Finger Lakes International topped by trio

A trio of wineries earned a pair of double gold medals each in last Saturday's Finger Lakes International Wine Competition.

The double gold status, which means a unanimous vote of the judges sampling the particular wine, went to two entries each from Adobe Road Winery of Petaluma, CA, Hagafen Cellars of Napa, CA, and Penguin Bay Winery of Hector, NY.

The competition is an annual fundraiser for Camp Good Days and Special Times, is a non-profit organization that provides a camping experience and more for children and adults facing the toughest challenges of life such as cancer, HIV/AIDS, and violence.

Here is the complete list of double golds. All other results are available elsewhere online.

• Cabernet Sauvignon: Adobe Road Winery, Petaluma, CA, Adobe Road Cabernet Sauvignon 2003.
• Zinfandel (Red): Adobe Road Winery, Petaluma, CA, Adobe Road Zinfandel 2005.
• Traminette: Beans Creek Winery, Manchester, TN, Traminette NV.
• Baco Noir: Benmarl Winery, Highland, NY, Benmarl Baco Noir 2006.
• Chenin Blanc: Biltmore Estate Wine Co., Asheville, NC, Biltmore Estate Chenin Blanc NV.
• Cabernet Franc: Blue Sky Vineyard, Makanda, IL, Cabernet Franc (75% Cabernet Franc, 25% Chambourcin) NV.
• Icewine (naturally frozen): Casa Larga Vineyards, Fairport, NY, Casa Larga-Fiori Vidal 2005.
• Red Varietals: Chameleon Cellars, Saint Helena, CA, Chameleon Cellars Carignane 2005.
• Late Harvest White: Chateau Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, Woodinville, WA, Chateau Ste. Michelle Ethos Late Harvest White Riesling 2006.
• Niagara: Earle Estates Meadery, Penn Yan, NY, Earle Estates Niagara NV.
• Riesling Sweet (>4.0%RS): Hagafen Cellars, Napa, CA, Hagafen Riesling 2007.
• Cabernet Sauvignon: Hagafen Cellars, Napa, CA, Prix Cabernet Sauvignon 2003.
• Merlot: Jarvis Winery, Napa, CA, Jarvis 81% MR /13% CF 6% CS 2005.
• Viognier: Jefferson Vineyards, Charlottesville, VA, Jefferson Vineyards Viognier 2007.
• Cider (< 7% Alcohol): Les Vergers Petit et Fils, Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Quebec, Petit Pomme Cidre Leger 2006.
• Merlot: M.A. Marketing, Tishbi Estate Winery, Zichron Yaakov, Israel, Merlot 2005.
• Zinfandel (Red): Maryhill Winery, Golendale, WA, Maryhill Classic Zinfandel 2005.
• Ice Wine (naturally frozen): Mountain Road Wine Co., Beamsville, Ontario, Mountain Road Wine Co. Vidal Icewine 2003.
• Ice Wine (naturally frozen): Oliver Winery, Bloomington, IN, Creekbend Vidal Blanc Ice Wine 2005.
• Riesling Semi-Sweet (2.0-4.0% RS): Penguin Bay Winery, Hector, NY, Penguin Bay Winery Riesling NV.
• Valvin-Muscat: Penguin Bay Winery, Hector, NY, Penguin Bay Winery Valvin / Muscat 2006.
• Rosé: Pinnacle Ridge Winery, Kutztown, PA, Pinnacle Ridge Winery Brut Rose Pinot Noir NV.
• Ice Wine (naturally frozen): Reif Estate Winery, Niagara-On-The-Lake, Ontario, Reif Estate Winery Vidal Ice Wine 2005.
• Ice Wine (naturally frozen): Royal DeMaria Wines, Beamsville, Ontario, Royal DeMaria Ice Wine Cabernet Sauvignon 2002.
• Chardonnay: South Coast Winery, Temecula, CA, South Coast Winery Chardonnay Sans Chene 2007.
• Sherry: Summerside Vineyards & Winery, Vinita, OK, Summerside Vineyards Sherry NV.
• Riesling Dry (0.0-0.75% RS): Swedish Hill Winery, Romulus, NY, Swedish Hill Winery Dry Riesling 2006.
• Traminette: Tabor Hill Winery, Bridgman, MI, Tabor Hill Winery Traminette 2006.
• Lemberger: Torrey Ridge Winery, Penn Yan, NY, Torrey Ridge Winery Lemberger 2006.
• Cabernet Sauvignon: V. Sattui Winery, St. Helena, CA, V. Sattui Winery Preston Vineyard Cabernet 2005.
• Late Harvest White: Vignoble du Marathonien, Havelock, Quebec, Vignoble du Marathonien Vidal 2006.
• Vidal Blanc: Wagner Vineyards, Lodi, NY, Wagner Vineyards Vidal Blanc Ice 2006.
• Late Harvest White: Weingut Anita & Hans Nittnaus, Austria, Weingut Anita & Hans Nittnaus 50% Chardonnay / 30% Pinot blanc / 10% Sauvignon blanc / 10% Riesling 2004.
• Other White Varietals: Weingut Werner Anselmann, Edesheim/ Weinstrabe, Germany, Anselmann Ortega rockenbeerenauslese Ortega 2006.
• Late Harvest White: Whitewater Hill Vineyards, Grand Junction, CO, Whitewater Hill Late Harvest Chardonnay 2007.
• Marechal Foch: Winehaven Winery and Vineyard, Chisago City, MN, Winehaven Winery Marechal Foch St. Croix 2006.

