Wine Cellar Productions

Wine Cellar Productions Inc. produces some of the most recognized and respected wine and spirits competitions in the world. These annual competitions range from the venerable San Diego International Wine & Spirits Challenge (formerly the San Diego Wine Competition, founded in 1981) to Critics Challenge, founded in 2003 by wine critic Robert Whitley, to the latest addition, Distillers Challenge International Spirits Competition.

Known collectively as the "Challenge Series," the competitions are produced by the Wine Cellar Productions team of 40 staff and volunteers, headed by President Diane Salisbury (Whitley) and Director of Competitions Rich Cook.

Each competition is unique in its focus and selection of judges. Judging is in a blind tasting format expertly run by our staff of wine and spirits pros. If you are a winemaker, distiller, importer, owner, or adult beverage marketing pro, you can rest easy knowing your wine and spirits submissions will be handled with the utmost care and presented to our judges in a manner that preserves the integrity of each entry.

For additional information on any of our competitions, please tour our websites or contact Rich Cook at director@winecellarproductions.com.

San Diego International

The San Diego International Wine & Spirits Challenge (founded over 40 years ago as the San Diego Wine Competition), combines the talents of winemakers, sommeliers, wine & spirits journalists and wine & spirits industry marketing professionals in its judging panels. Judges are encouraged to carefully scrutinize each wine and spirits entry and bestow awards based on the merits rather than a preferred style. It is the open-mindedness and diversity of perspectives that make the San Diego International one of the world's most respected competitions. Following the competition, the Chief Judge and Competition Director assess every Platinum award-winner and write reviews that are published at Wine Review Online in the weeks following the competition. Please visit SanDiegoWineChallenge.com or SanDiegoSpiritsChallenge.com for additional information or to enter online. All gold and platinum award winners are assigned numerical ratings that can be used in marketing and POS materials.

Winemaker Challenge

The Winemaker Challenge, which made its debut in January 2010, was the last of the wine “Challenges” created by founding director Robert Whitley. It completed the circle of what Robert considered the three most important bodies of wine evaluation: winemakers, journalists and sommeliers. All of the wines submitted for medal consideration at the Winemaker Challenge are judged by teams of highly regarded professional winemakers. Each year we recruit many of the most successful winemakers in the industry to participate in this one-of-a-kind judging. The conversations are always lively – and convivial – as the best winemaking minds in the business come together to take professional stock of the wines entered. As an added bonus, all Platinum award-winning wines are reviewed by the online wine publication Wine Review Online, seen by1.4 million visitors/year. Visit Winemaker Challenge for more information or to enter online.

Critics Challenge

Founded in 2003, Critics Challenge was the original competition founded by Robert Whitley. The competition brings together many of the most renowned wine journalists to evaluate an always impressive array of wines from around the globe. It was Robert’s belief that well-traveled wine writers are uniquely positioned to evaluate the many wines made from the same or similar grape varieties grown in different soils and climatic conditions throughout the world. Critics Challenge judges are encouraged to consider regional context and tradition when analyzing each entry. In a unique twist that adds gravitas and credibility to each award bestowed at the Critics Challenge, brief excerpts from the judges’ tasting notes, which can be used for marketing purposes, are provided for each winning wine. In addition, wines that are awarded Platinum are reviewed by staff at Wine Review Online and the reviews are published in the weeks following the competition. In 2015, Critics Challenge added a spirits component that is independently judged by seasoned spirits professionals. Platinum award winners receive published reviews at Spirits Review Online.

For more information or to enter online go to criticschallenge.com

Sommelier Challenge

The Sommelier Challenge, founded in 2009, was inspired by the impressive wave of certified sommeliers taking over the beverage-buying decisions at many of the nation’s top restaurants and wine bars. All too often this role had been handled by someone ill-equipped to keep up with the pace of change and ever-evolving nuances of the wine industry. In recent years, as the value of wine soared and the financial risks to the restaurant buyer became greater, more and more restaurants have been turning to trained professionals – certified sommeliers – to craft sensible wine & spirits programs that not only fit their cuisine but the demographic of their audience. Sommelier Challenge each year brings together a brilliant team of somm judges, assembled by Chief Judge Jesse Rodriguez, with vast tasting experience as well as a level of dedication and intensity of purpose that is unparalleled. As with the other Challenges, medal-winning wines & spirits are assigned numerical ratings and Platinum award-winning wine and spirits are reviewed at Wine Review Online and Spirits Review Online, respectively.

For more information or to enter online, go to sommelierchallenge.com

Distillers Challenge

Distillers Challenge International Spirits Competition debuted in 2023 as the first "all-spirits" competition in the Challenge Series. Dedicated exclusively to the judging of spirits, this competition recognizes the industry's tremendous growth, popularity and innovation -- from well established legacy brands to new and unique spirits products. The competition is open to all domestic and international producers of commercially available spirits. Entries are judged by panels of spirits professionals that will vary each year. The inaugural competition features panels of spirits distillers. Medals are awarded in three categories, Silver, Gold and Platinum. Platinum award winners receive published reviews in SpiritsReviewOnline.com and are considered for Best of Class, Best of Show and Distilled Spirit of the Year. Producers can also opt-in to have their spirits product considered for Package Design awards.

For more information or to enter, visit www.distillerschallenge.com.

Robert Whitley, Founding Director

The late Robert Whitley (1950-2021) wrote about wine for newspapers across the United States for nearly 30 years. His Wine Talk column and reviews were distributed by the Creators Syndicate, and he was publisher and founding partner of the acclaimed online wine magazine, Wine Review Online. Robert created the Critics Challenge in 2003 followed by Winemaker Challenge and Sommelier Challenge. The venerable San Diego Int'l Wine Competition joined the "Challenge" series shortly thereafter. His four competitions and Wine Review Online continue today, carrying on his legacy.

Rich Cook, Director of Competitions

Rich Cook is a wine competition professional with more than 20 years experience at various jobs behind the scenes. He currently serves as Director of six major international competitions, including the four wine and spirits competitions operated by Wine Cellar Productions. In addition to his work on the operational end of competitions, Rich has been writing about wine since 2008 and is a contributor and reviewer at Wine Review Online. He also writes and serves as co-editor of Spirits Review Online.

Diane Salisbury, President

Diane Salisbury is President of Wine Cellar Productions Inc., and serves as executive director of its five wine and spirits competitions. Working alongside her late husband, Robert Whitley, in various capacities, Diane has been on the management end of the business since 2003. She also is publisher and a managing partner of Wine Review Online and publisher of Spirits Review Online.