CHICAGO (PRWEB) – World Wine Championships is the largest category within Tastings.com with over 3,000 wines tasted annually. This year’s calendar will include exciting new calls for wines in the growing Eastern European imports, the ever trendy Rosé wine and a new Wine Cocktail group for delicious Mimosas and Sangrias. These are just a few selected by the Tastings team in which US market buying trends show superior growth. “Rosé wine has surmounted its fad status and has become the new normal here in the states. Just like Rosé’s place in European culture, the category has become an American summer staple,” says Laura Kruming, Assistant Director at Tastings.com To view the complete 2018 wine calendar of categories, click here.
Because wine is the biggest category accounting for over 65% of the total reviews from Tastings.com overall, the judges have carved out a unique niche competition called World Value Wine Challenge. This competition promotes the best wines that retail at $20 and under, a price point which represents 90% of all wines sold in the US today. If a wine brand wishes to be a part of the competition, they must enter the program by August 1st here.
Fabulous new spirits and libations are discovered every year in the International Review of Spirits. In 2018, the program is also expanding its World Cocktail Championships with an opportunity for products to compete for the title of Best Gin, Best Tequila, Best Rum and Best Whiskey in the selected cocktail. In 2018, the Chicago Rum Festival is also back as the largest rum festival in the Midwest. And as co-producers, Tastings.com will review Rums featured at the fest and participate in Rum education and seminars. Spirits brands must enter here.
The beer world is one of the most unpredictable with trends coming and going as fast as the wind can carry them. Tastings.com judges love to embrace that unpredictability and will feature new categories for Foraged Beers, Barrel Aged Imperial Stouts & Hard Sodas. Brewers can enter of type of beer or beer style to the World Beer Championships here for a powerful review from our expert professionals.
Tastings.com is forever on the forefront of the wine, beer and spirit community, helping consumers and professionals make better beverage choices for over 38 years. It has a dedicated tasting lab in Chicago, IL that invites professional-only trade buyers and writers to taste and review according to a strict methodology. With new category calls and expanding event partnerships, the 2018 schedule is now open for entries and the excitement is building for a groundbreaking year in beverage trends. See the complete list and more on Trade.Tastings.com
Blendfest on the Coast kicks off with a winemaker dinner at Indigo Moon restaurant on Friday, February 9, showcasing Paso Robles blended wines with winemakers pouring. Saturday, February 10 features a two-session walk-around tasting within one of the most exclusive venues on the coast, the Hearst Ranch property overlooking the San Simeon bay. Each session offers limited tickets, creating an intimate tasting where everyone has an opportunity to spend time with the winery representatives. This event will have a charitable element, raising funds to benefit those impacted by the southern California fires. Blendfest continues Sunday, February 11 with a winemaker led blending seminar, letting audience members try their hand at the art, and science, of blending wines. Blendfest on the Coast is presented in conjunction with 
“With Redwood Empire, we set out to create a whiskey that was a true reflection of the spirit and landscape of our Northern California home – rugged, pioneering and adventurous but also aesthetically beautiful,” says GDC Distiller, Jeff Duckhorn. “Our ability to source and distill exceptional ryes and bourbons – and age them in a way that marries tradition with innovation – makes our proprietary blend a one-of-a-kind sipping and cocktailing experience unlike any other whiskey on the market today.”
Whiskies are judged on a 100-point basis with a concentration on appearance, aromatics, flavor, mouthfeel and finish. Blind judging was performed by a panel of eighteen Texas tastemakers who are all influential figures in the state’s beverage industry. The panel included: David “Bart” Bartlett – Whisky Guru at Beverage World; Jeff Boley – Beverage Manager Townsend; Jeramy Campbell – Assistant Manager Seven Grand Whisky Bar; Carly Dunavant – Bartender; Aisling Gammill – Lead Bartender Whisler’s; Dennis Gobis – Co-Owner The Roosevelt Room and Eleanor; Mike Groener – CEO Genius Liquids; Jennifer Keyser – Beverage Director Holy Roller; Justin Lavenue – Co-owner The Roosevelt Room and Eleanor; Lana Lindsley – Bulleit Whiskey Ambassador; David Maguire – Co-owner The Austin Shaker; John McEntire – Spirits Consultant Twin Liquors; Florian Minier – Bartender Small Victory; Adrian Montanez – Manager Twin Liquors; Purav Patel – Owner Village Liquors; Mike Raymond – Owner Reserve 101; Ken Seeber – Spirits Consultant Twin Liquors; Kevin Stein – Regional Manager Twin Liquors
A Wine and Food Tour with a difference
