AlaWine.com: Super Award Winning Wines

Best of Class Cabernet Sauvignons, 2011 San Francisco Wine Competition

Nine Cabernet Sauvignons were selected as Best of Class winners in their respective price categories at the recently completed 2011 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. The Ecluse Wines Cab was also named as Red Sweepstake Winner.

up to $14.99: Columbia Crest Winery 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley Grand Estates $11
$15 to $19.99: Educated Guess 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley $19.99
$20 to $24.99: Shannon Ridge Winery 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon High Valley Home Ranch $24
$25 to $29.99: Louis M. Martini 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley $25
$30 to $34.99: Ecluse Wines 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles Lock Vineyard $32
$35 to $39.99: Sequoia Grove Vineyards 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley $38
$40 to $49.99: deLorimier Winery 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley Crazy Creek Vineyard $40
$50 to $59.99: John Robert Eppler Wines 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford Napa Valley $55
$60 & Over: Wente Vineyards 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Livermore Valley Nth Degree $60

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Jarvis 2008 Tempranillo

The Award-Winning Wine:
Jarvis 2008 Tempranillo

Reason for Reviewing:
Jarvis 2008 Tempranillo was a Professional Tasting Panel's top blind pick from among world-class wines at the recent World Wine Tasting at Jarvis.

Noteworthy:
The Jarvis winemaking facility is totally contained within 45,000 square feet of cave tunneled into the Vacas Mountains east of Napa.

Winery Notes:
Ruby red in color this wine has aromas and flavors of berries and plum.

AlaWine Notes:
Jarvis 2008 Tempranillo stands in the glass as a dark ruby color. Aromas of whole plum and dark cherries lift to the nose in a light leather context. Berry, cherry, and plum meat flavors fill the palate and hold through a long, dry finish with moderate tannins, and an oak accent.

Bottom Line:
Jarvis 2008 Tempranillo is 100% estate-grown Tempranillo. It was barrel/cave aged for 10 months in 100% new French haute futaie oak. The wine is fresh and fruity, and quite quaffable. Suggested retail price is $53. Overall composite score: 95 points.

Best of Class Merlots, 2011 San Francisco Wine Competition

Seven Merlots were selected as Best of Class in their respective price categories at the recently completed 2011 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition; and the winners are:

Up to $9.99: Sutter Home Family Vineyards 2009 Merlot California $5
$10 to $ 14.99: Beringer Founders Estate 2008 Merlot California $10
$15 to $19.99: Candor Winery Merlot Central Coast $18
$20 to $24.99: Folie á Deux 2008 Merlot Napa Valley $24
$25 to $29.99: Grant & Eddie 2008 Merlot North Yuba Ramey Vineyard $27
$30 to $39.99: Jason-Stephens Winery 2007 Merlot Santa Clara Valley Estate Select $38
$40 & Over: O'Brien Estate 2008 Merlot Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley $40

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Best of Class Zinfandels, 2011 San Francisco Wine Competition

Eight Zinfandels were selected as Best of Class winners in their respective price categories at the recently completed 2011 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. The Thacher Triumvirate was also named as Red Sweepstake Winner.

Up to $19.99: Ravenswood 2008 Napa Valley Zinfandel $18, and
Oakstone Winery 2008 Estate Paso Vineyard-Higgins Clone Reserve $18
$20 to $24.99: Trentadue Winery 2009 La Storia Estate $22
$25 to $29.99: Mazzocco Winery 2008 Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel Brair $29
$30 to $34.99: Wilson Winery 2008 Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel Molly's Vineyard $32
$35 to $39.99: Thacher Winery 2008 Paso Robles Triumvirate $36
$40 to $49.99: Stryker Sonoma Winery 2007 Sonoma County Zinfandel Monte Rosso Vineyard $40
$50 & Over: Rancho Zabaco Winery 2008 Sonoma Valley Zinfandel Monte Rosso-Toreador $60

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Delille Cellars 2006 Grand Ciel Cabernet Sauvignon

The Award-Winning Wine:
Delille Cellars 2006 Grand Ciel Cabernet Sauvignon

Reason for Reviewing:
Delille Cellars 2006 Grand Ciel Cabernet Sauvignon won the Best of Class Cabernet Sauvignon Award at the Sommelier Challenge International Wine Competition.

Noteworthy:
Delille Cellars is committed to sustainable agriculture and farming, green farming, (organic, bio-dynamic, sustainable), and salmon-safe.

Winery Notes:
This wine, the third release of our single vineyard estate grown cabernet sauvignon, has a complex and intense nose of blueberries, blackberries, black cherries, and cedar. A whiff of violets emerges after a few swirls of the glass. This opens on the palate with black currants, blueberries, cedar, and deep milk chocolate flavors. The combination of concentration, elegance, and fine, silky tannins ensure that this wine will be delicious for many years to come.

