As one of the volunteers peered down the line of Platinum Award winning wines immediately after the conclusion of last weekend’s San Diego International Wine Competition, I heard her remark, “Four wines
from Benziger…wow, are they lucky!”
In a rare show of restraint, I bit my tongue at the time. What I really wanted to say, however, was, “Lucky? If you win one Platinum Award, maybe that’s lucky. But when you win four of them, that’s kicking ass!”
Pardon my French, but nothing less emphatic will do justice to the accomplishment, which is nothing short of astonishing when you crunch the numbers.
A total of 1,666 wines were entered in the SDIWC, and only 66 of them won Platinum Awards, which is less than 4%. To have four panels–tasting blind–put four different wines forward with Platinum Awards for the Sweepstakes Round is truly remarkable, especially when you consider that the four were made from four different grape varieties.
Here are my reviews of the four wines:
Benziger Family Winery, Carneros (California) Sangiacomo 
Vineyard Chardonnay 2008 ($20): The balance of fruit and oak in the wine is essentially perfect, as the light notes of spices and toast neither overwhelm nor get lost underneath the fruit, which shows exceptionally pure notes of ripe pear and peach. The balance between–and integration of–acidity and fruitiness could hardly be better, and the wine’s overall character is completely convincing. Bloody impressive juice, and at a very attractive price. 93
Benziger Family Winery, Russian River Valley (Sonoma County, California) Pinot Noir 2008 ($28): Striking for its delicacy and restraint in the context of California Pinot Noir, this wine is pretty rather than powerful, with light color and weight. The aromas are nevertheless quite expressive, showing notes of wild strawberry and red cherry, and the flavors mirror the aromas in a way that makes the wine seem admirably seamless and natural. The oak is extremely subtle, and there’s lots of fresh acidity to brighten the finish. 92
Benziger Family Winery, Sonoma County (California) Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 ($20): Pure, seamlessly integrated, natural and thoroughly delicious, this is a very well made and stylish Cabernet that must have been based upon very fine fruit. Blackberry and cassis fruit notes show just the faintest tinge of oak, with a subtle cocoa powder note and a bit of spice also showing around the edges. There’s enough tannin to counterbalance the sweetness of the fruit. A very good buy for $30, and a steal at $20. 92
Benziger Family Winery, Sonoma County (California) Merlot 2007 ($19): A medium-bodied Merlot that offers lots of aroma and flavor in a moderately-sized package, this wine is at once stylish and generous. Pure fruit notes recalling black plums and red berries are the prime attraction, with subtle backnotes of espresso beans, spiced meat and toast. Notable tannins frame and firm the wine, but they are quite fine in grain, and don’t have the effect of drying the finish. Very well made
in a style that will prove highly versatile at the table. 90
As a last word, I’ve been judging wine competitions around the world for nearly 20 years, and I cannot remember a single producer’s wines achieving such prominence at the very top of an event. Hats off to everyone at Benziger…and while you are tipping your cap, I’ll be getting a head start toward the wine shop….
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