"Best of Show" The 2003 Chardonnay

18th Annual Santa Cruz Mountains Commercial Wine Competition Results
By June Smith

Results from the 18th Annual Santa Cruz Mountains Commercial Wine Competition are in, demonstrating once again that wines made from grapes grown in our own Santa Cruz Mountains Appellation are deserving of top honors.

Beauregard Vineyards captured the "Best of Show" category with their 2003 Chardonnay, marking Jim and Ryan Beauregard's first harvest from Trout Gulch Vineyards. "My dad and I both knew that "03 Trout Gulch was going to be killer a month before we harvested." said Ryan. This burgundy style wine is not your typical Chardonnay. Beauregard wines are high in alcohol and high in flavor. Winemakers Jim and Ryan combat the acidity of the coastal appellation soil by harvesting two to three weeks later than most growers, making for a softer, more stable wine. There are only 400 cases left, so hurry over to Beauregard Vineyards’ new tasting room on the Santa Cruz Wharf or come to the Fair and taste this year’s best Santa Cruz Mountains Wine.

A double gold was awarded to newcomer Martin Ranch Winery for the 2002 Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet Franc grown on their 11 acre estate vineyard on Redwood Retreat Road in Gilroy "It is really great to know that all the hard work is paying off," says owner Therese Martin.

Gold Medal Winners and their scores:

92 - Beauregard Vineyards, 2003 Chardonnay, Santa Cruz Mountains, Trout Gulch Vineyard

92 - Martin Ranch Winery, 2002 Cabernet Franc, Santa Cruz Mountains, Therese Vineyards

91 - Bonny Doon Vineyard, 2004 Cigare Blanc, California

91 - Trout Gulch Vineyard, 2001 Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains

91 - Natal Vineyards, 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon, Santa Cruz Mountains

91 - La Rusticana, 2002 Red Table Wine, Santa Cruz Mountains

91 - Martin Ranch Winery, 2003 Syrah, Santa Clara Valley, Dos Ninas Vineyards

90 - Chaine d'Or Vineyard, 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon, Santa Cruz Mountains, Chaine d'Or Vineyards

90 - Hunter Hill Vineyards & Winery, 2002 Merlot, Santa Cruz Mountains, Estate

90 - River Run Vintners, 2003 Late Harvest Zinfandel, Cienega Valley, Wirz Vineyard

90 - P & M Staiger, 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon, Santa Cruz Mountains, Estate

90 - Beauregard Vineyard, 2003 Chardonnay, Ben Lomond Mountain, Beauregard Ranch

90 - Salamandre Wine Cellars, 2003 Merlot, Arroyo Seco

90 - Soquel Vineyards, 2003 Trinity, California Old Vine

90 - Pinder Winery, 2003 Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands

Janet and Lionel Le Morvan, new owners of Ma Maison Restaurant in Aptos hosted the competition, which included lunch for the judges and volunteers. A panel of 35 judges included KGO "Dining Around" radio personality Gene Burns. Other judges were wine buyers for restaurants and retail stores, wine writers and food critics. The wines are judged with the 100-point scale and those scoring at least 80 points receive a medal. Of the 185 wines entered, over 100 were made with local grapes.

Thanks to Kathleen Starkey of Zayante Vineyards for setting up the bottle display each year. A limited tasting will be available from 1:00 - 7:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday in the Ag. Building on September 17th and 18th.

The Santa Cruz Mountains wine grape-growing district extends from Half Moon Bay in the north to Mount Madonna in the south. It was the first American Viticultural area to be defined by geophysical and climatic factors, making it "America’s Premier Mountain Appellation". As far back as 100 years ago, wines produced from Santa Cruz Mountains became famous for their quality while winning medals in Europe. Grapes grown in cooler climates with rugged soils of the coastal mountains grow more slowly and in smaller quantities, leading to complex character and more concentrated flavors.

June Smith is the former owner of Roudon-Smith Winery and vividly recalls the excitement surrounding this annual judging.