By Rick Riozza
One of our favorite summertime destinations is San Francisco. It’s a fairly quick jaunt, close to wine country, great restaurants big and small, beautiful surroundings with refreshing weather. Love being up there!
One of the largest, prestigious, and most influential wine competitions in America, the 2013SanFrancisco International Wine Competition considered 4,539 wines entered from more than 1,400 wineries, representing 30 countries and 29 states.
Now for the bunch of us vino traders and media who didn’t quite make it to SF in June for the competition—well, the results are in for: Gold, Double Gold, and Best in Show categories. The wines were judged in several types, including best white, red,sparkling and dessert. Judging is based on a blind, consensual procedure, ensuring competitive integrity as it remains the nation’s most respected wine competition.
Of course the interesting and valuable info coming out of this competition is that you’ll see these wines showing on the shelves of your market or favorite wine shop; your hunt for a great tasting wine is fortunately assisted by a prestigious panel of over 50 nationally recognized wine experts. In this competition, a select panel of three judges, in a blind tasting, must all agree for Double Gold and then on the last day, the entire judging panel must agree on thebest-of-the-bestmerit the Best in Show title.
Many of you recognize the name of the former Wine & Spirits Editor of Bon Appétit Magazine, Anthony Dias Blue. He is the founder and executive director of the Competition, and, owner and Editor-in-Chief of The Tasting Panel Magazine—considered one of the elite beverage publications in the wine & spirits industry. He is recognized world-wide as a leading food, wine, travel, and spirits authority. His work in all media, which includes television and radio, is circulated to millions.
For you wine enthusiasts, please go towww.sfwinecompetition.com. for all the results. And congratulations to the winners—we all hope to enjoy at least a few of these bestowed wines this coming year. Below are especial picks that I’d like you readers to be aware of.
The Best in Showin Sparkling Wines is a true Champagne: Charles Heidsieck NV Brut Réserve, Champagne, France. This non-vintage wine received a whopping 93 points by Wine Spectator Magazine. This delicious wine is robed in a bright yellow color with an intensive mousse—a fancy term for very fizzy! It holds juicy orchard fruit flavors with notes of honeysuckle and buttered toast. It’s rich—but medium bodied, fleshy and energetic. Good acidity, some minerality, and a hint of spice. It shows a quick briny note and has a touch smoky finish.
What Champagne or sparkling wine lover would not wish to enjoy a quaff like that? It’s definitely a French treat for the up-coming holidays, with a list price of around $60. If you wish to impress yourself and your friends—serve this!
A great indication that this competition is strictly a blind one—is their choice for the Best in Show for a White Wine: Wollersheim Winery 2012 Dry Riesling at the wondrous list price of $9! Geez—without even reading up on this wine, I’d grab it just to see how such a low-priced wine could make it into the famous hall of champions.
Most remember the sweeter wines coming from those Riesling [REE-sling] grapes. And German Riesling wines are fabulous. But the dry-type (non-sweet or barely sweet) Rieslings are just as tasty with great complexities.
The Wollersheim Winery sits on a scenic hillside overlooking the Wisconsin River—if you know the Wisconsin area, it’s just across from Prairie du Sac. This national historic site was selected by European vintners over 150 years ago. Established as the Wollersheim Winery in 1972, today the vineyards are comprised of 27 acres of French-American hybrid grapes.
This wine holds just a touch of sweetness with aromas of basil and licorice on a palate of crisp green apples. This delightful combo of scents and flavors has absolutely wooed the professional wine tasters (deemed Wine of the Year by the 2013 San Diego Wine Competition) and all of us simple vino lovers. If you’re doing stir-fry, zap a bit of this in the wok while cooking—then pour yourself and friends the rest. Yummy stuff!
The Best in Show for a Red Wine was awarded to J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines 2009 Cuvée POM, Paso Robles. This is a Bordeaux-type blend (especially think of Pomerol) of 59% Merlot, 26% Petite Verdot, and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon.
Winemaker Steven Peck says, “this is intensely aromatic and shows deep red hues. Red fruit aromas of plum are complemented by a bouquet of coconut and dark caramel, restrained palate weight, bright acidity, and luxury-soft mouthfeel.” Look to accompany your winter cuisine with this dark scarlet beauty.
By the way, J. Lohr Vineyards & Winery received The Tasting Panel Magazine Winery of the Year. This definitely translates to putting that winery on one of your wine vacation maps.
So many wonderful wines were awarded and I’ll pepper this column throughout the year on some that you’ll really want to enjoy. Cheers!
Rick is your sommelier-about-town as he tastes, conducts, and entertains at various wine parties and events. Contact winespectrum@aol.com
