Friday, August 12, 2022 — Distinguished wine judges gathered in Mendocino County’s stunning Anderson Valley to evaluate the 43rd annual Mendocino County Honest Wine Competitors, one of many oldest regional wine competitions in California. This 12 months, there have been 174 wine entries from 32 wineries. A powerful variety of gold medals had been awarded: 37 double golds and 41 gold medals. This 12 months’s judges had been Dan Berger, Kathleen Willcox, Ziggy Eschliman, Matt Talbert, Carrie Boyle, Scott Taylor, Thomas “Mac” Gregory, Laura Ness, and Greg Richtarek.
The Better of Present awards are:
- Better of Present Glowing Wine – Boujee (by Rivino Vineyard) 2018 Property Blanc de Blancs, Mendocino
- Charlie Barra Award / Better of Present White Wine – Rivino Vineyard 2021 Property Viognier, Mendocino
- Better of Present Rosé Wine – Yokayo 2021 Pinot Noir Rose’, Mendocino
- John Parducci Award / Better of Present Red Wine – Foursight Wines 2019 “Paraboll” Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley
- Better of Present Dessert – Husch Vineyards 2021 Late Harvest Gewurztraminer, Anderson Valley
Rivino Vineyard was a giant winner on the wine competitors with all their entries receiving medals: two Better of Present awards, two double golds, one gold and two silver medals. Yokayo Wine Firm additionally scored effectively with all their entries scoring gold or higher: Better of Present 2019 Pinot Noir Rose’, double gold for each 2020 Barbera and 2020 Zinfandel, and gold for 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon.
Pinot Noir continues to be the massive participant within the Mendocino County Honest Wine Competitors with a complete of 30 entries for vintages starting from 2018—2020. Judges commented that there was a fantastic vary of Pinot Noir kinds this 12 months, from ragged edge to elegant. Winemakers are having enjoyable with Pinot in Mendocino County!
The 2019 Foursight Wines “Paraboll” Pinot Noir gained over the judges incomes the coveted John Parducci Award for Better of Present Red. Foursight winemaker Joe Webb is making stellar Pinot Noir from their property vineyards in Anderson Valley. The Foursight Wines 2017 Clone 5 Pinot Noir additionally gained Better of Present Red simply three years in the past.
The “Different White Varietal” class was clearly one of many judges’ favorites. All twenty entries scored a medal: six double-gold, six gold, and eight silver medals. Varietals starting from Arneis, Vermentino, Gruner Veltliner, and Pinot Blanc wowed the judges who had this to say, “these wines present the expertise and breadth of Mendocino County winemakers”.
Gold medal wines might be poured on the Mendocino County Honest in Boonville, September 23-25, 2022.
An entire record of the 2022 Mendocino County Honest Wine Competitors awards is accessible at www.mendowine.com.
