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The Los Angeles County Fair Association has announced that for the first time in its 68-year history of judging wines, the Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition (formerly the L.A. County Fair Wines of the World competition) will include judging of 100-percent Blue Agave Tequila.
Tequila as a spirit category is experiencing tremendous growth. Tequila chairman Rebecca Chapa says, “Once the dreaded spirit of raucous parties, Tequila has since grown up. Consumers are beginning to appreciate the aging distinctions and now understand that Tequila has a place in cocktails including but not limited to margaritas as well as for sipping.”
With this in mind, the L.A. County Fair decided the time was ripe to change the name of the competition and to introduce spirits, such as Tequila into the competition.
Noted wine writer and Wine and Spirits Judge Rebecca Chapa has been chosen to lead the competition. “Although wine was my first passion, in the past few years my eyes have been opened to the incredible diversity of Tequilas. I have had the opportunity to visit the agave fields, the distilleries and experience first hand that Tequila is a crafted product.”
Judges have been selected from diverse parts of the trade and include bar chefs, restaurateurs and retailers.
The inaugural Tequila judging will take place May 13 and 14 at the Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition (May 16-18) at Fairplex in Pomona, Calif. Winning Tequilas, along with award winning wines, will be featured at the Wine and Cars Under the Stars event on June 16 as well as at the L.A. County Fair Sept. 7-30 (closed Mondays and Tuesdays).
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