The results of the 2011 Calaveras Wine Competition - held annually in conjunction with the Calaveras County Fair and Jumping Frog Jubilee (more about that in forthcoming blog) - have been announced. The judges were fairly discriminating this year as only 36 gold medals (including five double-golds (meaning every judge at the table awarded the wine a gold medal)) were awarded. The medal winning wines served as additional support of the claims I've been making throughout my blogs: the strength of the Sierra Foothills is in Mediterranean varietals and (of course) Zinfandel. I'll review key results across a couple of blogs.
Today, I'll cover the "Zinfandel Shoot-out" (how's that for an authentic Gold Rush expression?). This element of the judging is in its second year and is becoming a key feature of the competition. Zinfandels from all the Foothill regions compete to be judged the top Foothills Zinfandel. Last year, the Donner Party Zinfandel from Newsome-Harlow (Calaveras County) took top honors. This year, the Zinfandel Shoot-Out winner was Macchia Winery. Although a Lodi winery, Macchia's grapes for the winning Lindsteadt Vineyard 2009 Zinfandel were sourced from Amador County. Thus, two years, two different Foothill counties represented as "Best Foothills Zin". Clearly, next year should be El Dorado's turn.
Macchia also took a gold medal for their Grand Pere 2009 Zinfandel. Other Amador County Zinfandels taking gold medals were Shenandoah Vineyards 2008 Paul's Vineyard Zin (which took a double gold!), Terra d'Oro 2008 Home Vineyard, Renwood 2008 Grand Pere Vineyard, and Sobon 2008 Fiddletown Vineyard Zin.
The Chatom Vineyard 2008 Zinfandel was the lone gold medal winner from Calaveras, while none of the El Dorado entries this year were able to garner a gold.
All of these wines are worth looking for. If you've not had a Foothills Zinfandel recently, why not plan a trip to one or more of these wineries and hold your own Foothills Zinfandel Shoot-Out competition.
I'll profile other gold medal winning wines among the other varietal and blend categories in future blogs. In the interim, if you have any comments about this - or any - of my entries, please contact me at paladin.mod@gmail.com. I promise to respond to all emails and will publish those which seem appropriate.
Today, I'll cover the "Zinfandel Shoot-out" (how's that for an authentic Gold Rush expression?). This element of the judging is in its second year and is becoming a key feature of the competition. Zinfandels from all the Foothill regions compete to be judged the top Foothills Zinfandel. Last year, the Donner Party Zinfandel from Newsome-Harlow (Calaveras County) took top honors. This year, the Zinfandel Shoot-Out winner was Macchia Winery. Although a Lodi winery, Macchia's grapes for the winning Lindsteadt Vineyard 2009 Zinfandel were sourced from Amador County. Thus, two years, two different Foothill counties represented as "Best Foothills Zin". Clearly, next year should be El Dorado's turn.
Macchia also took a gold medal for their Grand Pere 2009 Zinfandel. Other Amador County Zinfandels taking gold medals were Shenandoah Vineyards 2008 Paul's Vineyard Zin (which took a double gold!), Terra d'Oro 2008 Home Vineyard, Renwood 2008 Grand Pere Vineyard, and Sobon 2008 Fiddletown Vineyard Zin.
The Chatom Vineyard 2008 Zinfandel was the lone gold medal winner from Calaveras, while none of the El Dorado entries this year were able to garner a gold.
All of these wines are worth looking for. If you've not had a Foothills Zinfandel recently, why not plan a trip to one or more of these wineries and hold your own Foothills Zinfandel Shoot-Out competition.
I'll profile other gold medal winning wines among the other varietal and blend categories in future blogs. In the interim, if you have any comments about this - or any - of my entries, please contact me at paladin.mod@gmail.com. I promise to respond to all emails and will publish those which seem appropriate.