AlaWine Notes:
Delille Cellars 2006 Grand Ciel Cabernet Sauvignon pours in the glass as a dark garnet color. Fragrant aromas of ripe berries and blackcurrant radiate to the nose with eucalyptus highlight. A smooth opening leads to lots of rich ripe dark berry flavors all across the palate. Full fruit holds trough a very long, dry toasty oak finish.

Bottom Line:
Delille Cellars 2006 Grand Ciel 100% Cabernet Sauvignon is a delicious full-bodied wine with complementary layers of berry flavors and interesting adjacent complexities. Suggested retail price is $140. Overall composite score: 96 points.

Best of Class Pinot Noirs, 2011 San Francisco Wine Competition

Eight Pinot Noir wines were selected as Best of Class in their respective price categories at the recently completed 2011 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. The winners are:
Up to $19.99: Kendall-Jackson 2008 California Vintner's Reserve $18
$20 to $24.99: Diva Cellars 2008 Monterey Franscioni Family $24
$25 to $29.99: Bloomfield Vineyards 2008 San Francisco Bay $25
$30 to $34.99: Copious Winery 2009 California $32
$35 to $39.99: Nicholson Ranch 2008 Sonoma Valley Estate $38
$40 to $49.99: Truckee River Winery 2008 Santa Lucia Highlands Garys' Vineyard $45
$40 to $49.99: Gracianna 2008 Russian River Valley Bacigalupi $48
$50 & Over: Benziger Family Winery 2008 Sonoma Coast de Coelo, "Quintus" $70

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Quady Winery Starboard Batch 88

The Award-Winning Wine:
Quady Winery Starboard Batch 88

Reason for Reviewing:
Quady Winery Starboard Batch 88 won the Best of Show Dessert Wine award at the 2010 Sommelier Challenge as well as Gold Medals from four other major wine competitions.

Noteworthy:
Andrew and Laurel Quady left crowded southern California and their jobs in pyrotechnics and merchandising to pursue their dream: a non-urban way of life making wine. Andrew graduated with a Masters in Food Science-Enology from UC Davis.

Winery Notes:
The grapes in Batch 88 are primarily Tinta Roriz from the Madera area. The vineyard is managed to give loose bunches and a small crop. The blend is smooth and soft with a chocolate raisin character. Several different vintages are used in the blend which has an average age of about 5 years. In the port business this type of blend is called "Vintage Character."

AlaWine Notes:
Quady Winery Starboard Batch 88 is a medium ruby color standing in the glass. Rich, ripe fruit aromas, blackberry and plum, radiate to the nose. Velvety, rich palate of fruit, plus raisin, and a note of licorice linger through a very long finish.

Bottom Line:
Quady Winery Starboard Batch 88 is a bold, yet smooth port-style dessert wine, quite flavorful and quaffable. An excellent value at a suggested retail price of $15 per 750 ml. Overall composite score: 93 points.

Sweepstakes Awards, 2011 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition

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The results are in from the 2011 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. Jon Bonné, the Chronicle's wine editor reported that the five big sweepstakes winners are:

Sparkling: 2006 Gloria Ferrer Carneros Brut Rosé ($42)

White: NV St. Clair New Mexico Gewurztraminer ($11)

Pink: 2010 Barnard Griffin Columbia Valley Rosé of Sangiovese ($12)

Red: 2008 Thacher Triumvirate Paso Robles Zinfandel ($36) and 2008 Ecluse Wines Lock Vineyard Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon ($32) [tie]

Dessert: 2009 Alapay Cellars Late Harvest Paso Robles Sauvignon Blanc ($30)

Jarvis 2006 Lake William

The Award-Winning Wine:
Jarvis 2006 Lake William

Reason for Reviewing:
Jarvis 2006 Lake William was a Professional Tasting Panel's top blind pick from among world-class wines at the recent World Wine Tasting at Jarvis.

Noteworthy:
The Jarvis winemaking facility is totally contained within 45,000 square feet of cave tunneled into the Vacas Mountains east of Napa.

Winery Notes:
Lake William is the Cabernet Sauvignon blend which started out as a cellar mistake but is now a most sought after blend. Twenty-three months of barrel aging in 100% new French Nevers oak adds a note of toasty vanilla to the rich red currant aroma and elegant berry flavors of this wine.

AlaWine Notes:
Jarvis 2006 Lake William pours as a very dark garnet color. Ripe berry aromas grace the nose. A smooth opening unfolds blackberry, gooseberry, and currant flavors, and a light leather note, across the palate. A toasty oak frame holds the rich fruit flavors through a long, dry, smoky finish.

Bottom Line:
Jarvis 2006 Lake William, unfined and unfiltered, combines 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Cabernet Franc, 25% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot. Well integrated with lush layers of fruit make this a very interesting, elegant, and delicious wine. Suggested retail price is $105 (or $58 per half-bottle). Overall composite score: 98 points.