Results of the World’s Largest, 5th Annual International Cabernet Franc Wine Competition dedicated exclusively to Cabernet Franc Wine
Not all the bottles of competition shown (Photo ©Michael Kelly)
The 5th Annual Cabernet Franc Wine Competition was held yesterday on April 3rd, 2024 at the Copper Valley Golf Club Clubhouse. The format for the blind competition utilizes the Danish system, where the wines are “bagged and tagged with coded numbers”. There were four tables of wine judges (2 tables of Professional Judges and 2 tables People’s Choice Judges) voting on medal designation, Best of Category, Best of Show and Grand Sweepstakes. If not all agree on the medal, which seldom happens, then a lively discussion going over the key characteristics of the specific wine is debated to reach a consensus award by each group of judges.
In total there were 8 classifications by region or Cabernet Franc wine designation. The Regional awards were broken down by: Eastern, Central, Northwest, Southwest, California and International. For California there were five price point categories. There were also two additional categories for Specialty Cabernet Franc Blanc, sparkling, Rose, etc. and Blends having a minimum of 50% Cabernet Franc grapes. In total 91 wines entered the competition. The event started at 9:15 am and went non-stop, concluding at 2:30 pm with a luncheon for the judges and volunteers.
Two of the four tables of judges (Photos courtesy of Susan Sherrill)
The Grand Sweepstakes winner from the Professional Judges was LXV Wines located in Paso Robles and grapes from the Santa Barbera AVA. Made in the “Chinon style” with low oak treatment.
(Photo ©Michael Kelly)
The Grand Sweepstakes winner from the People’s Choice Judges was Brick Barn Wine Estate from Buellton, California. 100% Cabernet Franc and unique with only four barrels being produced with aging in Russian oak barrels.
(Photo ©Michael Kelly)
Detail stories on the Grand Sweepstakes winners and Best of Class winner will be forthcoming in the coming weeks. Below are the listing for Best of Class and Medal Awards (just showing Gold & Silver) for the Cabernet Franc, Specialty and Blend.
PROFESSIONAL JUDGES RESULTS:
Eastern USA Division:
Best of Class: Fjord Vineyard from Marlboro, NY. The grapes come from sustainably farmed vineyard in the Hudson Valley AVA, bottled unfined and unfiltered, spontaneous fermented. This was their first time entering the competition and they also received an award of Double Gold.
Medal Awards:
Pearmund Cellars – Gold (2020)
Pearmund Cellars – Silver (2021)
Veritas Vineyard – Silver (2014)
Central USA Division:
Best of Show: 2020 Vermilion Valley Vineyards located in Wakeman, Ohio from the Lake Erie AVA. The grapes coming from their estate . This was their first time entering the competition.
Northwest USA Division:
Best of Show: Camaraderie Cellars located in Port Angeles, Washington with grapes from the Yakima Valley AVA. They also won Gold Medal.
Medal Awards:
Quady North Winery – Silver (Mae’s Vineyard)
Quady North Winery – Silver (Applegate Vineyard)
Spangler Vineyards & Winery – Silver (2019)
Southwest USA Division:
Best of Show: Vivac Winery located in Dixon, New Mexico from the New Mexico AVA with their 2021 vintage. This Cabernet Franc wine consisted of 10% Syrah & Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Sangiovese.
California USA Division:
Best of California Division overall: LXV Best of Class
Best of Category 1 ($30 and below):
Best of Category: Ironstone Vineyards – Gold (2021 from Murphys, using Lodi grapes with 12% Merlot & 3% Syrah)
Medal Awards:
Madrone Vineyards – Silver (2019 from Camino, using 3.5% Malbec, 7.3% Merlot, 3.5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot)
Best of Category 2 ($31 to $50):
Best of Category: Cuda Ridge Wines Double Gold (2021 from Livermore, using Livermore Valley grapes with 4% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Merlot & 2% Petit Verdot)
Medal Awards:
McKenzie-Mueller – Double Gold
Lava Cap – Double Gold
Scenic Valley Ranch – Double Gold
Dracaena Wines – Double Gold
L’Autre Cote – Double Gold
L & M Vineyard – Gold (2021)
Absolution Cellars – Silver
Crystal Basin Cellars – Silver
Kautz & Kramer Wines – Silver
Shale Canyon Wines – Silver
Darcie Kent Estate Winery – Silver
Autry Cellars – Silver
3 Steves Winery – Silver
Rosa Fierro Cellars – Silver
Garre Vineyards & Winery – Silver
Kenefick Ranch Vineyards & Winery – Silver
J. Lohr Vineyards & Winery – Silver
Bumgarner Winery & Vineyards – Silver
Ancient Peaks Winery – Silver
Villa Vallecito Vineyards – Silver
Mineral Wines – Silver
Val du Vino Winery – Silver
Best of Category 3 ($51 to $75):
Best of Category: L’Autre Cote – Double Gold, 2021 100% Cabernet Franc 2021 from Ghielmetti Vineyard.
