By Courtney CochranThis news just in: judges at the annual California State Fair wine competition are apparently more than a little inconsistent in their evaluations of medal-winning (and non-winning) wines. According to an in-depth report published by the Journal of Wine Economics, fewer than half of 65 judging panels at the fair evaluated over a three year period achieved "anything close to similar results" in their appraisal of wines submitted, and one group even awarded a gold medal to a wine it had previously thrown out of the competition - twice.
Study Stats
The brain behind the controversial study is past wine judge Dr. Robert Hodgson, a retired oceanography professor from Humboldt State University and owner of Fieldbrook Winery . Apparently, Hodgson undertook to evaluate the veracity of judges' decisions after he himself felt ill-equipped to pass judgment on the 100+ wines judges often evaluate in a single day. As he put it to Wines & Vines, "I think the format of having a judge taste 30 wines four times a day exceeds the limits of their abilities." While some critics of the report are arguing that the real problem lies in the fact that wine tasting is a subjective process - and therefore subject to judging variation, I would assert that this is hardly the root of the matter.
Rather, what Hodgson is highlighting is that more than a few judges at competitions may not be qualified to pass judgment on wines - something he's proven with his results showing marked inconsistencies - and I think he's absolutely right. At a time when so much is at stake - wine sales often escalate after awards have been given - we should be taking a closer look at the standards we set for judges, and their abilities to evaluate wines submitted.
And finally, a bone I've got to pick with Hodgson: some judges absolutely are qualified to evaluate many wines in a single day; some of the better-trained sommeliers I know come quickly to mind. Perhaps it's time competitions step up their judging recruitment process - then evaluate the results once again. I hear Hodgson's on the advisory board for the Cali State Fair competition - maybe he can start on his home turf.
The brain behind the controversial study is past wine judge Dr. Robert Hodgson, a retired oceanography professor from Humboldt State University and owner of Fieldbrook Winery . Apparently, Hodgson undertook to evaluate the veracity of judges' decisions after he himself felt ill-equipped to pass judgment on the 100+ wines judges often evaluate in a single day. As he put it to Wines & Vines, "I think the format of having a judge taste 30 wines four times a day exceeds the limits of their abilities." While some critics of the report are arguing that the real problem lies in the fact that wine tasting is a subjective process - and therefore subject to judging variation, I would assert that this is hardly the root of the matter.
Rather, what Hodgson is highlighting is that more than a few judges at competitions may not be qualified to pass judgment on wines - something he's proven with his results showing marked inconsistencies - and I think he's absolutely right. At a time when so much is at stake - wine sales often escalate after awards have been given - we should be taking a closer look at the standards we set for judges, and their abilities to evaluate wines submitted.
And finally, a bone I've got to pick with Hodgson: some judges absolutely are qualified to evaluate many wines in a single day; some of the better-trained sommeliers I know come quickly to mind. Perhaps it's time competitions step up their judging recruitment process - then evaluate the results once again. I hear Hodgson's on the advisory board for the Cali State Fair competition - maybe he can start on his home turf.
Leave a comment