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Nevada gets its first estate-bottled red

Nevada's oldest and largest winery has produced the state's first estate red wine, a first crush 2005 Zinfandel called "Nevada Ridge."

Owners Bill and Gretchen Loken's Pahrump Valley Winery usually produces wines from grapes purchased in California, specifically the Paso Robles, Monterey, Sonoma, Napa and Lodi grape-growing regions. "Nevada Ridge" was made completely from grapes grown on the Pahrump grounds.

In an interview with the local Pahrump Valley Times newspaper, Bill Loken said, "There's never been a bottle of wine ever made at the winery from grapes that were grown here -- ever."

However, "he qualified his remarks, adding it's 'believed to be' the first red estate wine ever grown in Nevada, since Frank 'Pop' Buol grew grapes in Pahrump in the 1930s. But little is known about Chateau Buol other than it was bonded by the federal government."

Pahrump Valley Winery currently produces about 10,000 cases of wine annually, or about 120,000 bottles.

About 1.5 tons of zinfandel grapes were picked in mid-August of 2005, which amounts to about four barrels. The first crush will produce about 100 cases, or about 1,100 bottles, which will be priced at about $75 a bottle.

"To my knowledge this is the first commercial red wine ever produced in the state of Nevada. It marks the beginning point for an industry that has potential," Loken said in the interview.

An estate white wine was produced at Churchill Vineyards in Fallon, NV.

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Brunello flap gets results

The investigation into Brunello di Montalcino production levels for at least four major vintners isn't finished. However, a Tuscan trade organization already is taking action to blunt criticism.

Count Francesco Marone Cinzano (right), owner of Brunello producer Col d'Orcia and president of the consortium of Brunello producers, told Decanter.com that producers now will test some 20-25% of wine each year after reports that hundreds of thousands of top Brunello were impounded and sale of the 2003 vintage suspended.

"We will be a lot more severe in our controls to guarantee and certify the good work of the majority,'' he told reporters for the wine magazine during a conversation at the Vinitaly trade fair in Verona, Italy.

Major producers including Castello Banfi, Antinori, Frescobaldi and Argiano were being investigated after it was alleged they had mixed small amounts of other grapes with the Brunello, a violation of commercial law.

You can read the full Decanter.com story here.

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This time the label really is important

Sometimes it's difficult to juggle wine glasses when you're being spontaneous and, perhaps, hoping to share a touch of the grape with a significant other while out on a stroll through a meadow.

If you have a bottle of the Vinho Verde created by Viktor Pucsek for the PapaMama Design Competition, no problem. Simply slip off the label, which converts to a couple of paper drinking vessels.

You'll have to figure out for yourself how to open the bottle, although a screwtop would come in handy for anyone who decides to seriously manufacture what currently is a prototype design.

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Brunello di Montalcino production probed

Sometimes in business you can be too productive.

Think not? Check with the prominent Italian winemaker Castello Banfi. The Tuscan vintner has had 600,000 bottles of its 2003 Brunello di Montalcino confiscated by Italian authorities as part of an investigation into alleged irregularities in the quantity of bottles produced.

Enrico Viglierchio, a Castello Banfi executive, confirmed for reporters a story in the Tuscan newspaper Corriere Fiorentino that police had seized wine produced by Castello Banfi and three other vintners -- Antinori, Frescobaldi and Argiano -- on suspicion the high-end products had been cut with other grape varieties such as Sauvignon, which would be commercial fraud if true.

"It seems we produced more" than the vintner could have produced based on the calculation of acreage dedicated to grapes for Brunello, Viglierchio said in remarks carried by Italian state TV.

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