The BEST California Wines

One of the reasons I live here. We make some great wine in California!!
Tomorrow afternoon and into the evening, The California State Fair will honor the best winemakers, vineyards and wineries in the state at the 15th Annual California’s Grape & Gourmet, the state’s premier California wine event.

The California’s Grape & Gourmet was created to celebrate and acknowledge excellence in the California wine industry, as determined by the 2010 State Fair Commercial Wine Competition, the oldest and most prestigiously judged wine competition in North America.

A VIP awards ceremony will be held at the Grape & Gourmet event to honor top winners from the Wine Competition, including more than 300 wineries and industry leaders. Specialty awards include the Wine Lifetime Achievement Awards, the Winery of the Year, the California Vineyard of the Year and the Best of Show Wines.

The Grape & Gourmet is scheduled for Wednesday, July 7 from 2:30 to 8:00 p.m. at the Sacramento Convention Center. You can buy your tickets here!

Starting at 5:00 p.m. the public will have the opportunity to taste from more than 700 award-winning wines and 80 restaurants & caterers, more than 35 award-winning California micro-breweries and cheeses. Admission to California’s Grape & Gourmet includes unlimited wine and food tasting, as well as a free commemorative wineglass, wine tote, plate and general admission into the California State Fair. Select wines will also be available for purchase by the case or bottle with all proceeds from those sales benefiting the Friends of the California State Fair Scholarship Fund.

Wine Competition Results
At this year’s Wine Competition, 2,786 wine entries were received from more than 600 participating wineries. Seventy-two professional wine judges awarded 1,915 medals, including 37 Double Gold, 195 Gold, 1,073 Silver and 610 Bronze awards. Award winners include:


BEST OF REGION AWARDS

BEST OF NORTH COAST RED
GOLD 94
Michael-David: 2007 Mendocino County Sloth Zinfandel

BEST OF NORTH COAST WHITE
DOUBLE GOLD 98
V. Sattui Winery: 2009 Anderson Valley White Riesling

BEST OF SONOMA RED
GOLD 94
Buena Vista: 2006 Carneros Syrah Vinyard Series

BEST OF SONOMA WHITE
GOLD 94
Valley of the Moon Winery: 2009 Sonoma County Rosato di Sangi Sangiovese

BEST OF NAPA RED
GOLD 95
Napa Cellars: 2007 Napa Valley Zinfandel

BEST OF NAPA WHITE
DOUBLE GOLD 98
V. Sattui Winery: 2008 Napa Valley Riesling Select Late Harvest

BEST OF GREATER BAY RED
DOUBLE GOLD 98
Mitchell Katz Winery: 2007 Clark’s Corner Livermore Valley At Ruby Hill

BEST OF GREATER BAY WHITE (tie)
GOLD 95
Martin Ranch Winery: 2009 Santa Clara Valley J.D. Hurley Sauvignon Blanc

BEST OF GREATER BAY WHITE (tie)
GOLD 95
Storrs Winery: 2008 Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay

BEST OF NORTH-CENTRAL COAST RED
GOLD 94
Pierce Ranch Vineyards: 2007 San Antonio Petite Sirah

BEST OF NORTH-CENTRAL COAST WHITE
GOLD 95
Cypress Vineyards: 2009 Central Coast Sauvignon Blanc

BEST OF SOUTH-CENTRAL COAST RED
GOLD 95
Justin Vineyards & Winery: 2007 Paso Robles Isosceles (unfiltered)


BEST OF SOUTH-CENTRAL COAST WHITE
GOLD 95
Vina Robles: 2009 Estate Bottled Huerhuero Paso Robles White4

BEST OF SOUTH COAST RED
GOLD 94
Vindemia Vineyard: 2008 Temecula Valley Vineyard Temecula Valley Cabernet Franc

BEST OF SOUTH COAST WHITE
GOLD 94
Callaway Vineyard and Winery: 2009 Temecula Valley Rosé of Sangiovese Special Selection

BEST OF SIERRA FOOTHILLS RED
GOLD 95
Deaver Vineyards: 2007 Amador County Zinfandel

BEST OF SIERRA FOOTHILLS WHITE
GOLD 94
Davis Family Vineyards: 2008 Sierra Foothills White Rhone Blend, Cuvee Luke

BEST OF LODI RED
DOUBLE GOLD 98
Ramos Torres Winery: 2007 Lodi Branches Cabernet Sauvignon

BEST OF LODI WHITE
GOLD 95
Vino Con Brio: 2009 Estate Bottled Amorosa Lodi Brillante

BEST OF OTHER CALIFORNIA RED
GOLD 94
Tierra Del Rio Vineyards: 2008 Clarksburg Merlot

BEST OF CALIFORNIA STATE RED
DOUBLE GOLD 98
Red Rock Winery: 2008 California Malbec Reserve