Medal Awards:
Selin Cellars – Double Gold (2021)
Dunning Vineyards – Double Gold
J. Lohr Vineyards & Winery – Gold
Titus Vineyards – Gold
Selin Cellars – Silver (2022)
Cellar 13 Winery – Silver (2019)
Cellar 13 Winery – Silver (2021)
Donati Family Vineyard – Silver
Le Vigne Winery – Silver
AvinoDos Wines – Silver
Rodrigue Molyneaux Winery – Silver
Best of Category 4 ($76 to $100):
Best of Category: LXV Wine located in Paso Robles and grapes from the Santa Barbera AVA. Made in the “Chinon style” with low oak treatment.
Medal Awards:
PureCru – Gold
Vinoce – Silver
Best of Category 5 ($100 & up):
Best of Category: Brick Barn Wine Estate from Buellton, California. 100% Cabernet Franc and unique with only four barrels being produced with aging in Russian oak barrels. They also received an award of Double Gold.
Medal Awards:
Palazzo Wine – Double Gold
Middle Oak Wines – Silver
Mountain Terraces Winery & Vineyard – Silver
L’Autre Cote – Silver
Specialty Category:
Best of Show: Quady North Winery from Jacksonville, Oregon using grapes from Applegate AVA in southern Oregon. Extended Tirage and using Method Rose. This was the first year they entered the competition.
Cabernet Franc Blends (being a minimum of 50% Cabernet Franc grapes)
Best of Show: Justin Vineyards for their 2021 blend of 60% Cabernet Franc and 40% Merlot using grapes from Paso Robles AVA. They also won Double Gold award for this wine.
Medal Awards:
LXV Wine– Gold
Cuda Ridge– Silver
Absolution Cellars – Silver (O’Dina blend)
PureCru – Silver
International Division:
Best of Show: Whalehaven Winery located in the city of Somerset West in South Africa won the International Division.
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PEOPLE’S CHOICE JUDGES RESULTS:
Eastern USA Division:
Best of Class: Benmarl Winery for their 2022 vintage from Marlboro, New York and using grapes from the Hudson Valley AVA. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. They also won an award of Double Gold
Medal Awards:
Veritas Vineyard – Gold (2017)
Pearmund Cellars – Silver (2020)
Veritas – Silver (2014)
Veritas Vineyard – Silver (Reserve)
Fjord Vineyard – Silver
Covert – Silver (2021)
Benmarl Winery – Silver (New York AVA)
Covert – Silver (2020)
Central USA Division:
Best of Show: Silver Crest Cellars located in Madison, Ohio for their 2018 Cabernet Franc. The grapes come from the Grand River Valley AVA.
Northwest USA Division:
Best of Show: Spangler Vineyards and Winery located in Roseburg, Oregon for their 2019 vintage. The grapes come from the Southern Oregon AVA and they also won an award of Double Gold.
Medal Awards:
Quady North Winery – Double Gold (Mae’s Vineyard)
Quady North Winery – Gold (Applegate Vineyard)
Wautoma Springs – Silver
Terra Vina Wines – Silver
Southwest USA Division:
Best of Show: Callaghan Vineyards located in Elgin, Arizona and using grapes from the Sonoita AVA with their 2019 vintage.
Medal Awards:
Bodega Pierce – Silver
Vivac Winery – Silver
California USA Division:
Best of California Division overall: Brick Barn Wine Estate from Buellton, California. 100% Cabernet Franc and unique with only four barrels being produced with aging in Russian oak barrels. They also received an award of Double Gold.
Best of Category 1 ($30 and below):
Best of Category: Boeger Winery with their 2020 vintage winning an award of Double Gold.
