The Fifth Annual Palate Press Grand Tasting was held this year on November 2nd, in the home of Palate Press Publisher David Honig. The Palate Press Grand Tasting is a unique wine competition, focused on finding fine wines consumers love, and structured to avoid some of the pitfalls of more common wine competitions, from too many categories and medals to palate-fatigued judges who need sugar and oak just to taste something on their 50th glass.
The guest list was invitation-only, bringing in over 100 fine wine lovers and wine professionals. These guests are important, for they are not only wineries’ target market, they were also the jury for the competition. At the Palate Press Grand Tasting, guests taste all the wines blind (separated by varietal, but not price, vintage,or location), awarding scores from one to five stars. All the wine is self-poured in a cocktail party atmosphere, with food. Food, we believe, is part of how wine is usually consumed, so it should also be part of how it is judged.
After the guests scored the wines, bottles were judged by a panel, who were asked to give scores (on a 100-point scale), tasting notes, and food pairing recommendations. The panel members were Meg Houston Maker, MA, CSW, Palate Press Columnist, Editor Emeritus, and former Executive Editor; Arthur Black, Advanced Sommelier, Best Young Sommelier in the US 2008, Member of the Society of Wine Educators; and David Honig, Publisher of Palate Press.
We only have three kinds of award in the Palate Press Grand Tasting, Gold Medal, Best of Show, and Palate Press Wine of the Year. More than 200 wines were entered this year, and 18 Gold Medals were awarded:
Best of Show and Palate Press Wine of the Year
Türk Grüner Veltliner Eiswein
Best White Wine
2011 Beauregard Bald Mountain Vineyard Chardonnay
Best Red Wine
2009 Penley Estate Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
Gold Medals
- 2011 Beauregard Bald Mountain Vineyard Chardonnay
- 2008 Ceja Vineyards Dulce Besso
- 2009 Cornerstone “The Cornerstone” Napa Valley
- 2010 Dobbes Family Estate “Griffin’s Cuvee” Pinot Noir
- 2011 Gary Farrell Halber Vineyard Pinot Noir
- 2009 Kennedy Shah Tempranillo
- 2010 Kilikanoon “Mort’s Reserve” Riesling
- 2011 La Encantada Estate “West Steppe” Pinot Noir
- 2009 Leeuwin Estate “Art Series” Cabernet Sauvignon
- 2011 MacMurray Ranch Pinot Noir
- 2009 Penley Estate Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
- 1996 Quevedo Colheita
- 2012 Schafer-Reichart ZÜM Riesling
- 2010 Trinitas Cellars “Mysterium” Red Blend
- 2007 Trinitas Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon
- Türk Grüner Veltliner Eiswein
- 2010 William Hill Estate Petite Verdot
- 2010 William Hill Estate “Benchmark” Red Blend
All the wines entered, by competition number, are in the chart below. Reviews of all the wines that scored three stars of more from the Grand Tasting guests, and all the Gold Medal winners, will be published throughout November and December.
| Wine Number | Winery | Wine | Appellation | Designation | Vineyard | Awards |
| 1 | Bridlewood | Chardonnay | ||||
| 3 | Barefoot Cellars | Chardonnay | California | |||
| 4 | Cavit | Chardonnay | Trentino | Oak Zero | ||
| 5 | Ceja Vineyards | Chardonnay | Carneros | |||
| 6 | Chateau Thomas | Chardonnay | Carneros | Carneros | Sangiacomo Vineyards | |
| 7 | Cornerstone | Chardonnay | Willamette Valley | |||
| 8 | Edna Valley | Chardonnay | Paragon | |||
| 9 | Gallo Signature Series | Chardonnay | Russian River Valley | |||
