It is always my great pleasure to announce the judges for the Sommelier Challenge International Wine Competition. First and foremost, the sommelier community is great to work with.

Will Costello, Wine Director, Mandarin Oriental, Las Vegas

This will be the fourth annual Sommelier Challenge, and each team of judges we've assembled has been a marvel. The sommeliers bring a stunning level of dedication and skill to the task of evaluating each wine, ensuring that the wines you've entered are scrutinized in the fairest possible manner by trained professionals who love nothing better than testing their palates in a blind tasting.

I'm proud of them and all they've accomplised in their very specialized careers. And on that note, I would like to take a moment to congratulate one of our regulars -- Will Costello -- who recently moved from the Addison in Del Mar, Ca., to the Mandarin Oriental in Las Vegas, NV.

Will has taken on a very big job as Wine Director at the Mandarin Oriental and we wish him the best of luck in his new endeavor. We also want to thank him for his dedication and loyalty to Sommelier Challenge. Will has judged at every Somm Challenge since its inception in 2009.

Our 2012 Somms:

Jesse Becker, MS
Peripherique Wine Merchants, San Francisco, CA

Will Costello, CS

Wine Director, Mandarin Oriental, Las Vegas, NV

Previous connections: Addison

Adam Curling, CS 
Wine Director, Four Seasons, Las Vegas, NV
Previous connections: The Wynn, The Inn at Little Washington, Citronelle, BLT Steak, KOMI, M Resorts
Maurice DiMarino, CS

Wine Director Island Prime, Cohn Restaurant Group, San Diego, CA
Brian Donegan, CS
Market, Del Mar, CA
Previous connections: Artera

Traci Dutton, CS

Wine Director, Culinary Institute of America, St. Helena, CA

Chuy Galvan, CS
Wine Director, SIP, Del Mar, CA

Eddie Osterland, MS
San Diego, CA

Anani Lawson, CS  

Per Se, New York, NY
Previous connections: Chief Sommelier, The French Laundry, Yountville, CA

Andre Mack, CS
Mouton Noir, New York, NY
Previous connections: Per Se, New York, NY
Lisa Redwine, CS 
The Marine Room & The Shores, La Jolla, CA
Previous connections: Aqua, Liberte, Cypress Club, Grand Cafe, Molly's

Rob Renteria, CS  

Analog Wine Co., Redd, Yountville, CA
Previous connectionss: Martini House, Rubicon, Bacar, EOS

George Skorka, CS

Angeles Wine Company, Los Angeles, CA

Mark Valin, CS

Wine Director, The Bridges, Rancho Sante Fe, CA

Tami Wong, CS
Wine Director, 3rd Corner Bistro & Wine Bar, Encinitas, San Diego & Palm Desert, CA

Megan Yelenosky, CS
Vela at The Hilton Bayfront, San Diego, CA