AUSTRALIA & CALIFORNIA SHOOT IT OUT!
A SHOWDOWN IN SAN FRANCISCO RESULTS IN A DRAW!
SONOMA COUNTY, CA, October 3, 2001 The results of The California-Australia Wine Shootout™ have finally been tallied, analyzed, and collated. Over 500 wines were critically reviewed in The California-Australia Wine Shootout™ in San Francisco on August 29 and 30, 2001. A panel of 12 wine professionals tasted numerous and venerable California and Australian wines in Riedel Crystal Ouverture glassware. Affairs of the Vine and Wine Works orchestrated this comparative judging.
California and Australia each took the top honors in four of the eight wine categories. Australia prevailed in Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah/Shiraz, and White Blends categories and California won top honors in Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Red Blends, and Sauvignon Blanc. Rosemount Estate had an astounding six wines among the top forty-one wines.
The five top scoring wines in each category appear below (six in Chardonnay due to a tie). Detailed tasting notes on all of the recommended wines will be available after October 7, 2001 at www.AffairsoftheVine.com.
Cabernet
Sauvignon - Australia prevails with top two spots
California
(Dry Creek Vineyard) and Australia (Punter's Corner) tie for third
(98) Yalumba 1998 Cabernet Sauvignon, Clare Valley, Australia $26.00
(95) * Best Buy - Wynns 1998 Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra,
Australia $15.00
(92) Punter's Corner 1998, Coonawarra, Australia $27.00
(92) Dry Creek Vineyard 1998 "Reserve" Cabernet Sauvignon, Dry Creek
Valley, California $35.00
(92) Sierra Vista 1996 "Five Star Reserve," El Dorado, California
Chardonnay - California wins the top spot for Chardonnay
(95) * Best Buy - Toasted Head 1999 "Estate Bottled"
Chardonnay, Dunnigan Hills, California $14.00
(93) * Best Buy - Wynns 2000 Chardonnay, Coonawarra, Australia
$13.00
(93) * Best Buy - Lindemans 2000 Chardonnay, Padthaway,
Australia $12.00
(93) Grgich Hills 1999 Chardonnay, Napa Valley, California $33.00
(93) Gallo of Sonoma 1999 "Laguna Vineyard" Chardonnay, Russian River
Valley, California
(93) Baileyana 1999 Chardonnay, Monterey County & San Luis Obispo, California
$18.00
Merlot - Australia takes top Merlot
California
dominates the Merlot category with four of the top wines and three Best Buys
(97) Tatachilla 1998 Merlot, McLaren Vale, Australia $30.00
(93) * Best Buy - Domaine St. George 1999 "STG Premiere
Cuvée" Merlot, Sonoma County, California $14.00
(93) Geyser Peak 1998 Merlot, Alexander Valley, California $32.00
(93) * Best Buy - Monterra 1998 Merlot, Monterey County,
California $10.00
(92) * Best Buy - Kendall-Jackson 1999 "Vintners
Reserve" Merlot, California $15.00
Pinot Noir - California wines are triumphant in Pinot Noir category
(93) Sanford 1999 Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara County, California $26.00
(93) Gallo of Sonoma 1999 Pinot Noir, Sonoma County, California
(92) * Best Buy - Barefoot Cellars 1999 "Reserve"
Pinot Noir, Sonoma County, California $13.00
(92) Hagafen 2000 Pinot Noir, Napa Valley, California $21.00
(91) Abundance Vineyards 1997 "Bien Nacido Vineyards" Pinot Noir, San
Maria Valley, California $25.00
Red Blends
- California wins the top spot
Rosemount
Estate prevails with two wines in the top five
(96) Seven Peaks 1999 Cabernet Sauvignon-Shiraz," Central Coast, California
$20.00
(95) Lindemans 1998 "Pyrus," Coonawarra, Australia $28.00
(95) * Best Buy - Abundance Vineyards 1999 Abundantly
Rich Red, California $12.00
(95) Rosemount Estate 1998 "Traditional," McLaren Vale, Australia $26.00
(94) Rosemount Estate "Mountain Blue," Mudgee, Australia $50.00
Sauvignon Blanc - California dominates Sauvignon Blanc category
(95) Voss 2000 Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley, California $19.00
(93) * Best Buy - Geyser Peak 2000 Sauvignon Blanc, Sonoma
County, California $10.00
(93) Dry Creek Vineyard 2000 DCV3 Limited Edition Sauvignon Blanc, Dry Creek Valley,
California $18.00
(92) Stella Bella 2001 Sauvignon Blanc, Western Australia $17.00
(92) * Best Buy - Ventana 2000 "Estate Bottled, Single
Vineyard," Monterey, Arroyo Seco, California $15.00
Syrah/Shiraz
- Australia is victorious with the top three Shiraz
Rosemount
has two wines in top three
(96) Rosemount Estate 1999 "Rose Label" Shiraz, Orange, Australia $30.00
(96) Leasingham 1998 "Bin 61" Shiraz, Clare Valley, Australia $17.00
(95) Rosemount Estate 1998 "Balmoral" Shiraz, McLaren Vale, Australia
$50.00
(94) Voss 1999 Shiraz, Napa Valley, California $26.00
(93) * Best Buy - J. Lohr 1999 "South Ridge Estates"
Syrah, Paso Robles, California $15.00
White
Blends - Australia takes this round
Rosemount
has two wines in the top five
(96) Alkoomi 2000 "Soughlands" White, Western Australia $11.00
(91) Rosemount Estate 2000 "Tram-Ries", South Eastern Australia $8.00
(88) Murrieta's Well 1999 "White Vendimia," Livermore Valley, California
$21.00
(87) St. Supéry 1999 Meritage White, Napa Valley, California $20.00
(87) Rosemount Estate "Chardonnay-Semillon," South Eastern Australia,
$8.00
The panel of judges included the following wine professionals: Bruce Cass, writer, educator; Rebecca Chapa, writer, educator; Barbara Drady, Affairs of the Vine, educator; Tim Gaiser, MS, educator; David Glancy, www.sfsommelier.com ; Alan Goldfarb, writer; Skip Hanson, writer, consultant ; David P. Jones, Wine Works, writer; Kathy Leask, retailer, educator; Steve Pitcher, writer; Robert Turnbull, Haughton & Lane; and Mike Walsh, Food & Beverage Journal International.
The top performers will be featured at an American Institute of Wine and Food (AIWF) and Affairs of the Vine tasting event at Golden Gate Club in the San Francisco Presidio on November 7, 2001.
Affairs of the Vine, a wine education company, specializes in industry training, interactive seminars, team-building workshops, and corporate events. Each month over 100,000 unique visitors view wine reviews, wine articles, descriptions of upcoming workshops, a wine events calendar and "Sip Tips" at http://www.AffairsoftheVine.com.
Wine Works is an informal association of wine writers, educators and consultants who meet regularly to review orchestrated flights of wine, the results of which are fodder for each to use professionally as he or she sees fit.