| 10 | Handley Cellars | Chardonnay | Anderson Valley | Estate | ||
| 11 | La Forge Estate | Chardonnay | Estate | |||
| 12 | Laguna | Chardonnay | Russian River Valley | |||
| 13 | Leeuwin Estate | Chardonnay | Margaret River | Art Series | ||
| 14 | McWilliams Hanwood | Chardonnay | SE Australia | |||
| 15 | Rodney Strong | Chardonnay | Sonoma County | Estate | Chalk Hill | |
| 16 | Rodney Strong | Chardonnay | Sonoma County | |||
| 17 | Shoofly | Chardonnay | Adelaide | |||
| 18 | Southwind Vineyard & Winery | Chardonnay | New Jersey | |||
| 19 | Stein Family Wines | Chardonnay | Sonoma County | Vaquero | ||
| 20 | Stickybeak | Chardonnay | Napa/Sonoma | |||
| 21 | Trinitas Cellars | Chardonnay | Los Carneros | Proprietor’s Reserve | ||
| 22 | R Marlo | Chardonnay | Russian River Valley | |||
| 23 | Vineland Estates Winery | Chenin Blanc | VQA Niagara Peninsula | |||
| 24 | Barefoot Refresh | Crisp White | California | |||
| 25 | Handley Cellars | Gewurztraminer | Anderson Valley | Estate | ||
| 26 | Dobbes Family Estate | Grenache Blanc | Rogue Valley | Greater View Vineyard | ||
| 27 | Three Brothers Winery & Estates | Gruner Veltliner | Seneca Lake | |||
| 28 | Paul Mas Estate | Marsanne | ||||
| 29 | Wysling | White Blend | Yakima Valley | Band of Sisters | ||
| 30 | Paul Mas Estate | Picpoul | Picpoul de Pinet | |||
| 31 | Vineland Estates Winery | Pinot Blanc | VQA Niagara Escarpment | |||
| 32 | Barefoot Bubbly | Pinot Grigio | California | |||
| 33 | Handley Cellars | Pinot Gris | Anderson Valley | |||
| 34 | Innocent Bystander | Pinot Gris | Yarra Valley | |||
| 35 | Alamos | Torrontes | Salta | |||
| 36 | Trinitas Cellars | Psalms | ||||
| 37 | Chateau de Sours | White Blend | Bordeaux | La Source Blanc | ||
| 38 | Côte Mas | White Blend | Blanc Mediterranee | |||
| 39 | John Duval | White Blend | Barossa | Plexus | ||
| 40 | Drouhin | Chardon]nay | ||||
| 41 | Barefoot Cellars | Riesling | California | |||
| 42 | Frisk | Riesling | Alpine Valley | Prickly Riesling | ||
| 43 | Kilikanoon | Riesling | Clare Valley | Mort’s Reserve | Gold Medal | |
| 44 | Mirassou Sun | Riesling | California | |||
| 45 | Weingut Meierer | Riesling | Mösel Saar Ruwer | Kabinett | ||
| 46 | Emil Reichart | Riesling | Spatlese | Graacher Dompropst | ||
| 47 | Stefan B. Ress KG | Riesling | Rheingau | Dry | ||
| 48 | Three Brothers Winery & Estates | Riesling | Seneca Lake | Zero Degree | sx | |
| 49 | Three Brothers Winery & Estates | Riesling | Seneca Lake | First Degree | ||
| 50 | Vineland Estates Winery | Riesling | VQA Niagara Escarpment | Elevation St. Urban | ||
| 51 | Schafer-Reichart | Riseling | Mösel | ZUM | Gold Medal | |
| 52 | Parejas Cellars | Albariño | Yakima Valley | |||
| 53 | Cornerstone | Sauvignon Blanc | Napa Valley | |||
| 54 | Dancing Bull | Sauvignon Blanc | California | |||
| 55 | Davenport Cellars | Sauvignon Blanc | Columbia Valley | |||
| 56 | Edna Valley | Sauvignon Blanc | Central Coast | |||
| 57 | Greywacke | Sauvignon Blanc | Marlborough | Wild | ||
| 58 | Mirassou Sun | Sauvignon Blanc | California | |||
| 59 | Rodney Strong | Sauvignon Blanc | Northern Sonoma | Estate | Charlotte’s Home | |
| 60 | Stickybeak | Sauvignon Blanc | Napa/Sonoma | |||
| 61 | Three Brothers Winery & Estates | Sauvignon Blanc | ||||
| 62 | Trinitas Cellars | Sauvignon Blanc | ||||
| 63 | Davenport Cellars | White Blend | Columbia Valley | Snowflake | ||
| 64 | Brokenwood | Semillon | Hunter Valley | Oakey Creek | ||
| 65 | Poggiotondo | Vermentino | Tuscany | |||
