Food
& Beverage World's California Wines of the Year 2014
As
per tradition here at Food & Beverage World, for
our final post 2014, we highlight the best wines we tasted this
year as we announce the winners of our annual California Wines
of the Year Competition.
Our
tasting panel started out rounding up their favorite wines among
those submitted for our review during the past twelve months.
Next, we invited wineries to submit their favorite bottles into
the competition as well.
Our
panel then went about tasting to narrow the entries down. In
the end, they selected five wines to advance to the final round
for each category (expect for Port/Dessert Wine, which only
had three).
The
bottles chosen for the final round were tasted by invited guests,
consisting of members of the public who drink wine regularly
but are certainly not experts. We asked them to vote for only
their favorite wine in each category.
Winners
of each category are listed below with the percentage of votes
they received. We also noted the other wines that received votes.
(Finalists that did not garner votes have been omitted.) Thanks
to all the wineries who participated making our 4th annul competition
a great success.
Cheers to all the winners
for 2014!
Click
on labels to enlarge |
California
Cabernet Sauvignon of the Year:
Hunt
Cellars 2010 "CabOvation" Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
- 76%
Runners-up:
Adelaida 2010 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon - 8%
Howell Mt. Vineyards 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon - 8%
Winery SF 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon - 8%.
|
 |
California
Pinot Noir of the Year:
Wrath
2012 KW Ranch Pinot Noir - 58%
Runners-up:
Lucienne 2012 "Smith Vineyards" Pinot Noir -
42% |
 |
California
Red Bordeaux of the Year:
Hunt
Cellars 2010 Red Velvet Blend - 67%
Runners-up:
Calcareous Vineyard 2010 "Lloyd" Blend - 33% |
 |
California
Zinfandel of the Year:
Lone
Madrone 2012 "Bailey Ranch" Zinfandel - 58%
Runners-up:
Passalacqua 2012 "Old Vine" Zinfanel - 21%
Sbragia 2012 "Gino's Estate" Zinfanel - 21% |
 |
California
Red Rhone of the Year:
Hunt
Cellars 2009 "Hilltop Serenade" Syrah - 33%
Runners-up:
Sol Rouge 2011 Petite Sirah - 25%
Vie Winery 2011 "L'Intruse" Mourvèdre
- 25%
Brassfield 2011 Syrah - 8%
Vasco Urbano 2012 "Heine" Petite Sirah - 8% |
 |
California
"Other" Red Wine of the Year:
Sottomarino
2013 Sangiovese - 33%
Runners-up:
Winery SF 2010 "People Blend" - 25%
DaVero 2012 Barbera - 16.5%
Fenestra 2011 Graciano - 16.5%
West 2010 Tuscan Cuvée - 8% |
 |
California
Chardonnay of the Year:
Wrath
2012 "3 Clone" Chardonnay - 33%
Runners-up:
McGrail Vineyards 2013 Chandler Vineyard Chardonnay -
25%
Seebass 2011 Grand Reserve Chardonnay - 25%
Sbragia 2012 "Home Ranch" Chardonnay - 17% |
|
California
White Rhone of the Year:
Lone
Madrone 2013 "Points West White" Blend - 42%
Runners-up:
Fore Family 2013 Grenache Blanc - 33%
Vie Winery 2013 Roussanne - 25% |
 |
California
White Bordeaux of the Year:
Yorkville
Cellars 2013 "Eleanor of Aquitaine" White -
50%
Runners-up:
Hunt Cellars 2010 "Starlight Concerto" Sauvignon
Blanc 42%
Wrath 2013 "Ex Anima" Sauvignon Blanc 8% |
 |
California
"Other" White/Rosé Wine of the Year:
Galante
"Wagon Wheel" White - 50%
Runners-up:
Yorkville Cellars 2013 "Vin Dune Nuit" Rosé
33%
Hahn 2013 - Pinot Gris 17% |
 |
California
Port/Dessert Wine of the Year:
Hunt
2002 "Zinful Delight" (10 Year) Zinfandel Port
- 100%
Runners-up:
n/a |
By
Jason Barlow
| 96
— 100 |
Spectacular |
| 92
— 95 |
Outstanding |
89
— 91 |
Great |
| 85
— 88 |
Good |
81
— 84 |
Solid |
|