BEST OF CALIFORNIA STATE WHITE
DOUBLE GOLD 98
Barefoot Cellars: NV California Barefoot Bubbly Brut Sparkling California Champagne


BEST OF CALIFORNIA

BEST BARBERA
GOLD 94
Jeff Runquist Wines: 2008 Ambra Vineyard Amador County Barbera Reserve

BEST BORDEAUX VARIETAL BLEND
DOUBLE GOLD 98
Sterling: 2008 Central Coast Meritage Vintner’s Collection

BEST CABERNET FRANC
GOLD 95
Nevada City Winery: 2007 Sierra Foothills Cabernet Franc

BEST CABERNET SAUVIGNON
DOUBLE GOLD 98
Bell Wine Cellars: 2007 Napa Valley Claret Cabernet Sauvignon

BEST CHARDONNAY
DOUBLE GOLD 98
Buena Vista: 2007 Estate Bottled Ramal Vineyard Carneros Chardonnay Vineyard Series

BEST GEWURZTRAMINER
GOLD 94
Navarro Vineyards: 2008 Estate Bottled Anderson Valley Gewurztraminer

BEST MERLOT
DOUBLE GOLD 98
V. Sattui Winery: 2007 Estate Bottled Henry Ranch Carneros Merlot

BEST MUSCAT
GOLD 94
Eberle Winery: 2009 Estate Bottled Paso Robles Muscat Canelli

BEST OTHER RED VARIETAL BLEND
GOLD 94
Eagle Castle Winery: 2007 Paso Robles Royal Red

BEST PETITE SIRAH
GOLD 94
Pierce Ranch Vineyards: 2007 San Antonio Petite Sirah

BEST PINOT GRIGIO
DOUBLE GOLD 98
Windsor Vineyards: 2009 California Pinot Grigio Private Reserve Series

BEST PINOT NOIR
DOUBLE GOLD 98
Bargetto Winery: 2007 Estate Bottled Regan Estate Vineyards Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir Reserved

BEST RED GENERIC (tie)
GOLD 94
Fenestra Winery: NV California True Red, Lot 24

BEST RED GENERIC (tie)
GOLD 94
Karmère Winery & Vineyard: 2008 California Shenandoah Valley Empress Juana Primabera Mother of Manuelito

BEST RED RHONE BLEND
GOLD 95
Wyneland Estates: 2007 Lodi GMA Proprieter’s Reserve

BEST RIESLING
DOUBLE GOLD 98
Kendall-Jackson: 2008 Monterey County Riesling Vintner’s Reserve

BEST SANGIOVESE
GOLD 95
Nello Olivo: 2007 El Dorado County Sangiovese

BEST SAUVIGNON BLANC
GOLD 95
Cypress Vineyards: 2009 Central Coast Sauvignon Blanc

BEST SPARKLING WINE
DOUBLE GOLD 98
Gloria Ferrer Caves & Vineyards: 2005 Carneros Blanc de Blancs Brut

BEST SYRAH
DOUBLE GOLD 98
Mitchel Katz Winery: 2007 Clark’s Corner Livermore Valley At Ruby Hill

BEST TEMPRANILLO
DOUBLE GOLD 98
Convergence Vineyards: 2008 El Dorado Tempranillo

BEST VIOGNIER
DOUBLE GOLD 98
McManis Family Vineyards: 2009 California Viognier


BEST WHITE ZINFANDEL
GOLD 94
Barefoot Cellars: NV California White Zinfandel

BEST ZINFANDEL
GOLD 95
Rock Wall Wine Co.: 2008 Sonoma County Zinfandel Reserve


The VIP awards ceremony honoring these wineries will take place at the Grape & Gourmet at 3:15 p.m. In addition to the Best of Region and Best of California awards, the State Fair, as determined by the California State Fair Commercial Wine Program, will also honor a Wine Lifetime Achievement, a California Vineyard of the Year and a Golden State Winery of the Year.

The 2010 Wine Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to the Wente Family. This award recognizes a person, family or industry as pioneers in the wine industry based on their lifetime contributions to the promotion, advancement and growth of the California wine industry. The “California Vineyard of the Year” award was designed to recognize a California vineyard which has consistently - over several growing seasons - produced grapes that have contributed directly to wine of superior quality and marketability within commercial sales systems and among fine wine judgings. Bien Nacido Vineyards® of Santa Maria has the distinct recognition of being awarded this title for 2010.

All award-winners and complete results of the 2010 California State Fair commercial Wine Competition are available online at www.thebestcaliforniawine.com. Results will also be available in the 2010 edition of California Wine, the State Fair’s annual wine publication. Copies of the magazine will be available at the California State Fair Wine Garden, or can be ordered from the State Fair’s Wine competition web site www.thebestcaliforniawine.com.