| 66 | Dobbes Family Estate | Viognier | Rogue Valley | Sundown Vineyard | ||
| 67 | Gikgo Forest Winery | Viognier | Wahluke Slope | |||
| 68 | Silkbush | Viognier | Breedekloof, Western Cape | |||
| 69 | Louis M. Martini | Cabernet Rose | Napa Valley | |||
| 70 | Las Rocas | Dry Rose | Calatayud | |||
| 71 | Côte Mas | Rosé | Rose Aurore | |||
| 72 | Southwind Vineyard & Winery | Rosé | New Jersey | Provence | ||
| 73 | Frisk | Rosso | Alpine Valley | Prickly Rosso | ||
| 74 | Trinitas Cellars | Roseary | ||||
| 75 | Barefoot Bubbly | Brut Cuvee | California | |||
| 76 | Barefoot Bubbly | Extra Dry | California | |||
| 77 | La Marca | Prosecco | DOC Veneto | |||
| 78 | Côte Mas | Sparkling Brut | Crémant de Limoux Brut | |||
| 79 | Treveri Cellars | Sparkling Brut | Columbia Valley | Blanc de Blancs | ||
| 80 | Treveri Cellars | Sparkling Pinot Gris | Columbia Valley | Extra-Sec | ||
| 81 | Treveri Cellars | Sparkling Rose | Columbia Valley | Sec | ||
| 82 | Côte Mas | Sparkling Rosé | Crémant de Limoux Rose | |||
| 83 | Canyon Wind Cellars | Cabernet Franc | Grand Valley AVA | |||
| 84 | Chateau Thomas | Cabernet Franc | Clarksburg | |||
| 86 | William Hill Estate | Cabernet Franc | Napa Valley | |||
| 87 | Alamos | Cabernet Sauvignon | Mendoza | |||
| 89 | Bridlewood Estate | Cabernet Sauvignon | Paso Robles | |||
| 90 | Canyon Wind Cellars | Cabernet Sauvignon | Grand Valley AVA | Riverside/Cliffside Vineyard | ||
| 91 | Carnivor | Cabernet Sauvignon | California | |||
| 92 | Ceja Vineyards | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | |||
| 93 | Cornerstone | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | |||
| 94 | Cornerstone | Cabernet Sauvignon | Howell Mountain | |||
| 95 | D’Arenberg | Cabernet Sauvignon | MCLaren Vale | Coppermine Road | ||
| 96 | Don Sebastiani & Sons | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | Aquinas | ||
| 97 | Edna Valley | Cabernet Sauvignon | Edna Valley | |||
| 98 | Gallo Estate | Cabernet Sauvignon | Northern Sonoma | |||
| 100 | Gallo Signature Series | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | |||
| 101 | Ghost Pines | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa/Sonoma/Lake | |||
| 104 | Leeuwin Estate | Cabernet Sauvignon | Margaret River | Art Series | Gold Medal | |
| 105 | Louis M. Martini | Cabernet Sauvignon | Sonoma County Valley | |||
| 106 | Louis M. Martini | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | Lot 1 | ||
| 107 | Millaman | Cabernet Sauvignon | Curico Valley, Chile | Limited Reserve | ||
| 108 | Penley Estate | Cabernet Sauvignon | Coonwarra | Reserve | Best Red Wine | |
| 109 | Rodney Strong | Cabernet Sauvignon | Alexander Valley | Estate | ||
| 110 | Rodney Strong | Cabernet Sauvignon | Sonoma County | |||
| 111 | Satori Cellars | Cabernet Sauvignon | Santa Clara Valley | Cabernet Sauvignon of the Blue Hand | ||
| 112 | Steven Kent & La Rochelle Winery | Cabernet Sauvignon | Livermore Valley | Steven Kent | ||
| 113 | Trinitas Cellars | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | Gold Medal | ||
| 114 | William Hill Estate | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | Bench Blend | ||
| 115 | Laetitia | Cabernet Sauvignon | Santa Barbara County | Nadia | Santa Barbara Vineyard | |
| 116 | Siegendorf | Red Bordeaux Blend | Burgenland | |||
| 117 | Cornerstone | Red Bordeaux Blend | Napa Valley | The Cornerstone | Gold Medal | |
| 118 | Gikgo Forest Winery | Barbera | Wahluke Slope | |||
| 119 | Paul Mas Estate | Carignan | Vieilles Vignes | |||
| 120 | DaVinci | Chianti | DOCG | Riserva | ||
