AlaWine.com: Super Award Winning Wines

Rotta 2004 Black Monukka

The Award-Winning Wine:
Rotta 2004 Black Monukka

Reason for Reviewing:
Rotta 2004 Black Monukka is one of just four wines, out of 1,700 wines entered from wineries in California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Nevada, Baja California, British Columbia, Australia, and New Zealand, selected as a Sweepstakes Winners at the recently completed West Coast Wine Competition here in Santa Rosa, California.

Noteworthy:
Rotta Winery, founded in 1908 by the Rotta Family, is the only remaining family owned “original” winery in San Luis Obispo County. Mike Giubbini, grandson to the Rotta Family, Steve Pesenti, grandson to the founders of the Pesenti Winery (1934) and Mark Caporale of Napa, have combined their talents to “bring back to life” the historic and rustic winery.

The Grape:
Black Monukka is a vitis vinifera, or European grape, and the hardiest of the lot. It grows in long large clusters, and is a reddish-black large oval shape. It is a crisp and fresh, seedless, sweet table grape with tender dark skin. Generally served fresh, as grapes, or used to make raisins.

Winery Notes:
The caramelized, nutty and vanilla aromas of this baked cream sherry reveal the flavor of the Black Monukka grapes that produced this wine. After a lengthy aging in small oak barrels, its’ richness in the flavor will linger in your mind forever. A wine to be sipped and enjoyed with cheeses and after dinner. Rotta Winery is the exclusive producer of this rare, sweet dessert wine.

AlaWine Notes:
Rotta 2004 Black Monukka pours as a beautiful dark amber color in the glass and radiates rich, nutty aromas. Hazelnut and maple flavors blend in a vanilla context across the palate. A moderate tartness highlights a carmel flavored finish.

Bottom Line:
Rotta 2004 Black Monukka a well balanced, very flavorful, and satisfying fortified dessert wine. Suggested retail price is $22 for a 375ml half-bottle. Overall composite score: 98 points.

Wine News Update

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* Wine of the week: Rodney Strong Vineyards Sonoma County Merlot - Island Packet Online
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* Wine Pick Of The Week: 2007 Cono Sur Cabernet Sauvignon/Carmenere $11 - Seattle Post Intelligencer
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2008 Virginia Wine Competition, Gold Ribbons

The results are in from the 2008 State Fair Of Virginia Wine Competition, and here are the top 40, top-honor, Gold Ribbon winners (alphabetically by winery):

* AmRheins Wine Cellars - Melange 2005
* AmRheins Wine Cellars - Petit Verdot 2005
* Autumn Hill Vineyards - Merlot 2006
* Barboursville Vineyards - Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2005
* Barboursville Vineyards - Merlot 2006
* Barrel Oak Winery - BowHaus 2007
* Barren Ridge Vineyards - Viognier 2007
* Cooper Vineyards - Cooper Vineyards Coopertage Blanc 2006
* Cooper Vineyards - Cooper Vineyards Petit Verdot 2006
* Corcoran Vineyards - Viognier 2007
* Gadino Cellars - Reserve Merlot 2005
* Gray Ghost Vineyards - Gray Ghost Gewurztraminer 2007
* Holly Grove Vineyards - Holly Grove Vineyards Chardonnay 2006
* Ingleside Plantation Vineyards - Petit Verdot 2004
* Ingleside Plantation Vineyards - Rosato Di Sangiovese 2007
* James River Cellars - Petit Verdot 2006
* Keswick Vineyards - Cabernet Franc 2006
* Keswick Vineyards - Chardonnay 2007
* Keswick Vineyards - Merlot 2006
* Keswick Vineyards - Viognier 2007
* Lake Anna - Spotsylvania Claret NV
* Naked Mountain Vineyard - Barrel Fermented Virginia Chardonnay 2005
* Notaviva Vineyards LLC - Vivace Viognier 2007
* Oakencroft Vineyard & Winery - Oakencroft Cabernet Franc Reserve 2006
* Oakencroft Vineyard & Winery - Oakencroft Cabernet Sauvignon 2006
* Pearmund Cellars - Petit Verdot 2006
* Pollak Vineyards - Pollak Vineyards Cabernet Franc 2006
* Potomac Point Winery - LaBelle Vie 2007
* Potomac Point Winery - Petit Verdot 2006
* Rappahannock Cellars - Claret 2006
* Rappahannock Cellars - Cabernet Franc 2006
* Rockbridge Vineyard - Rockbridge Dechiel Cabernet Franc 2005
* Rockbridge Vineyard - Rockbridge Chardonnay Dechiel 2006
* Rockbridge Vineyard - Rockbridge Riesling 2007
* Rockbridge Vineyard - Rockbridge Merlot 2006
* Rogers Ford Farm Winery - Rogers Ford Petit Verdot 2006
* Sugarleaf Vineyards ­ Petit Verdot 2006
* The Winery at La Grange - Fletchers Chardonnay 2006
* Willowcroft Farm Vineyards - Petit Verdot NV
* White Hall Vineyards - Soliterre 2006

