Sommeliers Go Rhone(ish) at 2026 Sommelier Challenge(October 2026) Today's sommeliers do a lot more than just recommend and open wines tableside at your favorite restaurant. Economics have them branching out into other areas of the wine and spirits industy like managing restaurant beverage programs, working for wineries, wholesalers and retailers, managing private cellars, or even in tourism jobs. Though all of that may be a fairly recent development, one thing remains the constant - the skilled palate required to "wear the pin" of certification. The 2026 Sommelier Challenge judges come from lots of places in the industry, and that mix of experience had a wide range of wines and spirits scoring big at this year's blind judging. The wines that took Wine of the Year honors were made from the same grape - Syrah - but each one came from a place outside its ancestral home in France's Northern Rhône region. The 2024 Eberle Syrah (98 points) from Paso Robles, California, a blend of fruit from two vineyards, seemingly contains all the elements that make Syrah so attractive in a single wine to take the Domestic Wine of the Year prize. Winemaker Chris Eberle joined the winery in 2015, and the wines continue to improve under his stewardship. The Import Wine of the Year award went to the 2023 Dandelion Vineyards Red Queen of the Eden Valley Shiraz from Australia with a score of 96 points, acheiving the rare feat of being delicious now and built to age long term. In the spirits judging, North Carolina's Weldon Mills Distillery was named Distillery of the Year with a stellar lineup that includes the Spirit of the Year, the Norman's 53 Single Barrel Straight Bourbon Whiskey which received a 98-point score from the somms. Of course these weren't the only highly regarded wines and spirits that received accolades. Be sure peruse our complete results here, including all of our wine and spirits Platinum, Gold and Silver Award winners, and in-depth reviews of our Platinum Award winners. Thanks to all of our entrants. Here’s to celebrating more award winners in 2027 at the 20th Sommelier Challenge International Wine and Spirits Competition. Cheers! Rich Cook
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