| 121 | Poggiotondo | Chianti | Tuscany | Riserva | ||
| 122 | Brancaia | Chianti Classico | DOCG | Riserva | ||
| 124 | Steven Kent & La Rochelle Winery | Pinot Meuenier | La Rochelle, Saralee Vineyard | |||
| 125 | Vineland Estates Winery | Pinot Meunier | VQA Niagara Escarpment | |||
| 126 | Gikgo Forest Winery | Sangiovese | Wahluke Slope | |||
| 127 | Toccata Wines | Sangiovese | Santa Barbara County | |||
| 128 | Don Miguel Gascon | Malbec | Mendoza | Reserve | ||
| 129 | Paul Mas Estate | Malbec | Pays d’Oc | Estate | Gardemiel | |
| 130 | Red Rock Winery | Malbec | Mendoza | Reserve | ||
| 131 | Alamos | Malbec | Mendoza | Seleccion | ||
| 132 | Frei Brothers Reserve | Merlot | Dry Creek Valley | |||
| 133 | Ghost Pines | Merlot | Napa/Sonoma | |||
| 134 | La Forge Estate | Merlot | Estate | |||
| 135 | Rodney Strong | Merlot | Sonoma County | |||
| 137 | Don Sebastiani & Sons | Petite Sirah | Clarksburg | The Crusher | ||
| 138 | Lucas & Lewellen | Petite Sirah | Santa Barbara County | |||
| 139 | Trinitas Cellars | Petite Sirah | Contra Costa County | |||
| 140 | Canyon Wind Cellars | Petite Verdot | Grand Valley AVA | |||
| 141 | Lucas & Lewellen | Petite Verdot | Santa Barbara County | |||
| 142 | William Hill Estate | Petite Verdot | Napa Valley | Gold Medal | ||
| 144 | Barefoot Cellars | Pinot Noir | California | |||
| 145 | Ceja Vineyards | Pinot Noir | Carneros | |||
| 146 | Cornerstone | Pinot Noir | Willamette Valley | |||
| 147 | Dobbes Family Estate | Pinot Noir | Dundee Hills | Meyer Vineyard | ||
| 148 | Dobbes Family Estate | Pinot Noir | Willamette Valley | Griffin’s Cuvee | Gold Medal | |
| 149 | Don Sebastiani & Sons | Pinot Noir | Sonoma Coast | Don & Sons | ||
| 150 | Edna Valley | Pinot Noir | Edna Valley | |||
| 151 | Frei Brothers Reserve | Pinot Noir | Russian River Valley | |||
| 152 | Gallo Signature Series | Pinot Noir | Santa Lucia Highlands | |||
| 153 | Gary Farrell Vineyards & Winery | Pinot Noir | Russian River Valley | Hallberg Vineyard | Gold Medal | |
| 154 | Giant Steps | Pinot Noir | Yarra Valley | Sexton | ||
| 155 | Greywacke | Pinot Noir | Marlborough | |||
| 156 | Handley Cellars | Pinot Noir | Mendocino County | |||
| 157 | Inman Family Wines | Pinot Noir | Russian River Valley | OGV Estate | ||
| 158 | Inman Family Wines | Pinot Noir | Thorn Ridge Ranch | |||
| 159 | La Encantada Vineyard | Pinot Noir | Santa Rita Hills | |||
| 160 | La Encantada Vineyard | Pinot Noir | Santa Rita Hills | West Steppe | Gold Medal | |
| 161 | MacMurray Ranch | Pinot Noir | Russian River Valley | Winemaker’s Block | Gold Medal | |
| 162 | MacMurray Ranch | Pinot Noir | Santa Lucia Highlands | |||
| 163 | Mirassou Sun | Pinot Noir | California | |||
| 164 | Paul Mas Estate | Pinot Noir | St. Hilaire | |||
| 165 | Rodney Strong | Pinot Noir | Russian River Valley | Estate | ||
| 169 | Shoofly | Pinot Noir | Adelaide | |||
| 170 | Steven Kent & La Rochelle Winery | Pinot Noir | Sonoma Coast | La Rochelle | ||
| 171 | Trinitas Cellars | Pinot Noir | Carneros | |||
| 172 | Giselle | Pinot Noir | Monterey County | |||
| 173 | Law Estate Wines | Red Blend | Paso Robles | Audacious | ||
| 174 | Law Estate Wines | Syrah | Paso Robles | Intrepid | ||
| 175 | Chateau Thomas | Teroldego | Clarksburg | |||
| 176 | Brancaia | Red Blend | IGT Rosso Toscano | Tre | ||
| 177 | William Hill Estate | Benchmark | Napa Valley | Gold Medal | ||
| 178 | Château Paul Mas | Clos de Savignac | ||||
| 179 | Paul Mas Estate | GSM | Cote du Languedoc | |||
