Somms Generous with Awards, Selective with Top Honors at 2024 Sommelier Challenge(October 3, 2024) We've all heard about the idea of "score inflation" - the idea that scores on wines and spirits have continued to rise over time. While some view this as a negative, it makes sense to me that as time passes, higher scores would be the natural outcome of continued pursuit of excellence by producers. The 2024 Sommelier Challenge judges seemed to bear this out, choosing over seventy-five percent of entries as worthy of awards. That said, they were seriously honed in on finding the cream of the crop when selecting our top scoring wines and spirits.   At the upper end of the scale, the 2019 Tom Eddy Petite Sirah from Sonoma County's Russian River AVA Napa Valley took the Domestic Wine of the Year prize with a near perfect score of 99 points, and the 2020 Musa Nocturia Tempranillo/Garnacha from Spain grabbed a big accolade as the competition's Imported Wine of the Year. As always, somms love to recommend great wines that won’t break the bank, with four of our five Best of Show winners coming in at under twenty five dollars on the wine side, including the masterful 2023 Balverne Rosé of Pinot Noir made by Alex Holman.
In the spirits judging, our Spirit of the Year, the Pennsylvania Dutch American Bourbon Cream Liqueur, arrives just in time for the cold weather holiday season. Other Platinum Award winners came from a significant pool of agave-based spirits, with the Reserva Don Armando Tequila Añejo Cristalino and the Cierto Tequila Private Collection Blanco scoring big points. I’m sure you’ll find some delicious offerings as you peruse our complete results here, including all of our wine and spirits Director’s Awards, Platinum, Gold and Silver Award winners, and in-depth reviews of our Platinum Award winners. You can also see my reviews of Platinum Award winners at WineReviewOnline and SpiritsReviewOnline. And when you're out shopping be sure to check the shelf talkers for our awards - they are a sure sign that you're about to have a fine experience. Thanks to all of our entrants. Here’s to celebrating more award winners in 2025 at the 18th Sommelier Challenge International Wine and Spirits Competition. Cheers! Rich Cook
Competition Director |
