WineMaker Competition Judges
2026 WineMaker Competition Judges
Thanks to all of our judges for their time, hard work, and sharing their insight.
Alan Atkinson
Alan has judged at numerous amateur winemaking competitions on the West Coast, the Napa County Fair, Marin County Fair, Napa Town and Country Fair, the AWS competition in WA, and the California State Fair. An American Wine Society certified wine judge, Alan graduated with his Diploma from the Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET) program in London, with a Distinction in the Tastings component. He continued his studies with the Institute of Masters of Wine, commencing in April. Included in his judging experience is his BJCP-certified beer judging with over 100 competitions. Currently, Alan is a professional brewer in Napa, CA.
Dave Barber
Dave is a Certified Wine Judge and wine educator affiliated with the American Wine Society. He has judged in numerous national and international wine competitions over several decades and has served as a longtime instructor and administrator for the Wine Judge Certification Program. Barber has also chaired major competitions, including the Atlantic Seaboard Wine Competition for many years, and is recognized for his extensive experience in wine evaluation, sensory analysis, and wine education.
Melissa Bartlett
Melissa’s passion for wine led her to seek to a career at Pearmund Cellars in Virginia. She worked as one of the winery managers and as the winery sommelier. She is a long-term member of the American Wine Society and served for three years as Chapter Chair for the John Marshall chapter in Virginia. Melissa is a Certified Judge through the American Wine Society Wine Judge Certification Program and a Certified Sommelier through the International Wine Guild. Melissa is a freelance wine consultant and educator. Melissa is a wine appreciation educator, consultant, winery manager and devotee. Her passion for wine took her from enthusiast to winery employee, Certified Sommelier and Certified Wine Judge to talented instructor. Her time spent managing and working in wineries made it possible for her to see the industry from vineyard to crush pad, winemaking to bottling, and from sales to public relations. She is a long-term and active member of the American Wine Society serving as a Chapter Chair, conference presenter, AWS Amateur Wine Competition Chair and Continuing Education Instructor. The judging experiences shared with colleagues and the desire to continually learn keep her striving for excellence. Having acquired a taste for all things wine, she plans to continue her certifications and wine education for as long as there are grapes to ferment. Melissa’s judging experience spans 9 years and includes but isn’t limited to: AWS Commercial and Amateur Wine Competition, WineMaker’s Magazine, Indy International (judge-in-training), Atlantic Seaboard, Lone Star International, Bottle Shock, Wines of the South, The Northeast Gold Wine, Cider and Perry, and many other local and regional competitions.
Jeanna Booth
Jeanna is an AWS Certified Wine Judge, with judging experience throughout the US including Washington and California; WSET Level 3
Leigh Booth
Leigh is a WSET 3 graduate and a 3rd year student in the AWS wine Judging program.
Jane Duralia
Jane has been part of the American Wine Society (AWS) since 1992, gradually learning about the many grape varietals. She became an AWS Certified Wine Judge since 2006 and has judged various competitions around the country, with a few examples: AWS Commercial and Amateur, Tasters’ Guild International, INDY International, Atlantic Seaboard Wine Association, New York State Fair, NC State Fair, Wines of the South, and Mid-Atlantic Region Competition to name a few. Jane is now a wine consultant for the Lake Hickory Country Club, Hickory NC.
Rege Duralia
Rege joined the American Wine Society (AWS) in 1993 and his judging career began in 2002 on Hilton Head Island for the Annual Wine Festival Judging. Joining the Tasters Guild, also in 2002, provided judging events that brought exposure to many wines from different growing and wine making regions, Rege has visited many wine growing regions of the world – California, Oregon, Washington, North Carolina, Virginia, New York Finger Lakes, Ohio, Michigan, Germany, Austria, Italy, France, Hungary, Croatia, Canada, South Africa, Spain, Portugal, New Zealand and Australia. Currently a wine consultant for the Lake Hickory Country Club, Hickory, NC, Rege became a Certified Wine Judge in 2007.
