AlaWine.com: Super Award Winning Wines

Granite Springs 2004 Petite Sirah Fair Play

The Award-Winning Wine:
Granite Springs 2004 Petite Sirah Fair Play

Reason for Reviewing:
Granite Springs 2004 Petite Sirah Fair Play was selected as a Chairman's Award (Unanimous Gold) winner at the 2007 Riverside International Wine Competition Awards.

Noteworthy:
Granite Springs lies in the midst of an old and rich wine-producing region, in a unique mountain terrain with deep, well drained granitic soils and a climate of warm, sunny days and cool nights. Granite Springs is noted for it's old vine Zinfandel, dark rich Petite Sirah, intense Estate Petite Sirah Port and delicate Sauvignon Blanc.

AlaWine Notes:
Granite Springs 2004 Petite Sirah Fair Play pours as a deep garnet color in the glass. on the nose, aromas of dark berries and chocolate arise in a slightly earthy context. Fruity brambleberry, raspberry and whole plum fill the palate and hold through a mild tannin, leathery sweet vanilla oak finish.

Bottom Line:
Granite Springs 2004 Petite Sirah Fair Play is a well balanced and well integrated dry Petite Sirah with rich ripe berry flavors which would pair well with many evening meals from pastas to meats. Suggested retail price is $20. Overall composite score: 95 points.

Virginia Gold

Twelve gold medals were awarded at the recent 15th annual Town Point Virginia Wine Competition held in Norfolk. This year's competition hosted 25 Virginia wineries with 100 entrees in 12 different categories. Judges included several local chefs, sommeliers, wine writers, wine educators and individuals from the wine trade.

Best of Show award went to the 2005 Encore Dessert wine from Oakencroft winery. Among white wines, the gold medal winners were: La Grange 2006 Fletcher's Chardonnay; Cardinal Point 2006 Viognier; Loudoun Valley 2006 Classic White; AmRheim 2005 Saffire; and Rockbridge 2006 Riesling. Red wine first-place winners were Davis Valley 2005 Chambourcin; Pearmond 2005 Petit Verdon; Prince Michel 2005 Dry Rose; Fabbioli Cellars 2006 Cabernet Franc; La Grange 2005 Meritage; and Sugarleaf 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon.

The competition is sponsored by the Old Dominion University Enological Research Facility under the guidance of Professor R.L. Williams of the Department of Chemistry/Biochemistry.

Brassfield 2004 Round Mountain Zinfandel

The Award-Winning Wine:
Brassfield 2004 Round Mountain Zinfandel

Reason for Reviewing:
Brassfield 2004 Round Mountain Zinfandel won Double Gold honors at the 2007 Tasters Guild International Wine Judgment.

Noteworthy:
Brassfield Estate Winery is located in California's High Valley which was designated an American Viticultural Area in 2005. According to the winery's website, "This heavenly spot measures just a mile wide and five miles long, running east to west unlike other coastal valleys. Yet High Valley's unique combination of volcanic and alluvial soils, combined with myriad microclimates, makes it one of the finest spots in the world to cultivate premium-quality grapes."

Winery Notes:
This vintage shows a sweet, ripe cherry pie nose with well integrated toasty oak notes. A hint of cinnamon and rhubarb are also present with smooth and soft tannins.

AlaWine Notes:
A rich ruby color in the glass, Brassfield 2004 Round Mountain Zinfandel offers aromas of dark cherries and berries. Layers of cherry, brambleberry, plum pudding, and rhubarb fill the palate. The full fruit flavors are embraced by strong tannins in a peppery long lasting finish.

Bottom Line:
Brassfield 2004 Round Mountain Zinfandel is a medium-bodied zin with rich fruit, interesting complexity, and a peppery oak finish. Suggested retail price is $21.99. Overall composite score: 93 points.

Silkwood 2004 Petite Sirah

The Award-Winning Wine:
Silkwood 2004 Petite Sirah

Reason for Reviewing:
Silkwood 2004 Petite Sirah earned a top-honor Gold Medal at the 2007 Central Coast Wine Competition.

Noteworthy:
Silkwood was founded in 1979 by John R. Monnich, a UC Davis General Agriculture graduate, and was originally located in Napa Valley. During harvest, they thin and drop (literally to the ground) about 20-25 percent of clusters at verasion (fruit softening). According to their web site, this practice helps to produce a rich and intensely flavored wine. All Silkwood Wines bottles feature a unique red velvet label (printed in gold ink) that represents the smooth and rich profile of the wines. The velvet label and the textured label is now a registered trademark of Silkwood.

Winery Notes:
A big, black, bold, and beautiful wine with sophisticated finesse finish. Great balance. Young but complex wine. Several levels of mature fruit and oak flavors.

AlaWine Notes:
Silkwood 2004 Petite Sirah pours as a deep garnet ruby in the glass. Rich aromas of ripe dark berries radiate to the nose in a dusty earth context. Fruity brambleberry, plum and raspberry flavors fill the mouth through a long moderately tannic finish.

Bottom Line:
Silkwood 2004 Petite Sirah is a big, rich fruit filled red wine capable of pairing well with big red meats and other hardy fare. Very drinkable now with likely good agability. Suggested retail price is $39. Overall composite score: 94 points.