Winners have been
announced for the 2016 California State Fair Commercial Wine Competition. With
the help of 175 volunteers, 55 judges had just three days to taste 2,854
wines from more than 750 California wineries. In the end, 115 Double Golds and
230 Golds were awarded to wineries of every size throughout the Golden State.
Dating back to 1854, the
California State Fair Wine Competition is America’s oldest and most prestigious
wine event. Only wines made with fruit grown in California may be judged in the
competition. Wines are evaluated by class, varietal, style and region based
upon the source of the grapes.
Top wines including Best
of Region and Best of California winners will be featured at the California
State Fair in the Save Mart Supermarkets Wine Garden for visitors to enjoy July
8 - 24.
A complete list of
award-winning wines can be found here.
BEST OF SHOW RED
Double
Gold 98
St. Amant Winery 2014 Tempranillo, The Road Less Traveled, Amador County
BEST OF SHOW WHITE
Double
Gold 98
J. Lohr Gesture 2015 Viognier, Paso Robles
BEST OF SHOW SPARKLING
Double
Gold 98
Gloria Ferrer NV
Blanc de Noirs Sparkling Wine, Carneros
BEST OF SHOW PINK
Double
Gold 98
Robert Hall Winery 2015 Rosé de Robles Rosé Wine, Paso Robles
BEST OF SHOW DESSERT
Double
Gold 98
Navarro Vineyards 2014 Riesling, Cluster Select, Late Harvest, Anderson Valley,
Mendocino
GOLDEN STATE WINERY OF THE YEAR
South
Coast Winery
BEST OF MICROWINERY RED
Double
Gold 98
Michael Gill Cellars, 2015 Counoise, Paso Robles
BEST MICROWINERY WHITE
Double
Gold 98
Turkovich Family Wines 2015 Albariño, Yolo County
BEST MICROWINERY OTHER
Double
Gold 98
Renegade Winery NV OMG Port Style Dessert Wine, California
BEST VALUE
Double
Gold 98
Smoking Loon 2014
Chardonnay, California
BEST OF REGION
BEST OF NORTH COAST RED
Double
Gold 98
Shed Horn Cellars 2014 Lake County, Red Varietal Blend
BEST OF NORTH COAST WHITE
Double
Gold 98
Bliss Family Vineyards 2015 Mendocino Sauvignon Blanc
BEST OF SONOMA RED
Double
Gold 98
Sean Minor 2013
Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
BEST OF SONOMA WHITE
Double
Gold 98
J. Vineyards 2014
Russian River Valley Chardonnay
BEST OF NAPA RED
Double
Gold 98
Double T 2013
Napa Valley Red Wine
BEST OF NAPA WHITE
Double
Gold 98
Black Stallion Estate Winery 2015 Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc
BEST OF GREATER BAY RED
Double
Gold 98
Concannon 2013
Livermore Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
BEST OF GREATER BAY WHITE
Double
Gold 98
Bloomfield Vineyards 2015 Contra Costa County Viognier
BEST OF NORTH-CENTRAL COAST RED
Double
Gold 98
Stephen & Walker 2013 Monterey County Pinot Noir
BEST OF NORTH-CENTRAL COAST WHITE
Double
Gold 98
Fetzer Vineyards 2014 Monterey County Riesling
BEST OF SOUTH-CENTRAL COAST RED
Double
Gold 98
Le Vigne Winery 2013 Paso Robles Di Domenico Cabernet Sauvignon
BEST OF SOUTH-CENTRAL COAST WHITE
Double
Gold 98
J. Lohr Gesture 2015 Paso Robles Viognier
BEST OF SOUTH COAST RED
Double
Gold 98
Shadow Mountain Vineyards 2013 San Diego County Nebbiolo
BEST OF SOUTH COAST WHITE
Double
Gold 98
South Coast Winery 2015 Temecula Valley Sauvignon Blanc
BEST OF SIERRA FOOTHILLS RED
Double
Gold 98
St. Amant Winery 2014 Amador County Tempranillo
BEST OF SIERRA FOOTHILLS WHITE
Double
Gold 98
Oakstone Winery 2015 Fair Play Pinot Grigio, Estate Mother Vine Ranch
BEST OF LODI RED
Double
Gold 98
Loma Prieta Winery 2013 Lodi Pinotage Bodo’s Blend
BEST OF LODI WHITE
Double
Gold 98
Lewis Grace 2014
Alta Mesa Torrontés
BEST OF OTHER CALIFORNIA RED
Double
Gold 98
Cardella Winery 2014 Fresno County Malbec
BEST OF OTHER CALIFORNIA WHITE
Double
