2011 Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show judges announced

Judges for the 10^th annual 2011 Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show judges have been announced and I’m delighted to be included on the panel, this being my fifth consecutive year.

Show chairman since inception is leading wine critic Michael Fridjhon and there are three international judges and five other local judges.

The international judges are as follows: from France, Thierry Desseauve is one of the founding partners (with Michel Bettane) of the La Revue de Vins du France and co-author and publisher of France’s most authoritative wine guide “Le Grand Guide des Vins de France”; from the United Kingdom, Neal Martin is founder of wine-journal.com and now The Wine Advocate’s South African reviewer and Robert Parker’s Critic-at-large; and from Hong Kong, Debra Meiburg is the founder and director of the Hong Kong International Wine and Spirit Competition as well as a celebrated broadcast personality and wine educator.

The other South African judges are Miguel Chan (group sommelier, Southern Suns hotels), Ginette de Fleuriot (Cape Wine Master and national retail sales manager, Wine Worx/Vinimark), Gary Jordan (proprietor and winemaker, Jordan Wines), François Rautenbach (head sommelier wine programme, Singita Lodges) and Master of Wine Cathy van Zyl.  The participation of a team of associate judges, drawn from the pool of rising South African winemaking and judging talent, is included in a supportive capacity.

Judging takes place from 9 to 12 May and results will be announced on 1 June.