Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/333548
Scene at: 2014 Sonoma Coast pinot noir named 'Best of the Best' 1. 2. t the first Press Demo- crat North Coast Wine Challenge in 2013, a Bordeaux blend from Napa Valley took home the "Best of the Best Award." This year the wine competition's top award went to a Sonoma C o a s t r e d : t h e W. H . Smith 2010 Pinot Noir. Open only to wines p r o d u c e d i n N a p a , S o n o m a , M e n d o c i n o , Lake, Marin and Solano c o u n t i e s , t h e 2 0 1 4 competition – hosted by Vineyard & Win- e r y M a n a g e m e n t ( V & W M ) a n d T h e Press Democrat – was held April 29-30 at the Sonoma Wine C o u n t r y H i l t o n i n Santa Rosa, Calif. S o m e o f t h e North Coast's top sommeliers, wine- m a k e r s , r e t a i l e r s , educators and media gathered to judge nearly 900 entries. In addition to awarding medals, panels designated numerical scores for gold-medal wines, based on the 100-point scale. Daryl Groom, owner/wine- maker for Groom Wines in Healdsburg, Calif., returned to serve as chief judge in the competition's second year. "Judges were very, very impressed with the extreme- ly high quality of the wines," he said. "A total of 167 gold medals were given, repre- senting 19% of the wines entered. It's a testament to our talented North Coast winemakers and a reflection of the world-class grape- growing conditions we are blessed with." "This competition is about quality," added S t e v e F a l k , C E O o f Sonoma Media Invest- ments, parent company of The Press Democrat. "No matter if a wine sells for under $20 per bottle or over $75, the winners are all superior." S e l e c t e d w i n e s from the North Coast Wine Challenge will be featured at an invitational tasting on June 15, held at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in St. Helena. Competition spon- sors included Penta Water, Wine Coun- try Shipping, Alsco, G r a b e r O l i v e s , S o n o m a Wine Country Hilton, Cos- teaux French Bakery, Sjaak's O r g a n i c C h o c o l a t e s , B i g R i v e r C o f f e e C o m p a n y, Lagunitas Brewing Company, Spring Hill Jersey Cheese, Pasta Sonoma, Old Chatham Ranch, Russian River Fine Foods, Revive, Sift, Chris's Stuff, Trader Joe's, Bottle Barn, Vino Chapeau, Sonoma Syrup Company, and Sonoma Gourmet. 5. 3. 4. 1 1 0