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People’s Choice Wine Awards
Excellent Award-Winning Results for Lake County Wines
PEOPLE'S CHOICE
 The Lake County Winery Association (LCWA) hosted the “People’s Choice Wine Awards” at Langtry Estates in November. This consumer event attracted 300 people to the Lake County wine region for an afternoon of wine tasting, voting, food, and friends.
The day’s public tasting was the final portion of the “People’s Choice Wine Awards” wine competition. Earlier this year, wineries in and outside of Lake County were invited to submit their wines to the first ever, “Lake County” wine competition. The only criterion for taking part in the competition was that wines had to be produced using Lake County grapes.
2011 Winners:
Best White: 2010 Wildhurst Chardonnay
Best Red: 2009 Rosa D'Oro Primitivo
2010 Winners:
This year’s winners of the “People’s Choice Wine Awards” wine competition:
Best Sauvignon Blanc--The Hess Collection 2008
Best Viognier—Gregory Graham 2008
Best Chardonnay—Shannon Ridge 2008
Best Alternative White—Brassfield Estate Riesling 2007
Best Rose—Gregory Graham 2008
Best Pinot Noir—Shooting Star 2008 from Steele Wines
Best Syrah—Gregory Graham 2006 Crimson Hill
Best Sparkling—Shooting Star Black Bubbles from Steele Wines
Best Merlot—Wildhurst 2006
Best Bordeaux Varietal—Steele Wines Cab Franc 2007
Best Cabernet Sauvignon—Shed Horn Cellars 2006
Best Alternative Red—Zina Hyde Cunningham Barbera 2006
Best Zinfandel—Writer’s Block 2007
Best Petite Sirah—Fortress Vineyards 2007
Best White Dessert Wine—Ceago Muscat
Best Red Dessert Wine—Wildhurst Zinfandel Port
 Awards were also given to wines showcasing the distinct characteristics of the various Lake County wine growing appellations such as Red Hills and High Valley. Lower Lake Winemaker Gregory Graham took home ‘Best of Show’ White Wine and ‘Best of Show’ Red Wine for his 2008 Viognier and 2006 Crimson Hill Syrah. A special award, “Winery of the Year” was given to Steele Wines.
“The People’s Choice Wine Awards event was created to educate and expose the public to the excellence of Lake County Wines,” says Kaj Ahlmann, Chairman, LCWA and owner of Six Sigma Ranch and Winery. “To that end, we feel we met our goals. People had fun and were very enthusiastic about the event and the wines!”
The “People’s Choice Wine Awards” competition was a perfect first occasion and LCWA plans to host the event again in the fall of 2010.
The Lake County Winery Association’s “People’s Choice Wine Awards” event was sponsored by the following businesses and organizations: Lake County Winegrape Commission, Tallman Hotel, Blue Wing Saloon & Care’, Kadar Hungary Cooperage, World Cooperage, Synergy Glass and Packaging, Twin Pine Casino and Hotel, Clearlake Chamber of Commerce, Foods Etc., Jonas Oil, SaverGlass, M.A.Silva Corks U.S.A., Elk Mountain Vineyards, Rosenthal Vineyards, and Bella Vista Farming. Special thanks to Six Sigma Ranch and Winery and Langtry Estate and Vineyard for hosting the “People’s Choice Wine Awards” 2009 event.
A complete list of all the award winning wines and runners up can be found on the LCWA website at www.lakecountywineries.org.
ABOUT THE LAKE COUNTY WINERY ASSOCIATION
Formed in 2007, the Lake County Winery Association is a non-profit organization of wineries that aims to promote Lake County as a wine tour destination. The association hosts several wine events throughout the year that encourage visitors and locals to explore the wines of this up-and-coming region including the annual Lake County Wine Adventure which takes place the last weekend of July on the 24th and 25th.
ABOUT THE LAKE COUNTY WINE REGION
Lake County has a rich history of grape growing and winemaking and is one of California’s newest wine country destinations for those looking for fine wines in a relaxed, down-to-earth, breathtakingly beautiful environment. This award-winning wine region is nestled in the heart of the Mayacamas and Vaca mountain ranges. It surrounds Clear Lake, California’s largest natural fresh water lake and sits at the foot of Mr. Konocti, the majestic volcanic landmark of Lake County. The combination of high elevation, diverse soils, unique microclimates and sustainable farming practices produce the high quality grapes that provide the origin of Lake County’s highly acclaimed wines.
For more information about the region, visit www.lakecountywineries.org or www.lakecounty.com.
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