| 180 | Wysling | Red Blend | Yakima Valley | Reserva | ||
| 181 | Anemoi Wines | Red Blend | Grand Valley AVA | Notus | ||
| 182 | Alamos | Red Blend | Mendoza | |||
| 183 | Brancaia | Red Blend | IGT Rosso Toscano | Il Blu | ||
| 184 | Chateau de Sours | Red Blend | Bordeaux | |||
| 185 | Côte Mas | Red Blend | Rouge Intense | |||
| 186 | Don Miguel Gascon | Red Blend | Mendoza | Colosal | ||
| 187 | Don Sebastiani & Sons | Red Blend | Napa Valley | B Side | ||
| 188 | Gikgo Forest Winery | Red Blend | Ginkgo Red | |||
| 190 | Quevedo Port Wine | Red Blend | Duoro | Oscar’s Red | ||
| 191 | Schafer-Reichart | Red Blend | Mösel | Nein Lives Sweet | ||
| 192 | Southwind Vineyard & Winery | Red Blend | New Jersey | Blood, Sweat & Tears | ||
| 193 | Stein Family Wines | Red Blend | Napa Valley | Arleyna | ||
| 194 | Stein Family Wines | Red Blend | California | Just Joshin | ||
| 195 | Whitehall Lane | Red Blend | Napa Valley | Tre Leoni | ||
| 196 | Bodegas Callia | Shiraz, Malbec | Argentina | Bella | ||
| 198 | Bodegas Taron | Red Blend | Rioja Alta | Reserva | ||
| 199 | Trinitas Cellars | Red Blend | Mendocino County | Mysterium | Gold Medal | |
| 200 | Bodegas Taron | Red Blend | Rioja Alta | Crianza | ||
| 201 | Davenport Cellars | Red Bordeaux Blend | Washington | R.H.D. | ||
| 202 | Davenport Cellars | Red Bordeaux Blend | Washington | Continuity | ||
| 203 | Anemoi Wines | Red Blend | Grand Valley AVA | Apeliotes | ||
| 204 | Louis M. Martini | Meritage | Napa Valley | |||
| 205 | Rodney Strong | Meritage | Alexander Valley | Symmetry | ||
| 206 | Trinitas Cellars | Meritage | Oak Knoll | |||
| 207 | Lion’s Drift | Pinotage | ||||
| 209 | D’Arenberg | Shiraz | McLaren Vale | Vociferate Dipsomaniac | ||
| 210 | John Duval | Shiraz | Barossa | Entity | ||
| 211 | Kilikanoon | Shiraz | Clare Valley | Oracle | ||
| 212 | Plantagenet | Shiraz | Great Southern | |||
| 213 | Silkbush | Shiraz | ||||
| 214 | Anemoi Wines | Syrah | Grand Valley AVA | Lips | Cliffside Vineyard | |
| 215 | Dobbes Family Estate | Syrah | Rogue Valley | Fortmiller Vineyard | ||
| 216 | Lucas & Lewellen | Syrah | Santa Barbara County | |||
| 218 | Ancient Oak Cellars | Zinfandel | Russian River Valley | Pagnano Vineyard | ||
| 219 | Barefoot Cellars | Zinfandel | Lodi | |||
| 220 | Frei Brothers Reserve | Zinfandel | Dry Creek Valley | |||
| 224 | Quevedo Port Wine | Colheita | Duoro | Gold Medal | ||
| 225 | Ceja Vineyards | Dessert White | Dulce Beso | Gold Medal | ||
| 226 | Türk | Eiswein Grüner Veltliner | Austria | Best of Show | ||
| 227 | Quevedo Port Wine | Port | Duoro | Vintage | ||
| 228 | Chateau Thomas | Moscato | ||||
| 229 | Kennedy Shah | Cabernet Sauvignon | Red Mountain | Reserve | Artz Vineyards | |
| 230 | Kennedy Shah | Syrah | Rattlesnake Hills | Reserve | ||
| 231 | Kennedy Shah | Red Blend | Rattlesnake Hills | Reserve | ||
| 232 | Maghee Cellars | Merlot | Rattlesnake Hills | |||
| 233 | Kennedy Shah | Riesling | Yakima Valley | Reserve | Dubrul Vineyard | |
| 234 | Kennedy Shah | Tempranillo | Columbia Valley | Reserve | Gold Medal | |
| 235 | Beauregard Vineyards | Merlot | Santa Cruz Mountains | Zayante Vineyard | ||
| 236 | Beauregard Vineyards | Chardonnay | Ben Lomond Mountain | Estate Grown | Bald Mountain Vineyard | Best White Wine |
| 237 | Beauregard Vineyards | Pinot Noir | Santa Cruz Mountains | Byington Vineyard | ||
| 238 | Beauregard Vineyards | Syrah | Santa Cruz Mountains | Nelson Family Vineyard |
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