Announcing the Judges: 2019 Palmetto Wine Competition

It is with extreme pride, we present the panel of judges for the 2019 Palmetto Wine Competition. This year’s group is exceptionally strong in industry qualifications each with a developed appreciation of regional wine knowledge.

Related Post – Press Release: 2019 Palmetto Wine Competition

In 2019 we are seating eight judges. Our Two Head Judges both bring years of experience and served as judges for the 2018 competition.

David Murphy – Head Judge

Member of the French Broad Vignerons: This organization promotes viticulture in the region of Western North Carolina. Helping to develop the viticulture industry through promotion of grape growing, wine/cider/mead making and training in the art of wine evaluation.

David has judged 14 previous competitions, including the North Carolina State Fair, Western North Carolina Wine Competition, Asheville Food & Wine Competition, Dixie Classic Competition, Wines of the South, and last year’s Palmetto Wine Competition.

David resided in California for 26 years, where he assisted at the Donatoni Winery in Paso Robles,CA.  Since moving to North Carolina area he has assisted at the Mountain Brook Winery, in Tryon NC. At the wineries he assisted in various stages of wine making process and vineyard care. He was on the Board of the Chestnut Mountain Winery, Braselton, GA  for four years, which merged with a larger winery in the mid 1990’s. He also served as a Head Judge for the 2018 Palmetto Wine Competition.

AnneMarie Humm – Head Judge

Annemarie Humm is the founder and owner of Vines to Wine Academy & Tours, LLC.

Annemarie, with multiple years of experience working in her family’s vineyards and cellars in the Rheinpfalz region of Germany, is a former wine shop owner with a background in business and decades of professional experience as an International Wine Educator and Consultant in Germany and in the United States. Extensive Wine-Study-Programs have taken her to South Africa, Argentina, France, Italy, Germany, Hungary, Spain, and Austria

Her goal, with Vines to Wines Academy & Tours, is to help the individual consumer –as well as wine-enthusiasts of all levels to broaden their experience, enjoyment and appreciation of wine.

Vines to Wine Academy’s courses and classes range from “Wine and Your Health” to various themed wine tasting activities. Annemarie organizes and leads local and International “Wine and Culinary Journeys” for small groups to European Wine Regions. She has been a guest lecturer at the Culinary Institute of the Carolinas in Greenville, a previous judge at the Palmetto Wine Competition, and offers adult education classes at various venues in North and South Carolina. 

All attendees of Vines to Wine Academy Wine School earn certificates of completion, or a Wine Passport– after satisfying Vines to Wine Academy’s qualifying curriculum.  

Annemarie Humm graduated from the “Deutsches Wein-Institute” in Mainz, Germany, and has traveled to many wine producing regions of the world. She is a “Certified Wine Specialist” and a long term member of the “Society of Wine Educators.” She has studied with the “Wine Scholar Guild” and the “WSET”.  

Liz Pickett

Liz has served as a viticulture and enology consultant for 12 years in North Carolina after pursuing a degree in both fields at Surry Community College in Dobson, NC. Her clients have ranged across North Carolina with focus upon improving winemaking knowledge, canopy management, and good cellar practices to create better quality wines for the local industry. Liz’s wines have won multiple awards in regional and national competitions.

Jeff House

Jeff is the proprietor of Bond Street Wines. He enthusiastically shares an appreciation for lesser known small batch produced national and international wines. Jeff makes it his business to know the stories behind the wines, and this philosophy has proved successful for 14 years in his wine shops located in Charlotte and Spartanburg. Jeff brings proven international and regional knowledge to evaluate fine wines.

Bob and Jennifer Aycock

Husband and wife blogging team of the Wine Carolinas.Com website. Bob and Jennifer bring the experience of serving as judges for our 2018 Palmetto Wine Competition.

Bob is a graduate of UNC Wilmington and works professionally as a social media project manager. Jennifer received her BA from UNC Wilmington and her Masters from UNC Charlotte and works professionally as an educator.

Bob and Jennifer are very active in supporting the local North and South Carolina wine industry and bring an immense knowledge and appreciation of regional wines. They are also professional members of the American Wine Society.

Jessica Adams & Jessica Byrd

Jessica and Jessica form the Wine Mouths. After embarking on a mission to visit all of the wineries in NC, the Wine Mouths, Jessica Adams and Jessica Byrd, found their true calling: sharing wine’s story. The Wine Mouths are bloggers and social media influencers focused on providing wine education through events plus an online video series. Jessica Byrd has worked in the legal technology industry for over 13 years and is a recent graduate from the Viticulture and Enology program at Surry Community College. Jessica Adams is a Speech Language Pathologist with a background in Chemistry and client relations. They both enjoy drinking red wine, which is what inspired the name “Wine Mouths.” Jessica and Jessica likewise bring an immense knowledge and appreciation of regional wines.

Nancy Travers – Reserve Judge

Nancy developed a love for wine in France, but in Northern Virginia developed her appreciation for regional wine. After moving South, she and husband Tom continue to support many locally owned Carolina vineyards and wineries. Nancy was active during the resurgence of Northern Virginia’s wine industry, and is in the forefront of promoting the growth of the local Carolina’s wine industry.

Our Wine Competition Stewards

Tom Travers explored the Bernkasteler Doctor vineyard on the banks of the Mosel on his 21st birthday during a college summer study trip. Landing with wife Nancy in the DC area, they further explored the fledgling wine industry of Maryland and Northern Virginia. Upon settling in South Carolina, the two have committed to multiple regional wine clubs and continue to support the local Carolina’s wine industry.

Cindy Hedgepath has served as a tasting room and marketing manager for several Western North Carolina wineries. She is a social media influencer and promoter for the local wine industry.

Host & Organizers

Dennis and Jenni Turner are bloggers and marketing influencers behind Winery Escapades.Com, OurWineTonight.Com, and the Palmetto Wine Competition. What started as a weekend hobby has quickly evolved into a full blown obsession.

The one and only goal of the Palmetto Wine Competition is to promote the twenty plus wine, mead, and cider producers of South Carolina.

Judging is by blind tasting and wines will be scored utilizing the American Wine Society twenty point scale. Our judges will implement the five S technique, see, swirl, smell, sip, and spit. Each wine is judged on it’s own merit, not against other wines in the competition. Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals will be awarded for fourteen categories. Six wines produced entirely from South Carolina grown fruit will be awarded as Palmetto Signature Wines. One will be awarded as Best Estate and our grand winner will be awarded as our Signature Best in Show!