WINE JUDGES

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: 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 friends?or 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: Attorney; Wine Writer, The Corkscrew Concierge; CMS: Introductory Sommelier; SWE: Certified Specialist of Wine; WSET: Level 3 in Wines; Cava Educator; Rhone Specialist

Rodeo Uncorked! Judge: 7 Years

Why work in wine?

Wine can be intimidating and I enjoy breaking down the barriers and making it accessible.

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: California State Fair Commercial Wine Competition

Rodeo Uncorked! Judge: Second Year

What are your tips for others?

Focus, focus, focus. Judging demands total concentration on each wine under tight time limits.

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

Experience: WSET 2 Texas Wine Ambassador

Rodeo Uncorked! Judge: 18 Years

Favorite part of judging Rodeo Uncorked!

Judging wine for the Houston Rodeo is a challenging, critical, and rewarding yearly experience. This weekend starts the new rodeo season and has a tremendous impact on the wine makers and leads to dollars raised for scholarships.

Experience: Professor at Texas A&M University teaching and researching grapes wine for over ten years.

Rodeo Uncorked! Judge: 4 Years

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

All things horticulture, especially growing grapes.

Experience: Lifelong enthusiast across a broad range of varietals; saddled with label - Industrial Consumer...

Rodeo Uncorked! Judge: 12 Years

I like fiction and fantasy; we get enough reality on a daily basis. Jim Butcher, Lee Child, Charles Todd, Isaac Asimov

Experience: AWS Certified Wine Judge; SWE Certified Specialist of Wine

Rodeo Uncorked! Judge: 23 Years

If you could share a bottle of wine with anyone?past or present?who would it be and what would you pour?

I would love to share a bottle of wine with two dearly departed friends - Bear Dalton and Deborah Touchy. And it would have to be an aged Bordeaux as those two were pure Francophiles! Cheers to you both!!!

Experience: CMS: Introductory Sommelier; WSET: Level 2 in Wines; Certified Sherry Wine Specialist; Founder, Culinary Wine Specialist

Rodeo Uncorked! Judge: 5 Years

What are your tips for others?

Don't limit yourself to Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, or Pinot Grigio. True appreciation comes from exploring beyond the familiar ? let each new white wine remind you that discovery is part of the journey. Stay calm, taste widely, live fully, and drink on.

Experience: Dip WSET Candidate, FWS, SWS, ASTW, Level 1 Court of Masters

Rodeo Uncorked! Judge: 10 Years

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

After years of tasting countless wines from across the world, I?ve learned that the rarest ones aren?t necessarily the rarest bottles. They?re the wines that stop you for a moment?a place, a person, a story suddenly captured in a glass. Great wine leaves more than a finish. It leaves a memory.