After two rounds of tastings, sorting through over 100 total entries, we’re finally ready to reveal our wines of the year.

The finalists in each category (as selected by the members of our tasting panel who work or have worked in the wine industry) were tasted in flights by non-industry members of our panel as well as a handful of invited guests. Everyone who voted enjoys wine and drinks it it on a regular basis, but certainly are not experts. In essence, they are simply members of the general wine-buying public, and since consumers do most of the purchasing, our thinking was they’d be best suited to pick our wines of the year. Each participant was told to vote for the wine they felt should win each category. 

Winners of each category are listed below with the percentage votes they received.

Honorable Mentions are also listed by category. They include any wines that also received votes. Finalists that did not garner votes have been omitted.

 

2011 CA Bordeaux Wine of the Year 

 

Steele Wines 2008 Stymie Merlot (Lake County): 33%

 

Honorable Mentions

Steven Kent 2008 Petite Verdot (Livermoe Valley): 27%

Round Pond 2008 Estate Cabernet (Napa Valley): 20%

Hunt Cellars 2005 Cab-Ovation (Paso Robles): 20%

 

See the other entries and category finalists here.

 

2011 CA Rhone Red Wine of the Year

 

Hunt Cellars 2006 Que Sirah, Syrah (Paso Robles): 100%

 

Honorable Mentions

(none)

 

See the other entries and category finalists here.

 

2011 CA Pinot Noir of the Year

 

J. Lohr 2009 Fog’s Reach (Paso Robles): 27%

 

Honorable Mentions

La Rochelle 2008 Sonoma Coast: 20%

Dieberg 2007 Pinot (Santa Barbara): 20%

McIntyre Vineyards 2009 SLH (Monterey County): 20%

Calcareous 2009 York Mountain (Paso Robles): 6.5%

Ampelos Cellars 2006 Pinot (Santa Barbara): 6.5%

 

See the other entries and category finalists here.

 

2011 CA “Other” Red Wine of the Year (category included Zin, Italian varietal, and blended wines)

 

Midnight Cellars 2008 Estate Zinfandel (Paso Robles): 53%

 

Honorable Mentions

Summit Lake 2007 Zinfandel (Napa Valley): 40%

Cedarville 2009 Zinfandel (El Dorado County): 7%

 

See the other entries and category finalists here.

 

2011 CA Chardonnay of the Year

 

Ferrari-Carano 2009 Reserve (Napa Valley): 34%

 

Honorable Mentions

McIntyre Vineyards 2009 SLH (Monterey County): 27%

Mitchell Katz 2010 Shadow Hills (Livermore Valley): 13%

Alma Rosa 2007 El Jabali Vineyard (Santa Barbara): 13%

Steele Wines 2009 Cuvee (Lake County): 13%

 

See the other entries and category finalists here.

 

2011 CA “Other” White Wines of the Year (Tie)

 

Scheid Vineyards 2009 Pinot Blanc (Monterey County): 34%

 

Lone Madrone 2009 Points West White (Paso Robles): 34%

 

Honorable Mentions

Peju Provence (Napa Valley): 27%

Yorkville Cellars 2009 Eleanor of Aquitaine (Mendocino County): 13%

See the other entries and category finalists here.

 

2011 CA Port/Dessert Wine of the Year

 

Hunt Cellars 2000 “Oldie But Goodie” (Paso Robles): 87%

 

Honorable Mentions

Ventana Vineyards 2010 Orange Muscat (Monterey County): 6.5%

Murrieta’s Well 2010 Livermore Valley Port: 6.5%

 

See the other entries and category finalists here.

 

Congratulations to all the winners! May 2012 be just as wonderful a year for wine!