GUILD of JUDGES

The SAW has a Guild of Judges who are responsible for the training and examination of Stewards and Judges.

Winemakers who want to progress from being a Steward require to undergo training and sit 3 levels of examinations to test their competancy for Judging wines or beers.

The guild provides Judges for the SAW National Wine & Beer Shows as well as for judging competitions that member circles organise.

Judges are also available to speak on a variety of wine and beer related topics for most kinds organisations. Speakers will generally provide some samples tastings to illustrate their particular topic. Because Judges are resident in areas in Scotland from Forfar in the north, to Ayr in the south, and they don't generally mind travelling a reasonable distance, most areas of the country can be covered. Requests for speakers can be made using the e-mail contact.

1. Examinations
2. Part B Winners 2000

Examinations

The first step to becoming a Judge is to have a palate which is able to distinguish between acid, tannin, and sweetness. It is also necessary to be able to identify various items by smell.

The first rung on the ladder for any aspiring Judge is to sit the Judges’ Part ‘A’ test.

This consists of an olfactory test, where the candidate is given containers, which emit the scents of everyday items, such as, paraffin, shoe polish, cloves, orange, etc. The next part of the test is to identify acid, tannin and sugar in six wines, having a named control wine among them.

The test is repeated, with the candidate having to identify the control wine.

Having completed this part of the test the prospective Judge will become a Registered Steward, where he/she is required to Steward with a Judge at four major shows.

During this time, the Steward will attend a Judges’ training session, which is in five parts, held over three days.

Having completed this successfully, the Steward will be invited to sit the Part ‘B’ & ‘C’ examination.

Part ‘B’ examination is a practical test, where the candidate is given 16 Table Dry Red wines to judge. These wines have already been judged by 3 senior Judges, who have picked out the first six wines. The candidate has to place his/her first choice in the judges’ first three, and their second and third choice in the Judges’ first six.

Having completed that the candidate will then repeat the test, this time with 16 Table white Sweet wines.

Part ‘C’ examination is held on the same day as part ‘B’ and is a written paper, designed to test the candidate’s theoretical knowledge of winemaking.

The successful candidate becomes a Trainee Judge, and for the first year will work with a Senior Judge at the Show Table.

The next step is Junior Judge, and finally Senior Judge.

Why not step on the first rung, as a winemaker, you will find it very rewarding.

Apart from the Examinations the Guild also host an annual seminar and the next event is planned for May 2006.

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Guild of Judges Part B Examination

The candidates, who were invited to attend were, first, each given 16 glasses of dry red wine to assess and give there 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. Their 1st choice was to be in the Judges' first three and there 2nd and 3rd was to be in the Judges first six.

The exercise was repeated for the Dry White wine class. There was only one pass this time:

• Alec Graham, Monifieth Wine Circle

The next Part B will be held at the National Autumn Show in November 2005.

Anne Rawle, Chairman Guild of Judges
Brian Wood, Secretary

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