We are excited to announce that Sandra Gomes Rocha, CSW, MBA, has joined the Sommeliers Choice Awards 2025 as our Regional and Category Ambassador for Portugal. With her deep roots in Portuguese wine culture and a remarkable career in the wine industry, Sandra will be representing Fine Portuguese Wines in this prestigious role, bringing her passion and expertise to the forefront.

Sommeliers Choice Awards is an international wine competition organized by Beverage Trade Network that helps wine producers around the world grow in the on-premise channels of the USA market. The main objective of the competition is to benchmark wines that are great for restaurant wine lists and for by-the-glass programs.

Sommeliers Choice Awards was created with a clear vision to create a wine competition that truly reflects the expertise and preferences of sommeliers, and to reward wines that are a great fit for on-premise channels and wine consumption.

The wine competition has grown consistently over the last 6 years and now has become one of the most important wine competitions in the USA for wine brands that are looking to set them apart for on-premise channels.

Why are Sommeliers Choice Awards different? 

Wines are judged in five categories: food pairability, typicity, quality, value, and packaging. Judges consider two overarching questions whilst considering these five categories: “Would we stock this?” and "Will the consumer buy the second glass?" In essence, then, the entire focus of the awards is finding wines that are a great fit for wine lists and by-the-glass programs. 

Sommeliers Choice Awards has created a reputation for bringing on-premise trade buyers wines that are a great fit for wine lists and by-the-glass programs. Sommeliers can see the winning wines and use them to curate their wine lists.

About The Sommeliers Choice Awards Regional and Category Ambassador Program

The Sommeliers Choice Awards 2025 is proud to introduce the Regional and Category Ambassadors Program, a prestigious initiative designed to promote excellence and innovation in the beverage industry on a global stage. This program will highlight key educators who will educate the trade and consumers about different regions of the world.

Wineries from Portugal are invited to enter the wine competition and also join Sandra Gomes Rocha’s webinar, "How Fine Portuguese Wines Can Grow in the US Drinks Market,". The webinar is set to provide invaluable insights for those looking to explore and expand the presence of Portuguese wines in the competitive US market.

Meet Sandra Gomes Rocha: A Champion of Portuguese Wine Culture and Sommeliers Choice Award’s Regional and Category Ambassador For Portugal.

Sandra Gomes Rocha comes from a proud lineage of Portuguese farmers and business owners who dedicated their lives to preserving and promoting Portuguese culture and traditions. Sandra's journey into the wine industry began in her early years working in her father's wine business in New York, where she gained valuable experience in sales and operations while building relationships that have become the cornerstone of her flourishing career.

With a vision for the future, Sandra launched Diniz Cellars, Los Angeles’ premier Portuguese wine importer and distributor. At Diniz Cellars, she oversees all aspects of sales, marketing, and operations, establishing herself as a leading authority on Portuguese wine education in Southern California. Sandra's dedication to sharing her culture and love of Portuguese wines has made her a pivotal figure in the region's wine community.

Sandra Gomes Rocha has been promoting Portuguese wines and growing the category via her wine import business and by pushing the Portuguese Wine Week that she launched.

Before founding Diniz Cellars, Sandra honed her skills in creative advertising and marketing while working for top Hollywood Studios, talent agencies, and high-level executives. Her background in communications and marketing, combined with her deep passion for wine, has equipped her with a unique perspective that she brings to her role in the wine industry.

Sandra holds a degree in Communications from William Paterson University, Certified Specialist of Wine credentials from the Society of Wine Educators, and a Wine MBA from Sonoma State University. Her commitment to wine education is evident in her leadership roles, most notably serving as the President of Women For WineSense, LA Chapter, a non-profit organization dedicated to wine education with a focus on highlighting female leaders in the US wine industry.

In June 2024, Sandra launched the first annual Portuguese Wine Week, a celebration that showcases the exceptional quality, rich diversity, and cultural heritage of Portuguese wines to the vibrant Southern California community of wine enthusiasts, industry professionals, and consumers. This initiative has further solidified her reputation as a champion of Portuguese wine culture.

