Wineries that shine at competitions come in all shapes and sizes. It’s not so much how many medals have been won (though the numbers certainly indicate consistency in quality) as what kind.
Take, for example, the Port house of Dow’s, a lovely winery in Pinhao, in the heart of the Douro Valley. Dow’s entered but two wines in the Critics Challenge — a beauty 1994 Vintage Port and the delicious single-quinta Senhora da Ribeira from ’05 — and scooted out of dodge with a Platinum and a Gold.
I was particularly interested in the ’94, which is one of my favorite Port vintages of the past 15 years. I discussed the wine with judge Michael Franz, who observed that while the color of the wine was consistent with its age, the structure and flavor indicated the wine was still far from its peak.
Champagne Mumm also scored a Platinum and Gold with just two wines entered — its bold non-vintage Cordon Rouge and the creamy blanc de blancs Mumm de Cramant. Mumm hasn’t collected all of the credit it deserve for its turnaround of the past 20 years, but that’s helped keep the price down (no minor miracle when it comes to Champagne these days) so I’m not complaining.
And Five Rivers, one of the many “brands” handled by the drinks giant Brown-Forman, impressed with a Platinum, two Golds and a Silver out of a handful of wines entered.
Judge Linda Murphy was most impressed when she learned the price of the Five Rivers Gold medal Cabernet from Paso Robles was a mere $10.
Domaine Laroche
Critics Silver 2006 Chablis, Saint Martin Burgundy $29.99
Critics Gold 2005 Chablis Premier Cru, Les Vaudevey Burgundy $41.99
Critics Platinum 2004 Chablis Premier Cru, Les Vaillons Vieilles Vignes Burgundy $43.99
Critics Silver 2005 Chablis Premier Cru, Les Fourchaumes Vieilles Vignes Burgundy $53.99
Critics Silver 2005 Chablis Grand Cru, Les Blanchots Burgundy $86.99
Dow’s
Critics Platinum 1994 Vintage Port Douro Valley $105.00
Critics Gold 2005 Vintage Port, Quinta da Senhora da Ribeira Douro Valley $60.00
Dry Creek Vineyard
Critics Silver 2004 The Mariner, Meritage Dry Creek Valley $40.00
Critics Gold 2005 Merlot Dry Creek Valley $19.00
Critics Gold 2006 Heritage Zinfandel Sonoma County $17.00
Critics Gold 2005 Old Vine Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley $28.00
Critics Gold 2005 Chardonnay Russian River Valley $20.00
Critics Silver 2006 Fume Blanc, Dry Sauvignon Blanc Sonoma County $14.50
Eberle Winery
Critics Gold 2006 Cotes de Robles Paso Robles $20.00
Critics Silver 2006 Barbera, Steinbeck/Christian Lazo Vineyards Paso Robles $22.00
Critics Silver 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon, Reserve Paso Robles $65.00
Critics Platinum 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, Vineyard Selection Paso Robles $18.00
Critics Silver 2006 Zinfandel, Steinbeck/Wine-Bush Vineyards Paso Robles $24.00
Critics Silver 2007 Muscat Canelli, Estate Paso Robles $14.00
Critics Gold 2007 Viognier Paso Robles $20.00
Five Rivers
Critics Gold 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles $9.99
Critics Platinum 2005 Merlot Central Coast $9.99
Critics Silver 2006 Pinot Noir Central Coast $13.99
Critics Gold 2007 Pinot Grigio Monterey County $9.99
G.H. Mumm
Critics Gold Mumm de Cramant Reims $59.99
Critics Platinum Cordon Rouge Reims $34.99
Gloria Ferrer
Critics Gold 2005 Merlot, Estate Grown Carneros $19.00
Critics Silver 2005 Pinot Noir Carneros $28.00
Critics Gold 2003 Pinot Noir, Rust Rock Terrace Carneros $40.00
Critics Gold 2004 Syrah Carneros $19.00
Critics Gold 2004 Blanc de Blancs Carneros $24.00
Critics Silver NV Blanc de Noirs Sonoma County $20.00
Critics Silver 2000 Royal Cuvee, Reserve Carneros $32.00
Critics Silver 1997 Carneros Cuvee Carneros $50.00
Handley Cellars
Critics Silver 2006 Pinot Noir Anderson Valley $30.00
Critics Silver 2006 Pinot Noir Mendocino County $25.00
Critics Gold 2005 Syrah Dry Creek Valley $25.00
Critics Silver 2006 Chardonnay, Estate Vineyard Anderson Valley $22.00
Critics Gold 2006 Chardonnay Dry Creek Valley $20.00
Critics Gold 2007 Gewürztraminer Anderson Valley $18.00
Critics Silver 2007 Pinot Gris Anderson Valley $18.00
Critics Gold 2006 White Riesling Mendocino County $18.00
Critics Silver 2007 Viognier Dry Creek Valley $20.00
Hogue Cellars
Critics Gold 2005 Merlot, Genesis Columbia Valley $16.00
Critics Silver 2006 Chardonnay Columbia Valley $9.00
Critics Gold 2007 Pinot Grigio Columbia Valley $9.00
Critics Silver 2006 Riesling, Genesis Columbia Valley $16.00
Critics Gold 2007 Late Harvest White Riesling Columbia Valley $9.00
Husch Vineyards
Critics Silver 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, La Ribera Vineyard Mendocino $21.00
Critics Silver 2005 Pinot Noir, Knoll Anderson Valley $38.00
Critics Silver 2005 Syrah, La Ribera Vineyard Mendocino $28.00
Critics Silver 2007 Chenin Blanc, La Ribera Vineyard Mendocino $11.00
Critics Silver 2006 Chardonnay Mendocino $15.00
Critics Platinum 2007 Gewürztraminer Anderson Valley $14.00
Critics Gold 2007 Sauvignon Blanc, La Ribera Vineyard Mendocino $13.50
CLICK HERE FOR CRITICS CHALLENGE WINNERS
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