Story originally printed in the Winona Daily News or online at www.winonadailynews.com

 

Published - Friday, July 04, 2008

Wine Wise: Good-value Riverside gold medalists

By John Breitlow

Here are some select good-value gold-medal wines from the 2008 Riverside Wine Competition run by Dan Berger, an eminent California wine writer and critic for whom I have high regard, having judged with him at the New World International. As usual, wines below have a “California” appellation where no other is listed.

“Best-of-Show” winners included good-value Ch. Ste-Michelle 2007 Columbia Valley Dry Riesling and good premium-value Mumm Napa Valley Brut. Several other Mumm Napa sparking wines also won gold medals.

Top-value whites

  • Sutter Home White Cabernet

  • Barefoot Cellars Chardonnay

  • Talus 2006 Lodi Chardonnay

  • PKNT 2006 Chilean Sauvignon Blanc

  • Little Penquin Pinot Grigio

  • Delicato 2006 Twisted Chardonnay

  • Trinchero 2006 Firehouse Riesling

  • Husch 2007 Mendocino Chenin Blanc

  • Little Black Dress Pinot Grigio

  • Parducci 2007 Sauvignon Blanc

  • Barefoot Bubbly Blanc de Blanc

    Top-value reds

  • J. Lohr 2006 Painter Bridge Zinfandel

  • Black Swan 2006 SE Australia Shiraz-Merlot

  • Delicato 2005 Twisted Merlot

  • Cecoh 2005 Red Tree Zinfandel

  • Redwood Creek 2006 Cabernet

  • Phillips 2005 Night Harvest Cabernet

  • Fetzer 2005 Valley Oaks Cabernet

  • Fat Cat 2007 Pinot Noir

    Good-values

  • Monkey Bay 2007 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc

  • Dancing Bull 2004 Merlot

  • Kendall Jackson 2006 VR Chardonnay

  • Bonterra 2006 Organic Sauvignon Blanc

  • Laurier 2005 Sonoma Sauvignon Blanc

  • Four Bears 2005 Central Coast Chardonnay

  • Napa Ridge 2004 Napa Merlot

  • Toasted Head 2006 Chardonnay

  • Kendall Jackson 2006 VR Pinot Noir

  • Laurier 2006 Alexander Valley Merlot

    Good premium values

  • Valley of the Moon 2007 Pinot Blanc

  • Chateau St. Croix Sweet Muscat

  • Navarro 2006 Mendocino Sauvignon Blanc

  • Huntington 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon

  • Navarro 2006 Mendocino Pinot Noir

    Except for personal taste and preference, results from well-run wine competitions such as Riverside are the best guides I know to reliable quality and value.

    Complete 2008 Riverside Competition results are available online at www.riversideinternationalwinecompetion.com.

     

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