August 2008

2008 Michigan Top Wines

The results are in from the 2008 Michigan Wine and Spirits Competiton held earlier this month in East Lansing. Judges awarded medals to 73% of the wines entered in the Competiton (254 of 346). These included eight Double Gold (2%) and 39 Gold (11%). Silver accounted for an additional 111 wines (32%) and 96 wines (28%) took Bronze. Leelanau Peninsula's Chateau Fontaine minted the most Gold, with five medals; no other winery took more than three.

Here are the Super-Award Winners:
DRY WHITE: 2007 Chateau Fontaine White Riesling
SEMI-DRY WHITE: 2007 St. Julian Traminette, Braganini Reserve
DRY RED: 2007 Longview Rustic Red
DESSERT: 2007 Brys Estate "Dry Ice" Riesling Ice Wine
FRUIT: Mackinaw Trail Razz Berry
JUDGES' SPECIAL AWARD: 2007 Bowers Harbor Pinot Noir Rose
SPARKLING: No Best of Class, by vote of the judges
SEMI-DRY RED: No Best of Class, due to no Gold Medals awarded

For a complete list of award wining wines, click here.

Redtree 2005 Zinfandel

The Award-Winning Wine:
Redtree 2005 Zinfandel

Reason for Reviewing:
Redtree 2005 Zinfandel is one of just 17 out of more than 1,000 red wines evaluated, that earned a top-honor Chairman's Award at the 2008 Riverside International Wine Competition.

Winery Notes:
Our 2005 Zinfandel opens with aromas of chocolate and subtle hints of oak and tobacco in the background. The ripe blackberry and cherry flavors are jammy with lots of spices and vanilla.

AlaWine Notes:
Redtree 2005 Zinfandel pours as a clear dark ruby color in the glass. Berry and cherry aromas waft to the nose. Ripe cherry and blackberry flavors fill the palate with lots of fresh fruit. The finish is balanced with moderate spice in an oak context.

Bottom Line:
Redtree 2005 Zinfandel is a refreshing fruit-forward, robust red wine, highly quaffable right from the bottle. A very food friendly wine which would pair well with grilled red meat, hamburgers, pizza, and red pasta dishes. An excellent value at a suggested retail price of $8. Overall composite score: 92 points.

2008 Indy International Wine Competition Winners

More than 3,200 wines competed in one of the nation's largest wine competitions, the Indiana State Fair Indy International Wine Competition, this Summer. Wines from 15 countries were judged on appearance, aroma, taste, and aftertaste by 15 panels of judges. In all, 75 judges evaluated the wines.

Conn Creek Winery of St. Helena, California was awarded the Best of Show award for its 2004 Anthology. Best white wine honors went to Penguin Bay Winery of New York for their 2007 Gewurztraminer. California 's Elements of Sonoma 2004 Malbec won best red wine. Best Rose wine was awarded to Chateau St. Croix of Wisconsin for their Wild River Rose.

The best commercial sparkling wine was awarded to Bel Lago Vineyard and Winery of Michigan for their Leelanau Brillante Sparkling Wine and Gehringer Brothers Estate Winery of Canada took the best dessert wine honors for their 2007 Minus Nine Icewine. Ackerman Winery of Iowa won best fruit wine for their Cranberry. The last two categories, best honey wine and best honey wine blend were awarded to Winter White Winery of Wisconsin and to Torrey Ridge Winery of New York, respectively.

V. Sattui Winery of St. Helena, California was awarded the International Pacesetter Trophy, sponsored by the Leisure Family. The Pacesetter Trophy honors the Best International Brand of the entire competition. V. Sattui won four double gold, six gold, seventeen silver and six bronze medals.

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

Maryhill Winery 2006 Winemaker's Red

The Award-Winning Wine:
Maryhill Winery 2006 Winemaker's Red

Reason for Reviewing:
Maryhill Winery 2006 Winemaker's Red is one of 17 select red wines that earned a top-honor Chairman's Award at the 2008 Riverside International Wine Competition.

Noteworthy:
Maryhill produces 18 different varietals and 27 different wines.

Winery Notes:
This vintage of our "Bordeaux Blend with a twist" has a gorgeous garnet Bordeaux appearance. Predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon, the structured palate begins with a ripe nose of boysenberry, black cherry, cranberry and dustings of Dutch chocolate. The palate offers rich black fruit and black currants ending with a bold finish of licorice, coffee, toasty tobacco, vanilla extract and dark chocolate.

AlaWine Notes:
Maryhill Winery 2006 Winemaker's Red shows as a dark garnet color on pouring. Prominent aromas of ripe dark berries radiate to the nose. Rich flavors of blackberry and blackcurrant fill the palate in a smooth mouthfeel. The full fruit flavors are balanced by spicy tobacco highlights and moderate tannins.

Bottom Line:
Maryhill Winery 2006 Winemaker's Red is a red wine blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, and Cab Franc. It is a full bodied, round wine with good balance and complex finish. A very good value at a suggested retail price of $15. Overall composite score: 95 points.

California's Best of Show Wines

Super-award winning wines from the 2008 California State Fair Wine Competition include these four Best of Show selections:

Red Wine
Gold Medal 95
2006 Mendocino County
Pinot Noir
Castle Rock Winery

White Wine
Double Gold 98
2007 Monterey Riesling
Loredona

Sparkling Wine
Double Gold 98
NV Napa Valley
Blanc de Noirs
Mumm Napa

Dessert
Double Gold 98
2007 Mendocino White Riesling
Late Harvest
Anderson Valley
Navarro Vineyards

For a complete list of all medal winners, click here.

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Central Coast Wine Competition Winners

The results are in from the California Mid-State Fair which runs through August 3rd and featured the Central Coast Wine Competition This year more that 600 wines from San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, San Benito and Monterey Counties were evaluated by a panel of 16 wine professionals who awarded eleven double gold medals and fifty-one gold medals.

Here are the Super-Award Winners:
* Best White Wine, Eberle 2007 Viognier, Paso Robles Mill Road
* Best Red WineHalter Ranch 2005 Syrah, Paso Robles Estate
* Best Dessert Wine was awarded to 2005 Robert Hall Vintage Port, Paso Robles

The Best of Class results include:
* 2007 Huber Chardonnay, unoaked, Santa Rita Hills
* 2007 Vina Robles Sauvignon Blanc, Paso Robles
* 2006 Castoro Cellars Pinot Grigio, Paso Robles
* 2006 Claiborne & Churchill Dry Gewurztraminer, Central Coast
* 2007 Harmony Cellars White Riesling, Monterey County
* 2007 Ventana Vineyards Dry Rosato, Arroyo Seco
* 2005 Halter Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles
* 2005 Niner Wine Estates Merlot, Paso Robles
* 2005 Per Bacco Cellars Pinot Noir, Dronysus, Arroyo Grande Valley
* 2005 Penman Springs Petite Sirah, Paso Robles
* 2006 Sculpterra Winery Statuesque, Paso Robles
* 2006 Eberle Barbera, Paso Robles
* 2006 Kenneth Volk Vineyards Mourvedre, Lime Kiln Valley
* 2006 Ancient Peaks Zinfandel, Paso Robles
* 2006 Alapay Late Harvest Moscato, Paso Robles

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