For our final post of 2013, we highlight the best wines we tasted this year as we announce the winners of our annual California Wines of the Year Competition.
Our tasting panel started out rounding up their favorite wines among those submitted for our review during the past twelve months. Next, we invited wineries to submit their favorite bottles into the competition as well. Our panel then went about tasting to narrow that down. In the end, they selected between 5 and 7 finalists for each category.
The bottles choosen for the final round were tasted by invited guests, consisting of members of the public who drink wine regularly but are certainly not experts. We asked them to vote for only their favorite wine in each category.
Winners of each category are listed below with the percentage of votes they received. We also noted the other wines that received votes. (Finalists that did not garner votes have been omitted.)
Thanks to all the wineries who participated making our 3rd annul competition a great success.
Cheers to all the winners for 2013!
Red Wines
Best Cabernet
Winner
Hunt Cellars 2009 Cab-Ovation (Paso Robles) – 50% of the vote
Runners-up
Sol Rouge 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley) – 33%
Alpha Omega Winery 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley) – 17%
Best Other Bordeaux (varietal or blend over 75% Bordeaux grapes)
Winner
Alpha Omega Winery 2010 ERA Blend (Napa Valley) – 67% of the vote
Runners-up
McIntyre Vineyards 2012 Merlot (Monterey County) – 17%
Sullivan 2010 Coeur De Vigne (Napa Valley) – 8%
Picazo 2008 Merlot (Livermore Valley) – 8%
Best Pinot Noir
Winner
La Rochelle 2009 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir (Sonoma County) – 50% of the vote
Runners-up
Ampelos Cellars 2009 “Lambda” Pinot Noir (Santa Barbara County) – 33%
Bluxome Street Winery 2011 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir (Sonoma County) – 17%
Best Rhone (varietal or blend over 75% Rhone grapes)
Winner
Vie Winery 2010 Las Madres Vineyard Syrah (Sonoma County) – 33% of the vote
Runners-up
Ampelos Cellars 2009 “Gamma” Syrah (Santa Barbara County) – 25%
Vie Melange Maison II (California) – 25%
Fenestra 2009 Grenache (Livermore Valley) – 17%
Best Zinfandel
Winner
Hunt Cellars 2008 Zin-Ovation – 58% of the votes
Runners-up
Howell Mountain Vineyards 2010 Old Vine Zinfandel (Napa Valley) – 25%
Wilson Winery 2011 “Cypress Ridge” Zinfandel (Sonoma County) – 17%
Best “Other” Red
Winner
Steven Kent “Sorride” Red Blend (Livermore Valley) – 75% of the votes
Runners-up
Collier Falls 2009 Primitivo (Sonoma County) – 17%
Rutherford Grove 2009 Estate Sangiovese (Napa Valley) – 8%
White/Rosé Wines
Best Rhone (varietal or blend over 75% Rhone grapes)
Winner
Hunt Cellars 2010 “Twilight Time” Viognier (Paso Robles) – 33%
Runners-up
Sol Rouge 2011 Gypsy Blanc (Lake County) – 25%
Sol Rouge 2011 Viognier (Lake County) – 17%
Vie Winery 2011 Roussanne (Lake County) – 17%
Cass 2011 “Rockin’ One” Blend (Paso Robles) – 8%
Best Chardonnay
Winner
McIntyre Vineyards 2012 Block K1 Chardonnay (Monterey County) – 42% of the vote
Runners-up
Steven Kent “Merrillie” Chardonnay (Livermore Valley) – 33%
McIntyre Vineyards 2012 Estate Chardonnay (Monterey County) – 17%
Wrath Winery 2011 “3 Clone” Chardonnay (Monterey County) – 8%
Best “Other” White/Rosé
Winner
Vie Winery 2012 “Belle-Amie” Rosé (Santa Barbara County) – 67% of the votes
Runners-up
Gustafson Vineyards 2012 Riesling (Sonoma County) – 25%
Fritz Winery 2012 Rosé (Sonoma County) – 8%
Dessert/Port Wines
Best Port
Winner
Hunt Cellars 2001 “Good Vibrations” 7 Year Tawny Port (Paso Robles) – 75% of the vote
Runner-up
Sculpterra Winery J. Jagger Primitivo (Paso Robles) – 25%
Best Dessert Wine
Winner
Yorkville Cellars 2011 Late Harvest Semillon-Sauvignon Blanc (Mendocino County) – 33% of the vote
Runners-up
Winery SF “Sweet Seduction” Late Harvest Viognier (California) – 25%
Yorkville Cellars 2012 Sweet Malbec (Mendocino County) – 25%
Thorn Hill 2008 “Fire” Petite Sirah (Napa Valley) – 17%