Dan Fusco
Dan completed the AWS wine judge certification program, and is also WSET 3 certified. He is a chapter chairperson for the American wine Society and has Italian Wine Scholar certification.
Laurent Gills
Laurent has participated in several wine Judging events in the last four years such as the TVSO in Tennessee, The Alabama Amateur wine event, the Kentucky State Fair Amateurs’ wine event and the Indy International Wine at Perdue University. He also one of the the only two Third-Year Students to be invited at the Finger Lakes to assist with judging.
Carole Hackett
With a background in healthcare, Carole’s undergraduate degree in Biology and Chemistry has been valuable in her wine studies. Her interest in wine has led her to seek further education. Carole is a certified wine judge with the American Wine Society. She stays active working with students from the Wine Judge Certification Program. Carole has completed Level 3 of WSET program with Merit. She is a member of the Society of Wine Educators. Carole serves as the Regional Vice President for Eastern Kentucky for the American Wine Society as well as Chapter Chair of the local chapter in Frankfort KY. Her nine years of judging experience have taken her through much of the USA. She enjoys judging county fairs, regional festival events, state fair amateur competitions and international competitions.
Sheryn Kervyn
Sharyn is a Certified Wine Judge and has been judging annually for Amateur and Commercial Competitions across the country since 2010, including the Sommelier’s Choice Awards, USA Wine Ratings, and the Finger Lakes International Wine Competition.
Paula Laurita
Paula’s judging experience includes judging in the Tennessee Amateur Wine Competition and the Georgia Trustees Wine and Spirits Competition. She has worked in the back room at the American Wine Society Commercial and Amateur Wine Competition and is a WSET Level 2 (with merit), year 3 in the American Wine Society Wine Judge Certification Program. Paula has been part of the AWS for a decade and has frequently co-hosted tastings.
Gary Lum
Since 2018, Gary Lum has been the Chair and Founder, AOC East Bay Chapter, American Wine Society and is currently enrolled in the Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET) Level 4 Diploma Program, WSET’s highest level of certification. In addition to achieving the Certified Sherry Wine Specialist Intermediate Course, Gary has judged at different competitions since 2019. From 1999-2001, Gary Lum completed courses in Small Vineyard Management, Wine Analysis and Winemaking at UC-Davis and is currently the Regional VP of Northern California, with his role to oversee and to provide support for the AWS Chapters in the region. In 2018, he founded the local Chapter of the American Wine Society and in addition to participating in several judging opportunities, Gary conducts monthly wine tasting events with a strong emphasis on wine education and evaluation.
Susan Lynham
With over 12 years of experience in the wine industry, Susan is a highly accomplished wine educator dedicated to advancing wine knowledge and professional training across all sectors of the industry. Holding the prestigious WSET Diploma, Susan is also a WSET Certified Educator in Wine, a Certified Wine Educator through the Society of Wine Educators and achieved honors recognition as a French Wine Scholar from the Wine Scholar Guild. Susan serves as an instructor at Philly Wine LLC as a WSET Certified Educator in Wine, qualified to teach WSET Levels 1–3. Philly Wine LLC is known for delivering structured, globally recognized WSET education programs in the Philadelphia area. Susan has also recently begun teaching WSET Level 1 courses at Drexel University in Philadelphia. Specializing in developing customized wine education and training programs, Susan works closely with wineries, restaurants, and industry organizations to elevate staff expertise and enhance guest experience. Notable clients include Garces Group, Union League, Fagar’s Island, Harvest Tide, and Stokelan Estate Winery in New Jersey.
Maureen Macdonald
Maureen is a University of Vermont graduate with 20 years professional experience in the beverage and wine industry. She has experience in both viticulture and oenology as a Field Manager and Head Winemaker for commercial vineyards. After years of working as a consultant to many vineyards, she now is the Head Winemaker for Hawk Ridge Winery in Watertown, Connecticut, where she annually makes 30 different wines. She has authored many feature stories in WineMaker magazine and in 2024 began writing the “Varietal Focus” column in every issue. When she isn’t writing or in the lab or winery, she is often judging commercial and amateur competitions or making hard cider and beer at home.