Medal Awards:
Madrone Vineyards – Silver
Rucksack Cellars – Silver
Ironstone Vineyards – Silver
Best of Category 2 ($31 to $50):
Best of Category: L & M Vineyard from Gilroy with their 2020 Reserve Cabernet Franc. Using grapes from San Ysidro district. They received an award of Double Gold and this was their first time entering the competition.
Medal Awards:
Wood Family Vineyards – Double Gold
Darcie Kent – Double Gold
Absolution Cellars – Gold
Shale Canyon Wines – Gold
3 Steves Winery – Gold
Rosa Fierro Cellars – Gold
J. Lohr Vineyards & Winery – Gold
Bumgarner Winery & Vineyards – Gold
Crystal Basin Cellars – Silver
Cuda Ridge Wines – Silver
Kautz & Kramer Wines – Silver
Dracaena Wines – Silver
L & M Vineyard – Silver (2020, regular)
L’Autre Cote – Silver (commercial)
McKenzie-Mueller – Silver
Garre Vineyards & Winery – Silver
Kenefick Ranch Vineyards & Winery – Silver
Ancient Peaks Winery – Silver
Lava Cap – Silver
Scenic Valley Ranch – Silver
Villa Vallecito Vineyards – Silver
Mineral Wines – Silver
Best of Category 3 ($51 to $75):
Best of Category: Dancing Fox Winery located in Lodi with their 2020 vintage from the Clements Hills sub-Appellation. They also won an award of Double Gold and was their first time entering the competition.
Medal Awards:
Donati Family – Double Gold
Selin Cellars – Gold (2021)
J. Lohr Vineyards & Winery – Gold
L’Autre Cote – Gold
Cellar 13 – Silver (2019)
Cellar 13 – Silver (2021)
Le Vigne – Silver
Selin Cellars – Silver (2022)
AvinoDos Winery – Silver
Titus Vineyards – Silver
Best of Category 4 ($76 to $100):
Best of Category: pureCru Winery located in Napa for their 2019 Reserve Cabernet Franc vintage. They also won an award of Double Gold.
Medal Awards:
LXV Wines– Double Gold
Vinoce – Silver
Best of Category 5 ($100 & up):
Best of Category: Brick Barn Wine Estate from Buellton, California. 100% Cabernet Franc and unique with only four barrels being produced with aging in Russian oak barrels. They also received an award of Double Gold.
Medal Awards:
Mountain Terraces Winery & Vineyard – Gold
Palazzo Wine – Silver
Middle Oak Wines – Silver
L’Autre Cote – Silver
Specialty Category:
Best of Show: Quady North Winery from Jacksonville, Oregon using grapes from Applegate AVA in southern Oregon. Extended Tirage and using Method Rose. This was the first year they entered the competition.
Cabernet Franc Blends (being a minimum of 50% Cabernet Franc grapes)
Best of Show: pureCru for their 2021 blend of 50% Cabernet Franc and 50% Merlot .
Medal Awards:
LXV Wine– Gold
Cuda Ridge– Silver
Absolution Cellars – Silver (O’Dina blend)
Justin Vineyards – Silver
International Division:
Best of Show: Whalehaven Winery located in the city of Somerset West in South Africa won the International Division.
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A very special thank you to both sets of judges and volunteers without which this event could not have happened!
(Professional Judges, left to right: Tom Bender, Tana Cole, Debi Miller, Fran Cunniffe and Mike Dunne)
(People’s Choice Judges, left to right: Robert Kent, Holger Hornisch, Candy Strubbe, Peter Singh, Gary Miller and Donna laquinto)
No pictures of the volunteers who literally were on their feet all day running wine! A big hearty thank you!
Susan Kelly
Celia Miller
Ansuiya Singh
Mary Heaton
Susan Sherril
and to Jeff Heaton who helped with the 6:30 am set up!
Note: Two other events will be held shortly, the first being the Cabernet Franc Wine Stroll It will be held on April 13th, at The Golf Club of Copper Valley featuring the previous year’s winners pouring their Cabernet Franc and many others wines. Call 209-783-9518 for reservations. The second event is a Gourmet Dinner prepared by Verona18 show casing award winning Cabernet Franc wines from Cienega Valley, Paso Robles, Livermore Valley and Sonoma Valley (SOLD OUT).
Sláinte,
Michael
California Wines & Wineries 