What are Diablo Points?
In 1996, the Diablo Chapter created its annual Diablo Points contest to encourage active participation of its members.  Points are awarded to members for participation in the Chapter's events throughout each year. 

How are Points Earned?
Each membership earns points as follows: 

  • One point for each person that a membership brings to each event

  • A point is earned for each membership (as well as a free dinner) for helping to arrange the wines for a dinner, or to act as restaurant coordinator. 

  • Three points are earned for each new member sponsored

  • Seven points for each new affiliate sponsored
What Does Having Points Mean?
At the end of the year, the Diablo points are tallied and the top three finishers are awarded a special bottle of wine as a prize.  The rest of the members each get one ticket for each point earned throughout the year to be used in a special raffle.  The winners of this raffle get to select from wines specially culled from the year's events.  The more points earned, the better the odds! 

How Can I Maximize the Points Earned? 
To illustrate how this works, let's say Jim and Judy are members. They bring their non-member friends, Tom and Susan, to a Tasters Guild event. Tom and Susan enjoy themselves so much that they decide to join Tasters Guild that night. Jim and Judy get seven points for the evening!  They are awarded one point apiece for each of the four people brought in under their membership, plus three more for sponsoring a new member. Tom and Susan get two points for attending as members, plus they get to have the difference between the price they paid as non-members deducted from their membership dues. 

What Wines Have Previous Winners Been Awarded?
In 2002, Sharon & Doug Alexander won the First Place prize of a bottle of 1994 Chateau Latour Bordeaux.  The Second Place prize, a bottle of 1997 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon, was claimed by Joyce & Dan Jones.  Norma & Richard Brecher finished third, earning a 1997 Marziano Abbona Terlo Ravera Barolo. 

Previous First Prize winners include Joyce & Dan Jones in 2001, Carol & Jerry Rose in 2000 and 1998, Fern & Roger Skowlund in 1999 and 1997, and Judy & Jim Morrison in 1996.

What About Last Year?
For 2010, Diablo Point Prizes for 2010 were awarded during the December dinner.Top honors and a bottle of 2006 Fontodi Flaccianello went to Dianne & Michael Zumbrunnen. This wine was rated 99 points and #8 on the Wine Spectator's Top 100 Wines of 2009.

Will you be the winner in 2011?