Lake County Wines Recognized with Critics Scores and Awards
Lake County wines continue to acquire accolades. They are receiving high scores from critics and medals in major wine competitions.
Jim Gordon, a 30 year veteran of the wine industry, reviews wines from Lake County for the Wine Enthusiast Tasting Panel. Wines are submitted by producers throughout the year for review. Gordon explained the ratings this way:
Technically speaking, in Wine Enthusiast reviews, 90-93 scores mean excellent quality and highly recommended. 94-97 points mean superb wines that are great achievements in winemaking, and 98-100 means the pinnacle of quality. But to me, any wine deserving of a 90 or higher score passes a certain invisible threshold of excitement. It's a wine I enthusiastically want to share, by telling my readers and my friends about it.
Wine Enthusiast recently rated a score of 90 points or better:
- Bodkin 2017 Sauvignon Blanc Musque Clone Sandy Bend Vineyard: 90 Points
- Cinnabar Winery 2015 Red Hills Malbec: 93 Points
- Encanto Vineyards 2017 Sauvignon Blanc: 91 Points
- Persona Non Grata 2015 Red Blend: 90 points
- Prima Materia 2014 Aglianico (Kelsey Bench): 92 Points
- Prima Materia 2016 Kelsey Bench Barbera: 91 Points
- Shannon Ridge 2016 Buck Shack Small Batch Sustainably Farmed Red: 91 points
- Shannon Ridge 2016 High Elevation Petite Sirah: 92 points
- Shannon Ridge 2015 Home Ranch Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon: 90 Points
- Shannon Ridge 2015 Home Ranch Reserve Malbec: 92 Points
- Shannon Ridge 2016 Buck Shack Cabernet Sauvignon: 90 Points
- Shannon Ridge 2016 High Elevation Cabernet Sauvignon: 90 Points
- Steele 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon: 92 Points (Cellar Selection)
- Steele 2016 Shooting Star Barbera: 92 Points (Best Buy)
- Tamber Bey 2017 Rosé, Fore Family Vineyard: 91 points
- Two Angels 2016 Petite Sirah (Red Hills): 92 Points
To see more ratings, visit Wine Enthusiast ratings
San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition 2019 Best of Class Wines from Lake County
Mike Dunne is a longtime SFCWC wine judge and the former food editor, wine columnist, and restaurant critic of the Sacramento Bee. He continues to contribute to the Sacramento Bee weekly wine column. This year, Dunne shares his insights and tasting notes for each of the 169 Best of Class winners, giving wine consumers an inside look at why these wines were named the best of each category.
Dancing Crow Vineyards 2017 Lake County Sauvignon Blanc - "No surprise that the best-of-class sauvignon blanc in the $17 to $21 price range, despite a crowded field (61 entries), would be from Lake County. This could be the poster picture for the area's sauvignon blanc, not only for its striking label but for its essence of lemon and lime in the wine's flavor, its vital acidity and spice, and its remarkably lingering finish."
Dancing Crow Vineyards 2017 Lake County Cabernet Sauvignon - "Cabernet sauvignon in this price range isn't supposed to be this profound in expression of variety, place and vintage, but consider that it comes from Lake County, which for years has been providing Napa Valley wineries with grapes and now finally is being recognized openly for the caliber and character of its fruit."
Kuleto Estate 2016 Lake County/Napa County Frog Prince Red Wine: "Despite the playful name, Frog Prince is a serious malbec-based blend that reflects the strengths of two of California's prime black-grape regions, Lake and Napa counties. It is dry, lean and hauntingly complex, showing the herbal as well as fruity side of malbec and its mates."
To view all Competition results, click here.
