AlaWine.com: Super Award Winning Wines

Best of Class Pinot Noirs, 2009 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition

Best of Class honors were awarded to eight Pinot Noirs, in various price spans, at the recently completed 2009 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. The Pinot winners include:

Mandolin, 2007 Pinot Noir, Monterey, $12
MacMurray Ranch, 2006 Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast, $24
Mossback, 2007 Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, $25
Sanford, 2006 Pinot Noir, Santa Rita Hills, $33
Sarah's Vineyard, 2007 Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz County, $34
DeLoach Vineyards, 2006 Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast, Sonoma Stage, $85
Flying Goat Cellars, 2006 Pinot Noir, Stanta Rita Hills, Rio Vista Vineyard, $40
Kenneth Volk Vineyards, 2006 Pinot Noir, Santa Maria Valley, Bien Nacido Vineyard, $36

For more information and more medal-winning wines, click here.

Adobe Road 2005 Cabernet Franc

The Award-Winning Wine:
Adobe Road 2005 Cabernet Franc, Knights Valley

Reason for Reviewing:
Adobe Road 2005 Cabernet Franc earned the Best of Class award at the 2008 Sonoma County Harvest Fair Wine Competition, held here in Santa Rosa.

Noteworthy:
Founder and proprietor Kevin Buckler also owns professional sports car and NASCAR racing teams, with multiple championships and victories at the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Winery Notes:
Waves of earthy cranberry fruit, vanilla and brown sugar aromas are followed by sumptuous red fruits on the palate. A perfectly balanced wine with mouthwatering acidity...

AlaWine Notes:
Adobe Road 2005 Cabernet Franc pours as a clear dark garnet color. Raspberry and vanilla aromas radiate from the glass with a light floral highlight. Ripe berry and whole plum flavors open on the palate and lead to a long dry and spicy finish.

Bottom Line:
Adobe Road 2005 Cabernet Franc is a bright and smooth Cab Franc with lots of ripe fruit flavors. It is well integrated and balanced and very quaffable on its own. Suggested retail price is $38. Overall composite score: 95 points.

Best of Class Cabernet Sauvignons, 2009 San Francisco

Nine Cabernet Sauvignons (in various price categories) earned Best of Class Awards at the 2009 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition held earlier this month in Cloverdale, CA, Sonoma County. These Best of Class Cabs (by category from lower to higher price) include:

Jekel Vineyards, 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, Arroyo Seco Valley, $14.99
Mandolin, 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Central Coast, $12
Edgewood, 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, Napa Valley, $24.99
Shannon Ridge Winery, 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, Lake County, $19
Shed Horn Cellars, 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Lake County, $30
La Honda Winery, 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Chalone, Nayor's Dry Hole, $32
Andretti Winery, 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, $44
Frank Family Vineyards, 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, $45
Rapture, 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon, Lodi, $59

For more information and more medal-winning wines, click here.

Viansa Winery 2004 Cabernet Franc

The Award-Winning Wine:
Viansa Winery 2004 Cabernet Franc

Reason for Reviewing:
Viansa Winery 2004 Cabernet Franc is one of just 19 select red wines that earned Best of Class honors at the 2008 West Coast Wine Competition held here in Santa Rosa, California, out of 1,700 wines entered from wineries in California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Nevada, Baja California, British Columbia, Australia, and New Zealand. Viansa Winery each earned two top honors, one for this wine and the other for their 2006 Syrah.

Noteworthy:
At Viansa, wetlands conservation is more than concept, it is a commitment. Their beautiful Tuscan-style Villa sits atop a rolling hill above 90 acres of native plants, wetlands animals and a pristine environment they are dedicated to preserving.

Winery Notes:
Our 2004 Cabernet Franc has rich flavors of ripe cherry, blackberry and plum flavors.

AlaWine Notes:
Viansa Winery 2004 Cabernet Franc displays as a very dark garnet color in the glass. Ripe berry aromas lift to the nose in a dusty context. Gooseberry and blackcurrant flavors fill the palate and hold strong through a spicy, dry finish.

Bottom Line:
Viansa Winery 2004 Cabernet Franc a hearty red wine from start to finish. Rich flavors and interesting layers of complexity make this a good wine to enjoy with red meat dishes, or it can be enjoyed entirely on its own. Suggested retail price is $28. Overall composite score: 94 points.

Sweepstake Winners, 2009 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition

Medal-winning wines for the 2009 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition have been announced and here are the
2009 Sweepstake Winners:

Sparkling Wine
Sparkling Pointe of Long Island, NY 2000 North Fork of Long Island, Methode Champenoise, $50

White Wine
Ventana Vineyards of Monterey, CA 2007 Monterey Riesling, Arroyo Seco, $18

Pink Wine
South Coast Winery of Temecula, CA 2007 California Grenache Rosé, $14

Red Wines
Caliza Winery of Paso Robles, CA 2006 Paso Robles Syrah, Russell Family, $45, and
DH Lescombes of Mimbres Valley, NM 2007 Mimbres Valley, New Mexico, Cabernet Franc, Limited Release, $38

Dessert Wine
Geyser Peak Winery of Geyserville, CA NV California, Tawny Port, $21

For more information and more medal-winning wines, click here.

Ventana Vineyards 2005 Tempranillo

The Award-Winning Wine:
Ventana Vineyards 2005 Tempranillo

Reason for Reviewing:
Ventana Vineyards 2005 Tempranillo is one of just 17 select red wines, out of 2,614 total wines evaluated, that earned a top-honor Chairman's Award at the 2008 Riverside International Wine Competition. Ventana Vineyards earned two Chairman's Awards, one for their Rubystone red blend and the other for this wine.

Noteworthy:
Ventana Vineyards is the “Most Award Winning Single Vineyard in America”. For more than thirty years, Ventana has essentially been a research vineyard.

Winery Notes:
The rich full flavors of plum, blackberry, blueberry and tobacco tango on the palate, along with sensuous notes of vanilla, cedar and soft spice. Medium tannins make for a delicious lingering finish.

AlaWine Notes:
Ventana Vineyards 2005 Tempranillo presents a bright garnet color. Aromas of wild strawberry and plum rise to the nose. Whole plum flavors carry over on the palate in an herbal context and hold well through a long spicy, cedar, tobacco finish.

Bottom Line:
Ventana Vineyards 2005 Tempranillo is a very fruit filled red with lots of flavor and interesting complexities for those looking to expand their palate to this variety. Suggested retail price is $28. Overall composite score: 92 points.