Prestigious event inspires new Spirits competition; Jan. 24 deadline for all entries
Celebrating its 30th year, The Dallas Morning News and TEXSOM Wine Competition will take place February 17-18, 2014, at the Irving Convention Center.
The event remains one of the most respected wine competitions in the country and the largest in the southwest, judging 59,456 U. S. and international wines since its inception in 1985.
“The Dallas Morning News and TEXSOM Wine Competition is now one of the top events in the industry,” said Rebecca Murphy, the competition’s founder and chairman. “The status and success of this event has far exceeded our expectations and it is very gratifying to see such a high level of continued interest.”
The Dallas Morning News and TEXSOM Wine Competition brings together reputable industry experts as judges, whose medal picks often translate to sales, particularly in the lucrative Texas market. The association with TEXSOM also provides exposure for medal winning wines to sommeliers and wine buyers nationwide at the annual TEXSOM conference.
The success of the wine event led Murphy to launch the inaugural Straight Up Texas International Spirits Competition, the first of its kind for Texas. Held as a separate event February 19, 2014, following the wine competition, the event will be structured in a similar fashion with industry experts judging entries categorized by spirits type, and awarding medals to worthy entries.
“We are responding to the amazing growth in the interest of cocktails and spirits of all varieties and origins, as well as the growth of craft producers of spirits in the United States,” said Murphy. “Our goal is to serve as a consumer guide to the best spirits in the world available here in the U.S.
“The list of medal winners from our wine competition provides consumers with valuable expert guidance and I want to offer the same service for those interested finding quality spirits.”
Consumers have access to the list of gold medal winners from the wine competition in The Dallas Morning News and the entire list of winning wines in a searchable database through www.dallasnews.com. The list is also available at www.winesearcher.com and www.dallaswinecomp.com. Results will also be made available from the spirits competition.
Wineries can enter The Dallas Morning News and TEXSOM Wine Competition online at www.dallaswinecomp.com for a fee of $ 75 per entry, and will be required to submit four bottles of each wine entered.
Distillers with annual case sales over 52,500 can enter the Straight Up Texas International Spirits Competition online at www.straightuptexas.com for a fee of $300 per entry, and will be required submit two bottles of each entry. Small distillers with annual case sales of 52,500 or less, the American Distillers Institute’s definition of a craft or artisanal distiller, can enter for $150. Entry deadline is January 24, 2014 for both events.
For more information on the two events, go online to www.dallaswinecomp.com and www.straightuptexas.com.
