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This year's competition was held on March 3–4. For more information about the results, please click here.
Davis Bynum Russian River Pinot Noir Wins Wine of the Year Award
at the Monterey Wine Competition
The Monterey Wine Competition is pleased to announce the 2010 Davis Bynum Pinot Noir ($30) took the Best Wine of the Year Award at the 19th annual competition held on March 3 and 4, 2012, at the Salinas Valley Fairgrounds in King City, California. It was particularly appropriate for Bynum to win this award as the winery was the first California winery to ever bottle a single vineyard pinot noir back in 1973.
The Davis Bynum Winery story dates back to 1951 when Davis Bynum, then a young newspaper reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle, bought 50 pounds of grapes from Robert Mondavi and made 3.5 gallons of petite syrah. In 1973 he purchased the 83-acre River Bend Ranch in the Russian River Valley in Sonoma County. In 2007, the winery name was sold to the Rodney Strong Winery.
For the second year in a row, the V. Sattui Winery from the Napa Valley was named Winery of the Year. Sattui captured an amazing 24 medals. Among the highlights was an award for the best Cabernet Sauvignon of the competition (2008 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, $35). Sattui also secured three platinum medals, six additional gold medals and eighteen silver medals. This astounding performance captured the coveted Winery of the Year title.
The best sparkling wine of the competition went to Gloria Ferrer Caves and Vineyards for their Carneros Cuvee Sparkling Wine ($50). Ferrer also took the award for the best Blanc de Noir for their Blanc de Noirs, Carneros ($ 20), as well as two other gold medals and a silver. The award for the best Blanc de Blanc went to Baileyana Winery’s Cuvee 1909, Firepeak Vineyard, Edna Valley ($32). Baileyana also took another gold and a silver medal.
An Austrian varietal, fairly new to the United States, captured the award as the best white wine of the competition; it was Zocker’s Gruner Veltliner from Paragon Vineyards in Edna Valley ($20).
The award for the best Bordeaux/Rhone blend went to Halter Ranch Vineyard’s Ancestor, Estate Reserve ($44). This Paso Robles wine is a blend of Petite Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot and Malbec. Halter Ranch Vineyard was also awarded two silver medals.
Navarro Vineyards from Anderson Valley captured the best Gewurztraminer award for its 2010 Cuvee Traditional ($15). Navarro Vineyards were also awarded one platinum, two gold and seven silver medals.
A wine imported from Argentina by the Gallo Corporation took the award for the best Malbec. It was the 2010 Malbec from Bodega Elena de Mendoza ($10.99). This Bodega also won a silver medal.
Barnard Griffin Winery’s 2009 Merlot won the award as the best Merlot of the Competition ($17). They also won a gold and a silver medal.
Temecula’s South Coast Winery, repeatedly awarded the trophy as the outstanding winery in California, took the award for the best fortified wine at the Monterey Wine Competition with its Black Jack Port ($20). South Coast Winery also garnered an additional two gold and two silver medals.
A wine from New York took the award as the best sweet red. It was the Merritt Estate Winery’s Bella ($9.49). Another New York wine, the 2010 Late Harvest Vignoles from Swedish Hill won the award as the best dessert wine of the competition.
A delicious Grenache Rose from Midsummer Cellars in Yolo County won the award as the best rose. This dry rose sells for $19. Midsummer Cellars also won two silver medals.
Trecini Cellars 2010 Sauvignon Blanc from the Russian River took the award as the best Sauvignon Blanc ($13.99), while Reustle-Prayer Rock Vineyard from Oregon’s Umpqua Valley took the award for its 2010 Reserve Syrah ($38). Reustle-Prayer Rock Vineyard wines also received three additional gold medals and were one of the finalists for the winery of the year award.
A wine imported by Freixenet USA took the award for the best Tempranillo. It was the 2010 Tapena, Tierra De Castilla ($10).
Frank Family’s 2009 Napa Zinfandel ($36.75) was awarded the Best Zinfandel award. They also garnered two additional gold medals and a silver.
Let anyone think that great wines have to be expensive, there were numerous gold medal wines under $10, including: the 2010 Sutter Home Chenin Blanc, the Fetzer 2009 Valley Oaks Cabernet, the Simply Naked unoaked 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2010 Three Thieves, The Show Malbec from Argentina, June Bug 2010 Moscato, Fetzer 2010 Valley Oaks Moscato, Bella Serra 2010 Pinot Grigio (IGT Veneto), The Big House California Pinot Grigio, Swedish Hill NV Viking Red, Penguin Bay Winery’s Tuxedo Red, the 2010 Turning Leaf Sweet Riesling, Sutter Home and the Fetzer 2010 White Zinfandels, the Flip Flop Sauvignon Blanc, the 2010 Bogle Sauvignon Blanc, The June Bug 2010 Sauvignon Blanc.
