DEPARTMENT No. 14
Lyle Albert, Coordinator
Entries accepted at Listermann Brewery Supply Co., 11621 Dana Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio 45207, Saturday, July 28, Sunday, July 29 and Monday, July 30, between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Entries will be accepted at the Hamilton County Fairgrounds on Tuesday, July 31, 2007 between 3:00 and 7:00p.m. Entries may be removed Monday, August 6, 2007 between 3:00 and 8:00 p.m.
PREMIUMS FOR ALL WINES
1st - $7.00
2nd - $5.00
3rd - $3.00
WINE COMPETITION AND JUDGING INFORMATION
1. Each entrant must purchase a Hamilton County Fair Exhibitor Ticket. There is no additional cost to enter amateur wine. It is the exhibitor’s responsibility to deliver or ship the wines in good condition to one of the above locations before the entry deadline. Judging will start August 2 at 7:30 p.m.
2. Amateur homemade wine is defined as wine made by the fermentation process by a nonprofessional wine maker in a nonprofessional facility (usually their home) in batches smaller than 50 gallons. The resulting product will have an alcohol content between 7% and 20% by volume.
3. Depending on the category, wines can be fermented from fresh, frozen, canned, or concentrated ingredients, or blends of these, but may NOT have flavorings, colorings, or perfumes added that were not in the original ingredients. Normal items associated with the wine making process like metabisulfite, clearing agents, oak chips, etc. are acceptable. Commercial wines may NOT be blended in.
4. An entrant may enter one and only one bottle in each category.
5. Wines must be entered in brown, green or clear wine bottles (Bordeaux, Burgundy, or Rhine style) of .70 liters to 4/5 quart in size. Wines will be judged at room temperature and must be delivered at room temperature.
6. Each bottle must be closed with a cork, screw top, or plastic stopper and filled to within two inches of the stopper. Capsules must not be used on the bottles as closures.
7. The only label on the bottle at judging will be the entry tag issued by the fair at check in, so any temporary label used by the entrant must be removable. The type of wine (ingredients) must be legibly printed on the back of the entry tag. Wines will be assumed to be dry unless indicated on the back of the entry tag the level of sweetness (dry, semi-dry, semi-sweet, sweet). The entry tag is to be tied around the neck of the bottle with string.
8. Dry wines are defined as those that have little or no residual sugar (noticeable sweetness). Wines that have noticeable sweetness must be entered in sweet categories.
9. Wines will be judged on their relative merits and on how they represent their ingredients. A Concord wine is not expected to taste like a Cabernet wine.
10. There will be three ribbons awarded in each class. To qualify for an award a wine must be drinkable. Wines that are contaminated, spoiled or have serious defects will not be eligible for an award. Honorable Mentions can be awarded by the judges for outstanding wines that didn't qualify for one of the awards. A best of show award will be given to the wine felt to be the best overall wine.
11. Judges’ decisions are final in making awards. At the discretion of the judges, categories may be combined if there are not at least three entries in a category.
12. Scoring will be on a 20 point scale. The score received for that bottle, the winning score for that class, and any comments by the judge(s) will be recorded for the entrant on the back of the entry tag
Entry Categories
1) Dry red grape: made from fresh grapes or juice. Dry wine made from Vinifera hybrid or Lambrusca grapes are entered into this category. They may be a single ingredient or a blend.
2) Dry red grape concentrate or kit wine: made from a kit or concentrate of grapes are entered into this category, these may not be blended with wines made from fresh grapes or juice.
3) Dry white grape: made from fresh grapes or juice dry wine made from Vinifera, hybrid or Lambrusca grapes are entered into this category. They may be a single ingredient or a blend.
4) Dry white grape concentrate or kit wine: made from a kit or concentrate of grapes are entered into this category. These may not be blended with wines made from fresh grapes
5) Rose wine: may be made from any ingredient. The wine must have rose, pink or blush color the wine entered into this category may be of any degree of sweetness.
6) Non-grape wine: may be made from any non-grape ingredient. The wine may be of any sweetness fruit, flower vegetable and etc wines are entered into this category
7) Sweet red grape wine: wines made from any fresh or preserved (kits) grapes are entered into this category, the wine must have definite residual sugar.
8) Sweet white grape wine: wines made from any fresh or preserved cots) grapes are entered into this category. The wine must have definite residual sugar.
Wine