AlaWine.com: Super Award Winning Wines

Sol Rouge 2007 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

The Award-Winning Wine:
Sol Rouge 2007 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Reason for Reviewing:
Sol Rouge 2007 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon earned a Double-Gold Medal Award at the 2010 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.

Noteworthy:
Sol Rouge is located in the Red Hills Appellation, north of Napa Valley (at elevations > 1800') in the foothills of the dormant volcano which formed the North Coast wine country. This land contains rich, red volcanic soil from which Sol Rouge derived its name, “Red Soil” in French.

AlaWine Notes:
On pouring, the Sol Rouge 2007 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon settles in the glass as a deep purple-garnet color. The wine offers up an aromatic nose of ripe blackberries in a sweet earth context. The blackberry flavors carry across on the palate in a smooth opening which also includes cherry flavors as well as some blackcurrant and olive notes. The finish is quite long, carrying the fruit across the palate through a toasty oak finale.

Bottom Line:
Sol Rouge 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon is a deeply rich and delicious Napa Cab, elegant from the full fruit front through layered and interesting complexities and a very long and satisfying complementary finish. Suggested retail price is $75. Overall composite score: 97 points.

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Red Wine Gold from 2010 Dallas Wine Competition

The results are in from the 2010 Dallas Morning News Wine Competition. More than 2,700 were entered, and at the end of two days of judging, 159 wines earned top-honor Gold Medals. Here's a selection of some domestic red wine Gold Medal winners:

* NV Arrington Vineyards Syrah Lot No. 07 $27.99
* 2007 Barr Estate Winery Malbec $25
* 2007 Sonoma-Cutrer Pinot Noir Grower - Vintner $40
* 2006 Buty Columbia Rediviva Estate Grown Phinny Hill Vineyard $48
* 2007 Challenger Ridge Gordon $25
* 2005 Chesterfield Cellars Brett's Barrel Blend $29
* 2005 Clavo Cellars Collusion Proprietary Blend $25
* 2007 Daou Celestus La Capilla Collection $28
* 2005 de Lorimier Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Bottled Crazy Creek Vineyard $40
* 2005 de Lorimier Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Smith Orchard Vineyard $50
* 2005 de Lorimier Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Warm Springs Ranch $50
* 2007 Dutton-Goldfield Pinot Noir Dutton Ranch $38
* 2006 Louis M. Martini Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve $35
* 2007 Frank Family Vineyards Zinfandel $36.75
* 2007 Halter Ranch Cotes de Paso Estate Bottled $28
* 2008 La Chiripada Artist Series 1, Dolcetto $35
* 2007 La Rusticana d 'Orsa Cinque $45
* 2007 MacPhail Pinot Noir Toulouse Vineyard $41
* 2008 Mandola Spino, Montepulciano $26
* 2006 Meadowlark Vineyards Syrah $27.99
* 2007 Milbrandt Vineyards The Estates, Cabernet Sauvignon $25
* 2005 Nicholas Cole Cellars Michele $38
* 2007 Baileyana Pinot Noir Firepeak Vineyard, Grand Firepeak Cuvee $33
* 2006 Northwest Cellars Intrigue $28
* 2007 O'Brien Estate Merlot Estate Bottled $40
* 2006 O'Brien Estate Seduction $45
* 2007 Pena Ridge Petite Sirah Small Lot Wines Mountainside Estate $44
* 2005 R & B Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Bingham Ranch $50
* 2007 Raymond Burr Cabernet Franc $38
* 2007 Davis Bynum Pinot Noir $35
* 2007 Roessler Pinot Noir Sanford & Benedict $48
* 2006 Smasne Cellars Konner Ray $35
* 2004 Rosati Cabernet Sauvignon $35
* 2007 Ryan Patrick Vineyards Barbera $25
* 2005 Sawyer Cellars Bradford Meritage Estate Bottled $44
* 2007 Sierra Madre Vineyard Pinot Noir $42
* 2008 Spangler Vineyards Malbec $28
* 2006 St. Supery Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Bottled $35
* 2006 Chateau Ste Michelle Cabernet Sauvignon Vintage Select Cold Creek Vineyard $30
* 2006 Erath Pinot Noir Prince Hill $40
* 2007 Folie a Deux Cabernet Sauvignon $28
* 2007 Vina Robles Signature Estate Cuvee $39
For more information, click here.

Cleavage Creek 2007 Reserve Petite Sirah

The Award-Winning Wine:
Cleavage Creek 2007 Reserve Petite Sirah

Reason for Reviewing:
Cleavage Creek 2007 Reserve Petite Sirah earned a top-honor Gold Medal at the Grand Harvest Awards wine competition, held recently in Sonoma County, California.

Noteworthy:
10% of Cleavage Creek's gross wine sales is donated to fund breast cancer research and support.

Winery Notes:
This wine boasts of caramel, chocolate, with a hint of black tea to excite the nose with beguiling flavors of black current, cloves, and cinnamon to entice the palate.

AlaWine Notes:
Cleavage Creek 2007 Reserve Petite Sirah stands in the glass as a very dark, inky, purple color. Dark berry, bramble berry, aromas arise to the nose, along with a chocolate highlight. Fruity flavors of ripe berries carry over on the palate, along with whole plum, a touch of spice, leading to a long oak finish.

Bottom Line:
Cleavage Creek 2007 Reserve Petite Sirah is a very quaffable, fruit-forward wine, with lots of ripe berry flavors, a complementary dry, oak finish. A good match for a wide range of red meat meals. Suggested retail price is $45. Overall composite score: 94 points.

