In the vast world of wine, would you believe that Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo’s Rodeo Uncorked! International Wine Competition falls on the list of some of the most prestigious wine competitions in the world?
When most Rodeo goers think about how Rodeo meets wine, they envision the wine garden – An outdoor oasis, located in the center of the grounds, often filled with lines of those itching for a taste of some of the best wines. It’s a staple experience that began in 2007 to showcase the winners of the wine competition.
But there’s far more the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo has to offer in the wine realm. Just as the Rodeo has grown into the largest in the world in all other facets, the Rodeo’s wine competition has grown into something of its own.
The evolution of the International Wine Competition began in 2004 with a mere 217 entries. Over the course of 21 years, the competition has grown to see nearly 3,000 entries from over 1,000 brands annually.
“The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo holds one of the largest wine competitions in the country and our associated Champion Wine Auction consistently ranks among the top in Wine Spectator,” said the Director of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Wine Show, Jennifer Lindsay.
Judging during the 2023 International Wine Competition
To truly understand the ‘why’ behind the International Wine Competition, you must understand two important pillars of our mission: Agriculture and Education. Wine is an agricultural product at its core, with every bottle representing the interplay of nature, farming techniques, and human expertise in the vineyard. More so, every entry, brand, judge, patron and volunteer involved supports one of the largest scholarship providers in the country. When you think of it through that lens, it’s easy to understand why the competition may have sprouted into what it is today. Beyond that, the prestige of winning an award from a competition of this nature extends that honor to the top wines awarded each year.
“Our awards are unique as far as wine competitions go. It is unexpected to find a beautiful trophy saddle or a custom belt buckle in winery tasting rooms and generates great interest in the wines winning awards,” Lindsay said.
Wine, like agriculture, is deeply connected to our lives. As a global agricultural staple, the wine industry significantly influences both the world economy and many people’s daily experiences. Texas is also the fifth largest wine producing state in the country and ranks even higher as a wine tourism destination. Also, Texas is actually the site of the first vineyard established in North America and continues to contribute significantly to the industry.
One judge who knows all too well about wine is Julie Dalton, who has judged five competitions since 2018. A master sommelier and the chief sommelier for the Post Oak Hotel, Dalton knows how robust the industry can be. It’s what she says her same impression is of the International Wine Competition too.
“Not only is the rodeo about horses and cowboys, it’s about entertainment and wine so part of that is the wine competition, and it’s an opportunity for producers to get their names out there,” Dalton said. “I keep track of wines that I really like. I’m like, ‘Wow, I really like this wine’, and I’m often surprised about what it is once the results are revealed. And I’ll buy that wine.”
Dalton at her first Rodeo in 2018
In 2024, wines from 22 countries submitted for the competition, further echoing the international reach that Rodeo brings to Houston and its palate. As a Rodeo goer and judge, Dalton says in both her professional and personal world, it’s an experience she loves to tell people about.
“The sheer identity of it is unique,” Dalton said. “I mean tying a wine competition to this event that is so quintessentially Texas, not just Houston, it’s like putting two things together that you don’t think would make sense to go together. It’s kind of like the first time you introduced the idea of champagne and french fries as a great pairing, champagne and potato chips. People try it and they’re like, wow, this is great.”
Each year, a featured region is selected to serve as the theme for wine during its respective Rodeo season. For the 2024-2025 season and for the first time ever, Napa County will be the star of the show. The Rodeo Uncorked! International Wine Competition management considers many factors when selecting the region each year, such as the opportunity to educate our volunteers and patrons on the wine-growing area, sometimes supporting a region that may have recently experienced a natural disaster or economic challenges, and availability in the marketplace, among others.
“Napa County first made its mark on the world when a Napa Valley winery famously won a French wine competition against French wines,” Linsday said. “This established its reputation as a world-class wine region and was the beginning of the American wine industry gaining respect on the world stage.”
Rodeo Uncorked! Wine Garden during the 2024 Rodeo Season.
Where the world of wine and Rodeo collide has become something special and unique in Houston – and the goal is to always evolve. For Houston, the Rodeo’s wine impression is an element that falls high as a “favorite” for many. And for those like Dalton, it’s a piece of Rodeo she hopes to contribute to for years to come.
“It’s a beautiful opportunity and it’s just been an honor to be a part of it,” Dalton said.
The 22nd annual International Wine Competition will be held on Nov. 15 – 17, 2024 at NRG Center. Entries will be open from Aug. 1 through Oct. 14, 2024. For more information on the Rodeo Uncorked! International Wine Competition, click here.