Join us for a behind-the-scenes peek into the 2024 USA Wine Ratings with renowned judge Peter Marks MW, Vice President and Partner at Napa Valley Wine Academy. Peter has worked in the wine business for more than 40 years, and his path from UC Davis to Master of Wine rank demonstrates his commitment to wine excellence and education.

Peter will be using his years of experience to evaluate wines at the USA Wine Ratings based on quality, value for money, and packaging—holistic standards that appeal to trade and consumers. In this interview with Peter Marks, MW, learn about new wine trends, the significance of winning a medal at the USA Wine Ratings, its criteria, and how important it is for a wine brand to enter this competition.

Image source: Masterclass with Peter Marks, Master of Wine at Napa Valley Wine Academy

Can you share a bit about your journey into the world of wine?

I first became interested in wine in college. I went to UC Davis and studied nutrition and food service management, but I took a few viticulture and enology classes that piqued my interest, plus my roommate was a viticulture & enology major. After graduating and working in the food, hospitality, and restaurant business for five years, I was truly bitten by the wine bug, and on a whim, I applied for a retail job at a wine store and was hired. I then spent 20 years in retail, where I began to teach wine classes to our customers. Teaching wine forced me to learn even more about wine, and it also helped prompt me to take the Master of Wine exam, which I passed in 1995. 23 years ago, I ultimately made wine education my focus, which it is today, along with consulting for wineries doing education and events.

The USA Wine Ratings are known for their holistic judging criteria. In your opinion, what sets these criteria apart, and how do they align with what today's trade and consumers are looking for?

USA Wine Ratings features wines from many different countries and price points, which allows today's consumers to seek out wines that offer great value for the money. Product packaging is a critical aspect in today's market, not only from an aesthetic perspective, but from a sustainable standpoint too, and USA Wine Ratings combines both tasting and packaging in the judges' evaluation.

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Considering the diverse aspects of wine assessment—such as quality, value for money, and packaging—how do you balance these elements during judging, and which do you find most challenging to evaluate?

Probably the aesthetic aspect of packaging because, for many people, this is subjective. However, if you focus on the package not only being eye-catching but also easily understood and environmentally sustainable, then it becomes a bit easier.

Competitions often highlight trends within the wine industry. Based on your experience as a judge, can you identify any emerging trends that are gaining traction?

New varietals, often lesser known,. Rose wines from more unique regions and in different guises. Fresher wines with an emphasis on fruit and less so on oak.

From your perspective, how significant is the impact of winning a medal at the USA Wine Ratings for a wine brand, especially for smaller and emerging wineries?

It's huge! It's so hard to gain consumers' attention given the thousands of wine labels out there, that earning a medal provides a much higher probability that the consumer will purchase that wine.

Feedback from judges is a crucial component of the USA Wine Ratings. How do you approach giving constructive feedback to entrants, and why do you believe this feedback is valuable for them?

Quality is so important today, as consumers are drinking less wine but better quality wine. If we can help a winery improve the quality of its wines, the entire industry benefits.

Stay tuned for more insightful conversations with wine experts. Discover the latest wine trends, the criteria for winning a medal at the USA Wine Ratings, the significance of receiving a medal, and the importance of participating in our competition.