Gold 98
Rendez-vous Winery 2014 Clarksburg Chenin Blanc
BEST OF CALIFORNIA STATE RED
Double
Gold 98
H. Mynors 2013
California Zinfandel Old Vine Cuvée
BEST OF CALIFORNIA STATE WHITE
Double
Gold 98
Smoking Loon 2014
California Chardonnay
BEST OF CALIFORNIA WINES
BEST BARBERA
Double Gold 98
Amador Cellars 2013 Barbera Cooper & Karmere Vineyard Amador County
BEST BORDEAUX RED VARIETAL BLEND
Double
Gold 98
Windwalker Vineyard 2011 Red Table Wine El Dorado
BEST CABERNET FRANC
Double
Gold 98
Bent Creek Wines 2013 Cabernet Franc Livermore Valley
BEST CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Double
Gold 98
Concannon Vineyard 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Livermore Valley
BEST CHARDONNAY
Double
Gold 98
Belle Ambiance Family Vineyards 2014 Chardonnay California
BEST GRENACHE
Double
Gold 98
Villa Vallecito Vineyards 2013 Grenache Sierra Foothills
BEST MALBEC
Double
Gold 98
Martin Ranch Winery 2013 Malbec Thérèse Vineyards Santa Clara Valley - Dos Niñas
Vineyard
BEST MERLOT
Double
Gold 98
Francis Coppola Diamond Collection 2014 Merlot Blue Label California
BEST OTHER FORTIFIED DESSERT WINE
Double
Gold 98
Galleano Winery NV Port, Old Vine Cucamonga Valley
BEST OTHER RED VARIETAL BLEND
Double
Gold 98
Obscurity Cellars 2014 Carignane & Zinfandel Murrill Vineyard 100th Anniversary
1916 Amador County
BEST OTHER RED VARIETAL
Double
Gold 98
Acorn Winery 2013
Dolcetto Alegria Vineyards Russian River Valley
BEST OTHER WHITE VARIETAL
Double
Gold 98
Lewis Grace 2015
Torrontés Alta Mesa
BEST PETITE SIRAH
Double
Gold 98
Wolff Vineyards 2014 Petite Sirah Edna Valley
BEST PINOT GRIGIO
Double
Gold 98
Menage à Trois 2015 Pinot Grigio California
BEST PINOT NOIR
Double
Gold 98
Rodney Strong Estate Vineyards Sonoma Coast 2013 Pinot Noir Sonoma County
BEST PRIMITIVO
Double
Gold 98
Smith Vineyard 2013 Primitivo Estate Bottled Sierra Foothills
BEST RED GENERIC
Double
Gold 98
Three Thieves 2014
Red Wine California
BEST RIESLING
Double
Gold 98
Fetzer Vineyards 2014 Riesling Goosefoot Road Monterey County
BEST SANGIOVESE
Double
Gold 98
Windwalker Vineyard 2012 Sangiovese Sierra Foothills
BEST SAUVIGNON BLANC
Double
Gold 98
South Coast Winery 2015 Sauvignon Blanc Carter Estate Vineyard Winemaker’s Signature
Collection Temecula Valley
BEST SHIRAZ
Double
Gold 98
Barefoot NV
Shiraz California
BEST TEMPRANILLO
Double
Gold 98
Peirano Estate Vineyards 2013 Tempranillo Estate The Heritage Collection Lodi
BEST VIOGNIER
Double
Gold 98
Acquiesce 2015
Viognier Premium White Wine Lodi
BEST ZINFANDEL
Double
Gold 98
Sobon Estate 2014
Zinfandel ReZerve0 Paul's Vineyard Amador County
The California State
Fair will recognize the top award winners at a special press event on the steps
of the State Capitol on June 23 at 10 a.m., along with the Best of Show winners
from the Fair’s other well-respected commercial cheese, commercial beer and
extra virgin olive oil competitions. The Best of Show award-winners are invited
to pour their award-winning wine at a special invitation only Best of
California tasting reception prior to the annual California State Fair Gala the
evening of June 23 at 5:30 p.m.
About the California
State Fair
For more than 160 years,
the California State Fair has showcased the best of the Golden State. Cal Expo
was dedicated as a place to celebrate California’s achievements, industries,
agriculture, diversity of its people, traditions and trends that shape the
State’s future. The 2016 California State Fair will take place July 8-24.
Advanced ticket pricing starts at $6 for children, $8 for seniors and $10 for
adults. Tickets are available at CAStateFair.org/tickets.