Traverso named chairman of West Coast Competition

Bill Traverso, co-owner of Traverso's Gourmet Food & Liquors in Santa Rosa, has been named chairman of the Grand Harvest Awards and West Coast Wine Competition.

The Grand Harvest Awards, sponsored by Vineyard & Winery Management magazine, will be held Feb. 18-20. It is the only North American wine competition that judges wine according to regional classifications.

The West Coast Wine Competition is scheduled for April 22 to 24.

In addition to more than 35 years as wine buyer for his family's deli, Traverso has extensive experience as a professional wine judge and consultant.

He was chairman of the Sonoma County Harvest Fair Wine Competition for 10 years and is currently a member of the Board of Visitors and Fellows at the Viticulture and Enology Department at UC Davis.