The purpose of our wine evaluation meetings are to provide you with professional and peer review of your unfinished, usually not yet bottled wines.  This evening Brad Alderson, our guest evaluator, will be evaluating your red 2024 and 2025 Bordeaux wines, single varietals or blends.  

Brad is a friend of SHW both as a judge in our Jubilee wine Competition and meeting presenter. Brad has a Viticulture and Enology degree from UC Davis, was the winemaker and General Manager at Woodbridge Winery for over 35 years, wrote the application to recognize Lodi as a formal wine growing appellation in 1983, and is one of the very few Supreme Knights of the Brotherhood of the Vines.

Bordeaux varietals include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot, Carménère, and recently added Touriga Nacional (up to 10%).  Whether you have questions regarding current acid or sugar levels, suspect a fault, or feel your wine is out of balance, this night is for you.  Let Donna know if you have a 2024 Bordeaux wine you would like evaluated and we will try to fit it in.

If you are bringing wine to be evaluated:

  • Bring to the meeting two 750 ml bottles of your wine labelled with the varietal, vintage, and your name
  • Email  VP Donna Bettencourt at donnab1045@gmail.com by Friday March 12 to register your wine(s) for evaluation
  • Complete the electronic evaluation form and email it to Donna Bettencourt at donnab1045@gmail.com by Monday March 16.
  • Make sure you have joined SHW as a dues paying member for 2026.
  • Be prepared with your winemaking notes.

If you are attending but not submitting wine for evaluation:

  • Bring an inquiring mind, take notes, and bring two wine glasses.

No Tasting Table at this meeting.

Wine analysis services – Byron can receive your wine samples at the meeting.   See here for the details.

Wine competition entries for the California State Fair and SHW’s Jubilee will be accepted at this meeting. Entries can only be accepted if each entry has been entered online with bottle label affixed. Find Donna Bettencourt or Mike Menard, respectively, at the meeting. (Online entries for the Jubilee coming soon.)

Meeting starts upstairs at 7 pm at the Turn Verein located at 3349 J Street in Sacramento. 

Contact Vice President Donna Bettencourt at donnab1045@gmail.com with meeting questions.