Some of the Portuguese wines Sandra is pushing in the USA market.

Portuguese Wine Week and How Sommeliers Can Get Involved

Sommeliers Choice Awards is also pleased to push and promote the Portuguese Wine Week that Sandra launched to promote Portuguese.

Portugal, renowned for its picturesque landscapes, rich history, and delectable cuisine, invites wine enthusiasts and connoisseurs alike to indulge in a week-long celebration of its exquisite wines. Each year the initiative is aimed at growing awareness of Portuguese wines.

The week-long celebration promises to captivate wine enthusiasts with a series of enticing events, including wine tastings, dinners, and other immersive experiences around Portuguese wines. If you are a wine lover of Portuguese Wine or a wine trade professional who wants to help here, you can get involved by reaching out to Sandra and supporting her initiative.

Delve deeper into the world of Portuguese wine with Portuguese Wine Week with educational workshops led by industry professionals. From grape varietals to winemaking techniques, these informative sessions offer valuable insights into Portugal’s winemaking heritage.

Her upcoming webinar, titled "How Fine Portuguese Wines Can Grow in the US Drinks Market," is set to provide invaluable insights for those looking to explore and expand the presence of Portuguese wines in the competitive US market.

Sandra will also be part of the judging panel for 2025 and will be on the wine flights for Portuguese wines. The top winner from the category and region will also get a video testimonial from Sandra which will be showcased in the video section of the winner's videos.

Further to that, the top 5 winners will be showcased in a tasting video by Sandra highlighting the winners once the results are out and promoted by Sommeliers Choice Awards. This is a great chance for wineries from the Portugal region to enter the wines in the 2025 competition.

We are honored to welcome Sandra Gomes Rocha to the Sommeliers Choice Awards 2025 and look forward to the wealth of knowledge and enthusiasm she will bring as a Regional and Category Ambassador. 

This is a great opportunity for wine producers from Portugal to enter the wines in the 2025 Sommeliers Choice Awards and get their wines in front of wine importers like Sandra as judges and also to learn from Sandra how to sell and promote Portuguese wines to Sommeliers of USA.

Stay tuned for updates on her initiatives, including her insightful webinar, as we continue to promote excellence in the world of wine.

More about Wines from Portugal

Portugal has many wine regions, each known for their different wines, and here are the main regions that the Sommeliers Choice Awards would like to highlight:

Vinho Verde: Produced in the Minho region of northwest Portugal, these wines are known for their low ABV, tart flavor, and slight effervescence. They come in white and rosé varieties.

Alentejo: Located in southern Portugal, this region is known for its exceptional red and white wines, and has a long history of winemaking.

Douro: Home to Port wine, this region is also known for its high-quality dry, unfortified red wines. The city of Oporto, located at the mouth of the Douro River where it meets the Atlantic Ocean, is famous for its Port Houses, which include Taylor, Dow, Croft, and Burmeister.

Madeira: This tropical island in the Atlantic Ocean is known for its iconic fortified wines, which are second only to Port wine in prominence.

Dão: Located in the Centro region of Portugal, this is one of the oldest established wine regions in the country, though it was only officially established in 1908.

Bairrada: Located in northern Portugal, this region is known for its well-colored red wines, as well as its excellent local red and white sparkling wines.

Portugal is one of the countries on the list of the world's great wine producers. Recognized for its wines with a great personality and unique characteristics. If you are a sommelier or a wine trade professional, we encourage you to check the Wines of Portugal education page where you can learn a lot about how to market wines from Portugal. Created in 2010, the Vinhos de Portugal (Wines of Portugal) brand incorporates the main values and differentiating characteristics of our wines and is the result of a collective effort to see the unquestionable quality of Portuguese wines recognized internationally.

You can discover and learn about Wine Styles from Portugal here.