ECRM's Global Wine, Beer & Spirits Grand Tasting Award Winners 9/9/2015
Once again, ECRM held its Grand Tasting Awards during its Global Wine, Beer & Spirits event in San Diego last month. The event capped off an evening of networking and sampling a variety of appetizers prepared by world-renown chef and restaurateur Wolfgang Puck to pair with his four new varietals of wine featured at the event.
There were three categories of awards:
- On-premise: judged by Steve Brooks, Director of Beverage Development and Purchasing, Tumbleweed Tex-Mex Grill and Margarita Bar, Louisville, Ky.; and Charles Riley, Area Director of Food & Beverage, Omni Hotels, Irving, Texas.
- Off-premise: judged by John Deichler, Category Manager - Alcoholic Beverages, Murphy USA, Inc., El Dorado, Ark.; and Carlo Riggio, Merchandiser - Beer, Wine & Spirits, Heinen’s Fine Foods, Warrensville Hts., Ohio
- Attendee’s choice: Voted on by attendees of the Grand Tasting, which was scheduled so that participants of all three events that week – Global Wine, Beer & Spirits, Frozen, Refrigerated and In-Store Bakery, and Natural, Organic & Specialty could participate.
Off Premise Award Winners:
- Smith-Anderson Wines
- Winesellers, Ltd.
On-Premise Award Winners
- Shaw-Ross International Importers
- Producteurs Réunis de France
- Anheuser-Busch/Goose Island (Best Beer/Cider)
- Fetzer Vineyards (Best Wine)
- Black Fly Beverage (Best Spirit/Cocktail)
Next year ECRM will have TWO Adult Beverage Events, one focused on the off-premise industry, one focused on on-premise:
Pez Gordo Blue Agave Tequila, from Shaw-Ross International Importers, winner of the On-Premise Award
From left: Jim Stover and Adam Sager from Winesellers, Off-Premise Award winner
Andrew Osterman, Senior Manager, Vintage & Bourbon County, Goose Island Beer Company (Anheuser-Busch), winner of Attendees' C
From left: Kevin Gorgen, Director of Chains, and Chris Tomandl, VP of Retail Chains, Fetzer Vineyards, winner of Attendees' C
From left: Dimitri Ducroux, VP of Sales, and Olivier Barrillon, On-Premise Award winner Producteurs Réunis de France
From left: Mike Pearce, VP of Sales & Marketing, and Chelsea McArthur, Regional Sales Manager, Black Fly Beverages, winner of
Shahin Shahabi, President & CEO, Smith-Anderson Wine Group, winner of the Off-Premise Award
Wolfgang Puck prepared appetizers to paid with his four new varietals featured at the event
Tasting Awards judge Steve Brooks with Carolyn McInerney, Product Marketing Manager, Mr. Checkout Distributors Inc.
Left: Grand Tasting judge Charlet Riley with Kevin Consolo, Category Development Director, Adult Beverage - ECRM
