Competition Rules: (All State and Local Rules Apply):
1) The Best of the Bay Wine Competition is OPEN ONLY to commercially bonded wineries in Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Benito, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz and Solano counties. The Zin Challenge IS OPEN to ALL U.S. wineries producing red Zinfandel.
2) Wines entered must be available for sale at the time of the competition.
3) Where there are fewer than three entries in a class, the Chairman of the Commercial Wine judging will determine in which class the wine(s) will be judged.
4) Except for the Zin Challenge (which is open to all U.S. produced Zinfandels), all wines must be made from grapes grown in California, must have their label of commerce attached, and comply with county and state requirements. Only TTB (Tax and Trade Bureau) approved labels will be accepted. Wines delivered not meeting state, local, and department rules become the responsibility of winery to be picked up within 2 weeks receipt of entry. Generic wines cannot compete in varietal categories unless the legal labels of commerce state the varietal contents. Label information will determine entry classification.
5) LIMIT OF ENTRIES: No limit on the number of entries. While each wine may only be entered once, any participant may enter more than one wine in a given class. Examples are wineries that produce several wines of the same varietal type, but with different vineyard designations, vintage, and non-vintage bottling, standard and reserve bottling, etc.
a) Entries must be listed by class on official entry form and must be complete in every detail. By signing the entry form, entrant certifies that all statements on entry form are true and correct in all aspects. Violations will result in disqualification of all awards.
b) No refunds of entry fees will be made.
6) The Fair Association reserves the right to refuse any entry, or refuse to display any entry considered not to be in accordance with the rules of entry or in the best interests of the Fair.
7) JUDGING: The Best of the Bay & Zin Challenge Wine Competition offers the wine industry an opportunity to have its wines judged by panels of three (3) experienced and qualified judges chosen from the wine industry, wine journalism, or wine trade.
a) Judges taste wines independently, in flights, using a hedonic approach. The judges will have no knowledge of the identity of the wines, except for vintage and varietal type, where appropriate.
b) Flights and groupings are structured so no one panelist has to judge only one type of wine throughout the judging period.
c) Where there are fewer than three entries in a class, they may be judged in appropriate groups. The Chairman of Commercial Wine Judging will be fully responsible for determining in which class a wine is to be entered. The chairman will instruct the judges to pay particular attention to characteristics and component balance in a wine in order to give those traits as much consideration as those of dominant concentration and power. The wines are separated into classes according to type, degree of residual sugar, and price.
8) SCORING SYSTEM: The Best of the Bay & Zin Challenge Wine Competition scores each wine on its own merits, individually within its classification and flight. The components scored will be as follows: appearance and color, aroma and bouquet, total acid, flavor and body, and overall quality. A judge's scoring and rating are recorded, verified by all panel members and then tallied by computer.
9) AWARDS: Awards will be made on a merit basis. The judges are instructed to grant no award when, in their opinion, wines do not meet basic criteria. Within each class for Best of the Bay Wine Competition the judges may award these medals: Gold, Silver, and Bronze. Additionally, where appropriate, the following honors may be awarded: Best of Show Sparkling, Best of Show White, Best of Show Red, Best of Show Dessert Wine. Awards for the Zin Challenge are Gold, Silver, Bronze and Best of Class..
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