Shadybrook Estate , Malbec, Estate Vineyards, Napa Valley, Coombsville, 2016, Gold Medal

Unique amongst all other wine competitions, the TEXSOM International Wine Awards holds a Sommelier Retreat behind the scenes. This year a total of 69 participants were in attendance; 45 sommeliers from 16 states and two countries and 24 mentors (Master Sommeliers, Masters of Wine and Editors). While the judges and volunteers were hard at work facilitating the judging of over 2,800 wines, the panel of sommeliers tasted select medal-winning wines, received tutelage in writing about these wines from the esteemed editors also in attendance, practiced blind tasting techniques with Master Sommeliers and worked with the Wine Awards production team to understand the competition’s high standards and rigorous processes.

The TEXSOM International Wine Awards arranges award entries by category of beverage, place of origin, and type. Medals are awarded on a merit basis as bronze, silver, gold, or Judges’ Selection nomination, which are elevated to platinum.

Wines demonstrating quality and unique character that are exceptional even amongst their medal-winning peers may be nominated by judging panels for specific Judges’ Selection categories. All Judges’ Selection nominees are elevated to platinum medal. These platinum medal wines are blind tasted by special panels to award the winner for each category of Judges’ Selection medal. This year 52 Judges’ Selection medals were awarded.