Food&Beverage
World's 2016 California Wines of the Year
As
per tradition here at Food & Beverage World, for our final
wine post of 2016, we highlight the best wines we tasted this
past year, as we announce the winners of our annual "California
Wines of the Year" competition.
Our
tasting panel started out by 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.
Our panel then went about tasting to narrow the entries down.
In the end, they selected between three & five wines to
advance to the final round in each category.
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 (rounded) 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 6th annual
competition a great success!
Cheers
to all the winners for 2016!
California Cabernet
Sauvignon of the Year:
Steven Kent 2013 "The Premier" Cabernet
Sauvignon - Livermore Valley - 40%
Runner-up
Hunt Cellars 2012 Cabernet "Cabovation" - Paso Robles
- 30%
Chateau Buena Vista 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon - Napa Valley -10%
McGrial 2013 "A Jo Elet" Cabernet Sauvignon - Livermore
Valley - 10%
The Farm Winery 2012 "LFP" Blend - Paso Robles - 10%
California
"Other" Red Bordeaux of the Year:
Hunt Cellars 2012 "Rhapsody in Red"
Blend - Paso Robles - 40%
Runner-up
McGrial 2013 "Shawus Patrick" Red Blend - Livermore
Valley - 30%
Yorkville Cellars 2013 "Richard the Lion Heart" Blend
- Mendocino County -30%.
California
Pinot Noir of the Year:
Hunt Cellars 2014 "Imagination" Pinot
Noir - Santa Rita Hills - 40%
Runner-up
Claiborne & Churchill 2014 Twin Creeks Pinot Noir - Edna
Valley - 30%
Benovia 2013 Pinot Noir - Sonoma County - 20%
Landmark Vineyards 2014 "Rayhill" Pinot Noir - Sonoma
County - 10%
California
Zinfandels of the Year
Buena Vista 2014 "Viticultural Society"
Zinfandel - Sonoma County - 40%
Valley of the Moon 2013 Zinfandel - Sonoma County - 40%
Runner-up
Seabass 2011 "Old Vine" Zinfandel - Mendocino County-
20%
California Red
Rhone of the Year:
Vie 2013 White Hawk Vineyard Syrah - Santa Barbara
County 40%
Runner-up
Hunt Cellars 2012 "Hilltop Serenade" Syrah - Paso
Robles - 30%
Vasco Urbano 2014 "The Sheriff" GSM Blend - Livermore
Valley - 20%
Grey Wolf Cellars 2013 Soul Mate - Paso Robles - 10%
California
"Other" Red Wine of the Year:
Hunt Cellars 2012 "Thriller" Blend
- Paso Robles - 50%
Runner-up
Murrieta's Well 2013 "The Spur" Red Blend - Livermore
Valley - 30%
Lone Madrone 2013 "Oveja Negra" Blend - Paso Robles
- 20%
California
Chardonnays of the Year:
Seebass 2014 "Grand Reserve" Chardonnay
- Mendocino County - 50%
Steven Kent 2014 "Merrillie" Chardonnay - Monterey
County- 50%
Runner-up
(none)
California
White/Rosé Rhone of the Year:
Vaco Urbano 2015 Grenache Blanc - Livermore Valley
- 50%
Runner-up
Tablas Creek 2013 Esprit Blanc- Paso Robles - 30%
Seabass 2015 "Fantasie" Grenache Rose - Mendocino
County - 20%
California
"Other" White/Rosé Wine of the Year:
Claiborne & Churchill 2014 Dry Gewurztraminer
- Central Coast - 40%
Runner-up
Murrieta's Well 2014 "The Whip" White Blend - Livermore
Valley- 30%
Lone Madrone 2014 Picpoul Blanc - Paso Robles - 20%
Matanzas Creek 2014 Sauvignon Blanc - Sonoma County - 10%
California
Port/Dessert Wine of the Year:
Cedar Mountain NV Viognier Port - Livermore Valley-
60%
Runner-up
Hunt Cellars 2010 Sao Soul Port - Paso Robles - 40%
By
Jason Barlow
Other
Related Links:
96
— 100 |
Spectacular |
92
— 95 |
Outstanding |
89
— 91 |
Great |
85
— 88 |
Good |
81
— 84 |
Solid |
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*Wines
rated with a "+" need
a bit more time to reach peak quality
but will
do so over the coming years