For a complete list of award-winning wines, click here.

Ventana Vineyards 2006 Rubystone

The Award-Winning Wine:
Ventana Vineyards 2006 Rubystone

Reason for Reviewing:
Ventana Vineyards 2006 Rubystone is one of 17 select red wines that earned a top-honor Chairman's Award at the recently completed 2008 Riverside International Wine Competition. Ventana Vineyards earned two Chairman's Awards for red wines, one for their Rubystone red blend and the other for their '05 Tempranillo.

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

AlaWine Notes:
Ventana Vineyards 2006 Rubystone displays as a beautiful, deep ruby color. Velvety aromas of ripe dark cherry and blackberry waft to the nose. The cherry and berry flavors continue on the palate along with black currant in a robust explosion of full ripe fruit. Spice and moderate black pepper highlights carry the fruit flavors through a long and lingering finish.

Bottom Line:
Ventana Vineyards 2006 Rubystone is a hardy Rhone-style red wine blend of 62% Grenache and 38% Syrah. The flavors are well integrated in a smooth mouthfeel and a balanced, satisfying finish. Suggested retail price is $18. Overall composite score: 94 points.

Wine News

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* A replacement for the wine cork - KGO
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* Vintage future seen for Chinese wine - BBC Business
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* Southern Oregon is home to more vineyards - Oregonian
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Wine News

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* Wine powers royal wheels - Farm Weekly
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* Resveratrol may prevent breast cancer - Food Consumer
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* French to roll out the best for Bastille Day - News.com.au
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2005 Earthquake Syrah

The Award-Winning Wine:
Michael~David Winery 2005 Earthquake Syrah

Reason for Reviewing:
2005 Earthquake Syrah won the top-honor Sweepstakes Award for red wines at the 2008 Riverside International Wine Competition.

Noteworthy:
In 1850, amid the Gold Rush, Captain Charles Weber, founder of Stockton, California, brought grape cuttings to the Lodi, California area. Michael and David Phillips represent the fifth generation of growers there. The Phillips family has been farming since their Great Great Grandfather Andrew Harshner and his wife Lucille homesteaded 160 acres near the town of Lodi, following the Civil War in the 1860's.

Winery Notes:
Earth-shattering Syrah fruit trembles throughout the nose with dried cranberry and subtle hints of green tea. Bing cherry and dried plum round out the bold tannins, leaving just a hint of cedar with a warm lasting finish.

AlaWine Notes:
Michael~David Winery 2005 Earthquake Syrah pours as a deep garnet color in the glass. Aromas of cherry and spices lift to the nose. On the palate, black cerry flavors dominate, along with ripe berries and plum, in a sweet earth context, with a leather highlight in a long, moderately tannic finish.

Bottom Line:
2005 Earthquake Syrah is a full flavor, full-bodied red wine, well integrated with interesting complexities. A very rich and satisfying wine. Suggested retail price is $28. Overall composite score: 95 points.