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Double Gold Winners Finger Lakes International Wine Competition

More than 3,000 wines from more tan 650 wineries were entered in the recently completed 2010 Finger Lakes International Wine Competition. The following 38 wines earned top-honor Double Gold Medal awards:

* Alba Vineyard 2007 Heritage Cabernet Franc
* Antler Ridge Winery 2009 Black Beary
* Art & Farm Wine NV Palisades Point Merlot
* Benigna's Creek 2009 Sunshine Vidal
* Bodegas Paso Robles 2005 Viva Yo Tempranillo
* Callaway Vineyard and Winery 2009 Sangiovese
* Cava Spiliadis 2008 Domaine Gerovassiliou Malagousia
* Charlotte Village Winery 2009 Buddy's Apple Crisp
* Clovis Point Wines 2005 Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot
* Crane Brothers Winery 2006 Syrah
* Forks of Cheat Winery NV Blackberry
* Fulkerson Winery 2008 Dry Riesling
* Harbour Estates Winery 2008 Cabernet Franc Icewine
* Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards 2008 Vidal Blanc Ice Wine
* Heron Hill Winery 2008 Semi-Dry Riesling
* Heron Hill Winery 2008 Semi-Sweet Riesling
* Inniskillin Wines 2006 Vidal Icewine
* Lafond Winery And Vineyards 2008 Syrah
* Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars 2007 Cabernet Franc
* Lange Twins Winery & Vineyards 2006 Midnight Reserve Blend
* Le Chanceux 2006 Le Chanceux Cabernet Sauvignon
* Les Vergers Petit et Fils NV Petit Frisson Ice Cider
* Les Vergers Petit et Fils NV Petit Pomme Still Cider
* Maize Valley Farm Market NV Raspberry
* Peconic Bay Winery 2006 Riesling
* Ramos Torres Winery 2007 Zinfandel, Petit Sirah
* Sainte Genevieve Winery Vintage Traminette
* Schulze Vineyards & Winery NV Vidal Blanc Semi-Dryc
* Sharrott Winery 2008 Cabernet Franc
* Sheldrake Point Vineyard 2008 Late Harvest Riesling
* Skylite Cellars 2007 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
* South Stage Cellars 2008 Early Muscat
* Sunset Hills Vineyard 2009 Viognier
* Three Brothers Wineries Estates 2008 Stony Lonesome Late Harvest Riesling
* Vezer Family Vineyards 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon
* Vignoble du Marathonien 2008 Vidal
* Waupoos Estate Winery 2008 Vidal Ice Wine
* Weingut Anselmann 2009 Anselmann Riesling
For more information, click here.
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Athair Wines 2008 Russian River Chardonnay

The Award-Winning Wine:
Athair Wines 2008 Russian River Chardonnay

Reason for Reviewing:
Athair Wines 2008 Russian River Chardonnay earned a top-honor Gold Medal at the 2010 Grand Harvest Awards, in the Russian River Valley AVA.

Noteworthy:
Winemaker Jim McMahon honors the three influential men in his life with the name Athair, the Irish-Gaelic word for Father.

Winery Notes:
...a complex and juicy mix of honeysuckle, Bartlett pear and Lemon Meringue flavors with hints of nutmeg on the finish.

AlaWine Notes:
Athair Wines 2008 Russian River Chardonnay pours as a light yellow in the glass. Aromas of melon and citrus waft to the nose in a slight floral context. Apple and mixed citrus flavors fill the palate in a smooth, moderately buttery mouth with moderate acidity.

Bottom Line:
Athair Wines 2008 Russian River Chardonnay, which was produced primarily from Saralee’s Vineyard in Russian River Valley, is a fruity and well balanced wine with rich flavor and smooth texture, and a long, light and bright finish. Quite quaffable, can be enjoyed on its own or with an apple-pear cheese dish or fish dinner. Suggested retail price is $32. Overall composite score: 94 points.

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Best of Class 2010 Finger Lakes International Wine Competition

Four wines earned Best of Class awards at the recently completed 2010 Finger Lakes International Wine Competition, and they are:

* Best Ice Wine, Vignoble du Marathonien Vidal 2007
* Best Riesling, Anthony Road Semi-Sweet Riesling 2008
* Best Chardonnay, Prejean Winery Reserve Chardonnay 2007
* Best Cabernet Sauvignon, Toasted Head Cabernet Sauvignon, North Coast 2007
For more information, click here.

Oregon's "Greatest of the Grape" Winners Announced

The wines of the Umpqua Valley and Southern Oregon were the stars of last week's "Greatest of the Grape," wine and food extravaganza held in Canyonville, OR.

Spangler Vineyards 2008 Malbec, the only Platinum award winner, earned the top "Greatest of the Grape" award. The following five wines won Gold medals:

* Troon Vineyard 2006 Old Vine Meritage
* Girardet 2008 Zinfandel ”Bonnie’s Barrel”
* Foris 2008 Riesling
* Bradley Vineyards 2008 Dry Riesling
* Cliff Creek Cellars 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon

The People’s Choice "Greatest of the Grape" Wine Awards went to:
* Trium Winery 2008 Pheasant Hill Vineyard Pinot Gris for Best White Wine
* Palotai Vineyard 2006 Attila for Best Red Wine

For more information, click here.

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