CWU's Mumma Competes for Wine Women Award

June 9, 2005

Contact: Douglas Lonowski (509-963-1513/fax 509-963-1690/e-mail: lonowskd@cwu.edu)

ELLENSBURG, Wash. - When it comes to wine, winemaking and the wine industry as a whole, it's generally thought of as a man's world. But, women who select and serve wines are asserting themselves, sharing their knowledge and proving their competence and originality.

Amy Mumma is a case in point. She is the program coordinator and instructor for the Central Washington University World Wine Program, which offers wine training for members of the wine industry, academic programs for students and educational short courses for consumers.

Next Monday (June 13), Mumma leaves for Paris to participate in the first international Wine Women Awards competition, designed to provide recognition to women who devote themselves - "with passion and professionalism" - to the wine trades.

"I was asked to submit a short write-up of professional activity and take a technical exam," Mumma says. "From those results, I was invited to submit a letter describing the World Wine Program creation and vision, along with a very long, difficult technical exam to test knowledge of wine in the areas of viticulture, winemaking and the global world of wines and trade structures."

There were more than 100 entrants for the first-of-its-kind competition. Mumma was one of just five finalists selected for the professional category and the expenses paid trip to the finals Wednesday and Thursday, June 15-16, at which candidates must present their technical knowledge, tasting and presentation skills. The jury and awards committee is made up of wine professionals from Europe and the U.S.

Along with her CWU endeavors, Mumma is the only candidate from Washington in the prestigious Master of Wine program at the Institute of Masters of Wine in London. In addition, she is a frequent presenter at national and international conferences and a wine judge.

Her background includes studies at the Université de Bourgogne in Dijon, France, where she earned her Diploma of Tasting. She holds the Advanced Certificate in Wine and Spirits from London's Wine and Spirit Education Trust and has visited many of the world's vineyard and wine producing areas.