As I skimmed the results of the 2008 San Diego International Wine Competition, which are listed by winery and in alphabetical order, I took a long pause at the letter S. Wow, I thought, the S must stand for Superman.
So many outstanding performers in the Superman bracket this year. Take South Coast Winery of Southern California’s Temecula Valley, for example. Winemaker Jon McPherson’s shirts must be popping their buttons these days, for South Coast rumbled out of San Diego with 19 medals, finishing in a tie with Kendall-Jackson in that category.
And if you like the South Coast wines, you would absolutely love to visit this beautiful winery property for an overnight stay in one of the vineyard villas, or perhaps spend a couple of soothing hours at the world class spa. The restaurant’s not too shabby either. Only a one-hour drive from downtown San Diego!
I also was impressed by the awesome consistency of two wineries from the heartland, St. James and Stone Hill, with 11 and 10 medals, respectively. Both wineries are located in Missouri and neither is a stranger to the winner’s circle. Both racked up similar medal totals at the Monterey Wine Competition in March.
What’s remarkable is that these two wineries are using grape varieties that many judges — mostly winemakers and wine industry professionals — never taste. The medals are being awarded on balance and winemaking integrity rather than “varietal correctness,” which I’ve always thought was a load of bull to begin with.
Who can even begin to define varietal correctness? A wine made from Tempranillo grapes grown in Spain’s Rioja region will taste nothing like a wine made from Tempranillo grapes grown in California’s Sierra Foothills. Judges should always judge the wine rather than how close the winemaker came to their idea of what the wine should have been!
OK, sermon over. Back to the topic of consistency. St. Supery Vineyards of the Napa Valley is the model of consistency. This winery takes important competition prizes each and every year, and this year was no exception. Three of its five medals were Gold, and one was Silver.
Scheid Vineyards
Gold 2005 Claret, Reserve Monterey County $55.00
Bronze 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Monterey County $20.00
Silver 2006 Pinot Noir, Estate Monterey County $25.00
Bronze 2005 Pinot Noir, Reserve Monterey County $50.00
Bronze 2006 Chardonnay Monterey County $18.00
South Coast Winery
Bronze 2004 Meritage, Wild Horse Peak Mountain Vineyard South Coast $32.00
Silver NV Romanza Temecula Valley $18.00
Bronze NV Black Jack Port South Coast $38.00
Bronze 2006 Riesling, Carter Estate Vineyard Temecula Valley $14.00
Silver 2007 Merlot Blanc South Coast $14.00
Bronze 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon, Rolling Hills Estate Vineyard Temecula Valley $16.00
Silver 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon, 4 Block Blend, Wild Horse Peak Mountain Vineyards South Coast $28.00
Silver 2006 Grenache, Carter Estate Vineyard Temecula Valley $18.00
Bronze 2005 Merlot, Rolling Hills Estate Vineyards Temecula Valley $16.00
Bronze 2003 Merlot, Wild Horse Peak Mountain Vineyard, Freedom and Harmony Block South Coast $24.00
Bronze 2005 Syrah, Rolling Hills Estate Vineyards Temecula Valley $44.00
Silver 2006 Zinfandel Cucamonga Valley $24.00
Bronze NV Brut Temecula Valley $18.00
Silver NV Ruby Cuvée, Sparkling Syrah Temecula Valley
Bronze 2007 Muscat Canelli Temecula Valley $14.00
Silver 2007 Chardonnay, Sans Chene Temecula Valley $15.00
Silver 2007 Pinot Grigio Temecula Valley $14.00
Bronze 2007 Sauvignon Blanc, Musque Clone Temecula Valley $14.00
Bronze 2006 Viognier Temecula Valley $18.00
St. James Winery
Bronze NV Friendship School Red Ozark Mountain, Missouri $7.99
Bronze NV Country Red American $6.99
Gold NV Country White American $6.99
Bronze NV Friendship School White American $7.99
Bronze NV Velvet White American $6.99
Bronze 2005 Norton Dessert Wine Ozark Mountain, Missouri $17.99
Silver 2006 Concord Dessert Wine American $12.99
Bronze 2005 Catawba Dessert Wine Ozark Mountain, Missouri $12.99
Gold NV Riesling Columbia Valley $9.99
Bronze 2005 Chardonel Ozark Mountain $10.99
Bronze 2005 Late Harvest Chardonel Ozark Mountain $24.99
St. Supery Vineyards & Winery
Silver 2004 Elu Napa Valley $65.00
Gold 2006 Virtu Napa Valley $28.00
Bronze 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon, Dollarhide Napa Valley $80.00
Gold 2007 Moscato California $22.00
Gold 2007 Sauvignon Blanc, Dollarhide, Limited Edition Estate Napa Valley $35.00
Stephen & Walker
Bronze 2004 Portentous Mendocino $65.00
Gold 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain $65.00
Silver 2005 Pinot Noir Monterey County $36.00
Gold 2006 Pinot Noir Monterey County $39.00
Bronze 2006 Zinfandel Russian River Valley $39.00
Stone Hill Winery
Silver 2006 Steinberg White Missouri $10.99
Bronze 2005 Chambourcin Missouri $15.99
Silver NV Concord American $7.99
Bronze 2005 Norton Hermann $18.99
Silver 2005 Norton, Cross J Hermann
Bronze NV Pink Catawba Missouri $7.99
Silver NV Golden Spumante Missouri $10.99
Gold 2007 Traminette American $15.99
Gold, Sweeps 2007 Vignoles Missouri
Gold 2006 Chardonel, Reserve Missouri $24.99
Stonehedge Winery
Gold, Sweeps 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, Reserve Napa Valley $20.00
Bronze 2006 Malbec, Terroir Select Mendocino $15.00
Gold 2004 Petite Syrah, Terroir Select Mendocino $15.00
Bronze 2005 Chardonnay, Terroir Select Santa Lucia Highlands $15.00
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