UKIAH – An impressive slate of wine professionals – top wine writers, winemakers, educators, authors and sommeliers – will convene on Friday, Aug. 6 in Anderson Valley for the 34th annual Mendocino County Fair Wine Competition.

Their mission: to evaluate and award medals to the very best wines from “America’s Greenest Wine Region.”

Immediately following the judging, award winners will be announced at a grand reception and tasting open to the public.

More than 200 wines from Mendocino’s 12 growing regions – from Mendocino Coast to Anderson Valley to Hopland to Redwood Valley and more – will be considered for bronze, silver, gold medals and the cherished double gold.

Judges will also select Best Red and Best White Sweepstakes wines, as well as the Best Green Sweepstakes winner. The Green Sweepstakes award goes to the best of the gold medal wines made from organically or certified-sustainably grown grapes.

Following the judging, an Awards Announcement and Reception takes place on Friday, Aug. 6, from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The public is invited to mingle with competition judges and Mendocino grapegrowers and winemakers at a reception to be held at Goldeneye Winery in Mendocino’s Anderson Valley.

Competition medal winners will be announced, and attendees will taste award winning wines accompanied by a sumptuous sampling of foods paired especially for this event.

Judges for this year’s competition include:

– Gillian Ballance, sommelier whose experience includes PlumpJack Group, Bacara Resort & Spa, Miro Cellar, Picholine, and Windows on the World, New York City.

– Dan Berger, wine writer and wine competition expert, author of "Beyond the Grapes: An Inside Look at Napa Valley.”

– Laurie Daniel, wine columnist for the San Jose Mercury News, contributor to Food & Wine, Wine Enthusiast and more.

– Ziggy Eschliman, wine and spirits expert, wine educator and The Wine Gal on KRSH and KNOB radio.

– Jeff Hinchliffe, winemaker at Hanna Winery.

– Laura Ness, contributor to Vine Times, Wine Business Monthly, Vineyard and Winery Management.

– Steve Pitcher, veteran judge and contributor to the San Francisco Chronicle and Wine News.

– GM Pooch Pucilowski, respected chief judge for the California State Fair wine competition for 25 years.

– Renato Sardo, wine consultant and past Wine Curator at Slow Food Nation.

– Christopher Sawyer, wine writer, sommelier at the Carneros Bistro & Wine Bar in Sonoma, recently named Sonoma County’s 2009 Best Sommelier.

– Linda Schmitt, wine education consultant, Culinary Institute of America-Certified Wine Professional.

– Tom Simoneau, The Wine Guy on KSRO and adjunct professor in Santa Rosa Junior College’s viticulture program.

– Forest Tancer, former winemaker at Iron Horse Vineyards.

– Larry Van Aalst, sommelier at Equus Restaurant in Santa Rosa, and radio talk show host.

The awards reception and tasting will take place at Goldeneye Winery, 9200 Hwy 128, Philo, Anderson Valley.

Tickets for this festive soiree are $25 per person and advance reservations are required. Checks should be made out to MWWC and mailed to Ryan Henderson, Mendocino Winegrape & Wine Commission, P.O. Box 1409, Ukiah, CA, 95482.

Call 707-468-9886 or visit www.TrueMendocinoWine.com for more information.

Award-winning wines will also be poured at the Mendocino County Fair in Boonville on Saturday, Sept. 18.

The Mendocino County Fair Wine Competition is sponsored by the Mendocino Winegrape & Wine Commission and the Mendocino County Fair.