Sommelier, WSET3, CSW, FWS, IWS, CSCW, Advanced Texas Wine Ambassador, Winemaking Certificate-Texas Tech

Rodeo Uncorked! Judge: 13 Years

What’s one wine that completely changed the way you think about wine?

Chateau Dujac, Clos St Denis. I had a small taste of this on a Wine Scholar Guild Trip, and it’s balance and complexity were out of this world. It’s too costly for me to buy, but it gave me a benchmark – something to be approached, but rarely achieved, in a wine.

Experience: Teaching: 2019-25, Retail: 2022-25

Rodeo Uncorked! Judge: 6 Years