Donna Moore
Donna Moore lives in Connecticut, previously from California and is the co-owner of Sunset Hill Vineyard in Lyme, Ct. She is also a partner in Bodega Wine Bar in California. Donna’s love of wine started in 1991 while living in Australia.
Jami Obermayer
Jami is a Sommelier and Wine Educator based in Northern Virginia, bringing a strong foundation in viticulture, enology, and sensory evaluation to her work as a wine judge. She has participated in respected competitions including the Atlantic Seaboard Wine Competition and the American Wine Society Competition. Jami is known for her thoughtful, structured approach to tasting, with an emphasis on balance, typicity, and quality, and she is dedicated to supporting excellence and education within the wine community.
Terry O’Connor
Terry O’Connor works for Connecticut Distributors as a Fine Wine and Spirits Specialist. He is an AWS Certified Wine Judge and has his WSET Level 2 in wine and spirits.
Kevin Ostrowski
Kevin Ostrowski is a Certified Wine Judge with the American Wine Society (AWS), a Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW) and WSET level 3 (with merit) certified. He is a wine judge instructor as part of the AWS Wine judge program. Additionally, Kevin has completed the Champagne Master Level with the Wine Scholar Guild and also the Introductory Sommelier level with the Court of Master Sommeliers. He has judged several local and regional wine competitions. Kevin resides in Beaver, PA.
Walt Rachele
Walt has been a member of AWS for 40 years, Past Chapter Chairman (Carroll County), Wine Judge Certification Program Graduate and Instructor for 20 years. He has traveled in search of the Mother Vine to Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia and Hungary finding only wonderful local wines, unusual varietals and new friends. Completing a 3 year term as Treasurer with AWS and a prior term (2000-2005) as Treasurer of AWSEF is again combining his love of learning about wine with his profession of Accounting & Finance to join the AWSEF BOD as Treasurer. His heartfelt goal is to help provide funding for the next generations of students that will be the future of the wine industry.
Brad Ring
Brad is the publisher and president of Battenkill Communications, home of WineMaker magazine, the leading publication for home winemaking enthusiasts. In 2002, Ring founded the WineMaker International Amateur Wine Competition, which has since grown into the world’s largest wine competition for home winemakers.
Carissa Shaffer
Carissa Shaffer, AWS member, has won numerous awards for her home winemaking and graduated year two of the AWS Wine Judging Program in 2023. She has judged other wine events as well as earned her Sensory Evaluation Workshop Certification from VESTA.
Nancy Stabins
Nancy is registered nurse and former holistic health practitioner who found her second calling in wine. She holds a Certified Specialist of Wine designation from the Society of Wine Educators, WSET Level 2, and is a Certified Texas Wine Ambassador. Nancy has spent over a decade working behind the scenes at major wine competitions, serving as Director of Judge Logistics for the Texas International Wine Competition, Advisory Board Member and Communications Director for the Great American International Wine Competition, and as a coordinator and volunteer at events including the New York State Fair, Massachusetts State Fair, and Garden State Wine Challenge. In 2025, she judged at five competitions, including the Texas International Wine Competition, Hudson Valley Wine and Food Festival, and San Antonio Rodeo Wine Competition. A Past Regional Vice President of the American Wine Society — voted Outstanding VP in 2018 — Nancy has also represented the AWS internationally in Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Germany, and Austria.
Paul Tonacci
Paul is a Certified Sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers, a Certified Specialist of Wine through the Society of Wine Educators, and a Certified Wine Judge through the American Wine Society. Based in New Jersey, he has operated The Iron Room, a wine bar in Atlantic City, and has written a wine column for The Press of Atlantic City, with a particular passion for championing the wines of his home state.