Livermore Valley 2019 Uncorked Competition Results

The Livermore Valley has long been a premier wine region since the mid-1800s. Vintners recognized the region’s climate and terroir as suitable for grape growing. In fact a Livermore Valley wine was the winner in of America’s first Gold Medal for Wine in the 1889 Paris Exposition. To honor this great winemaking and grape growing heritage, the Tri-Valley Conservancy has sponsored “Livermore Valley Uncorked”, an annual wine competition that is open only to wines made from grapes grown in the Livermore Valley.

Every year the Tri-Valley Conservancy hosts the Livermore Valley Uncorked Wine Competition.  This competition has gained popularity and earned the respect of wine industry professionals, specialty wine shop and restaurant owners, retail distributors and consumers. A select group of judges do the final judging of the wines selecting the Best of the Best.

The winners for 2019 are:

Best of Show, Best White and Best Other Dry White

• Las Positas Vineyards, 2018 Verdelho

Best Rose

• Garre Vineyard & Winery, 2018 Rosato di Sangiovese

Best Red & Best Red Blend

• Stony Ridge, 2016 Trifecta

Best Barrel-Fermented Chardonnay

• Fenestra Winery, 2017 Chardonnay

Best Other Red Varieties

• Steven Kent Winery, 2017 Amphora

Best Merlot, Malbec or Petite Verdon

• Cuda Ridge Wines, 2016 Petite Verdot

Best Zinfandel

• Stony Ridge, 2015 Stone Patch

Best Cabernet Sauvignon ($40 or less)

• Page Mill, 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon

Best Cabernet Sauvignon (over $40)

• Cuda Ridge Wines, 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve

Best Petite Sirah

• Stony Ridge, 2016 Petite Sirah

About the Tri-Valley Conservancy

In 1900 the valley was home to over 5,000 acres of vineyards and over 50 wineries. Prohibition hit the Livermore Valley wine industry drastically as the vineyards dwindled to only 1,500 acres and only six wineries. As the Bay Area was growing in the end of the 20th century and the California wine industry was expanding, many in Livermore were afraid that the valuable agricultural heritage would be lost by the expansive growth of housing. A group of people and politicians in the Tri-Valley area gathered together to develop the South Livermore Valley Area Plan to provide strong economic incentives and equitable development regulations to promote investment in viticulture and ensure that development limits be placed on agricultural lands.

Following adoption of the Plan in 1994 the South Livermore Valley Agricultural Trust (now the Tri-Valley Conservancy) to protect and steward the land within the plan. The Tri-Valley Conservancy has a mission to permanently protect the fertile soils, rangelands, open space and biological resources, and to support a viable agricultural economy in the Tri Valley area. This mission involves both acquisitions to working with willing landowners to preserve their land in the tri-valley area and through stewardship to consult with property owners about their easement.