Sonoma County Harvest Fair 2013

Sonoma County's Harvest Fair is on the first weekend of October every year. It's main focus is to showcase local wines. There's a judging of nearly a thousand wines the week before with the gold medal winners poured over three days. Optionally, the wineries can pour other medal winners besides the golds. There were almost 200 gold medal winners to choose from. I barely scratched the surface.

Following are the wines I tasted grouped by my preference listing the winery, the wine, price and medal received. Note there can be several categories for any one type of wine, for instance, Zinfandel under $25, Zinfandel $25-35, and Zinfandel over $35, each having Best of Class or Double Gold winners. Double Gold means all judges unanimously gave it the gold.

Just the opinion of one person, of course, and I may have had a bit of palate fatigue. Luckily, there were also local beers available to help refresh the ol' taste buds.  :)

The Best

A great wine!

Davis Bynum Pinot Noir 2011 Jane's Vyd Russian River Vly $40 Best of Class

Davis Family Pinot Noir 2011 Starr Ridge Russian River Vly $50 Gold

Estate 1856 Cabernet Bordeaux Blend 2010 Sonoma County $36 Best of Class, Sweepstakes

Estate 1856 Cabernet Bordeaux Blend 2011 Sonoma County $36 Double Gold

Matrix Zinfandel-Petite Sirah 2011 Russian River Vly $32 Best of Class

Rodney Strong Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 Brother's Ridge Vyd Alexander Vly $75 Gold

Trentadue Petite Sirah Port 2011 Alexander Vly $25 Best of Class

Wellington Victory (Bordeaux) 2008 Sonoma County $60 Gold

Excellent

Ashton Syrah 2007 Ashton Vyd Sonoma Mountain $49 Gold

Cazadero Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 Bei Ranch Sonoma Coast $59 Double Gold

Clos du Bois Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 Alexander Valley $28 Double Gol

Davis Family Pinot Noir 2011 Soul Patch Russian River Vly $50 Gold

Deerfield Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 Sonoma County $30 Bronze

Dutcher Crossing Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 Taylor Dry Creek Vly $45 Gold

Forchini Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 Dry Creek $32 Best of Class

Forchini Zinfandel 2011 Reserve Old Vine Dry Creek Vly $28 Gold

Imagery Syrah 2010 Dragonleaf Sonoma Mountain $39 Gold

Mathis Grenache 2010 Sonoma Valley $30 Best of Class 

Matrix Petite Sirah 2011 Bacigalupi Vyd Russian River Vly $32 Gold

Mazzocco Zinfandel 2011 Pony Dry Creek Vly $38 Gold

Mazzocco Zinfandel 2011 Pony Reserve Dry Creek Vly $52 Gold

Pezzi King Zinfandel 2011 Serracino Vyd Dry Creek Vly $50 Double Gold

Rodney Strong Symmetry Red Meritage 2010 Alexander Valley $60 Gold

Selby Malbec 2008 Alexander Valley $34 Double Gold

St Francis Merlot 2010 Behler Sonoma Valley $45 Best of Class

Thirty-Seven Malbec 2010 Sonoma Coast $46 Best of Class

TR Elliott Pinot Noir 2011 Queste Russian River Vly $44 Double Gold

Very Good

Alexander Valley Cyrus (Bordeaux) 2009 Alexander Valley $65 Silver

Arrowood Syrah 2008 Saralee's Vyd Russian River Vly $30 Gold

B.R. Cohn Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 Olive Hill Sonoma Vly $55 Gold

Cazadero Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 Bei Ranch Sonoma Coast $49 Gold

Clos du Bois Cabernet Franc 2010 Alexander Valley $40 Gold

Clos du Bois Marlstone (Bordeaux) 2010 Alexander Valley $50 Gold

Davis Family Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 Sonoma County $60 Best of Class

Geyser Peak Petit Verdot 2010 Foothill Block Collection Alexander Vly $28 Best of Class

Gloria Ferrer Royal Cuvee (sparkling) 2005 Carneros $32 Gold

Imagery Pallas Estate Red 2010 Sonoma Valley $65 Gold

Matrix Pinot Noir 2011 R Buoncristiani Vyd Russian River Vly $48 Double Gold

Matrix Pinot Noir 2011 Reserve Nunes Vyd Russian River Vly $56 Gold

Mazzocco Zinfandel 2011 Briar Dry Creek Vly $29 Double Gold

Pedroncelli Sangiovese 2011 Alto Vyds Dry Creek Vly $16 Best of Class

Trentadue Zinfandel Port 2011 Alexander Vly $25

Wilson Zinfandel 2011 Molly's Vyd Dry Creek Vly $36 Gold

Wilson Zinfandel 2011 Nolan Dry Creek Vly $40 Gold

Good

Benziger Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 Signaterra 3 Blocks Sonoma Vly $50 Double Gold

Benziger Pinot Noir 2011 de Coelo Quintus Sonoma Coast $75 Gold

Breathless Blanc de Noir (sparkling) Sonoma County $30 Sweepstakes

Carol Shelton Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 Rockpile Reserve $50 Gold

Christopher Creek Petite Sirah 2008 Reserve Russian River Vly $39 Best of Class

Davis Family Barn d'Or (red blend) 2011 Sonoma County $35 Gold

de Lorimier Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 Preston Ranch Alexander Vly $52 Gold

Foppiano Port 2010 Russian River Valley $40 Silver

Forchini Papa Nonno (blend) 2011 Dry Creek Valley $25 Silver

Francis Ford Coppola Syrah 2010 Reserve Dry Creek Vly $36 Best of Class

Gloria Ferrer Blanc de Noirs (sparkling) Carneros $22 Double Gold

Gloria Ferrer Brut Rose (sparkling) 2008 Carneros $42 Gold

Keating 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Montecillo Vyd Sonoma Vly $48 Gold

Matrix Pinot Noir 2011 Nunes Vyd Russian River Vly $42 Gold

Mayo Rhone-The Gypsy 2009 Sonoma County $40 Gold

Mazzocco Zinfandel 2011 Beasley Dry Creek Vly $34 Gold

Mazzocco Zinfandel 2011 Seaton Dry Creek Vly $52 Double Gold

Mazzocco Zinfandel 2011 Serracino Dry Creek Vly $52 Gold

Mazzocco Zinfandel 2011 Sonoma County $26 Double Gold

Michael Pozzan Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 Sonoma County $15 Best of Class

Pezzi King Zinfandel 2011 Harris Kratka Vyd Alexander Vly $42 Gold

Pezzi King Zinfandel 2011 Row 26 Dry Creek Vly $50

Sebastiani Barbera 2009 Sonoma Valley $26 Best of Class

St Francis Claret 2010 Sonoma County $20 Gold

Sequana Pinot Noir 2011 Russian River Vly $38 Best of Class

Shiloh Road Pinot Noir 2012 Sonoma County $18 Best of Class

Soda Rock Zinfandel 2011 Wentworth Sonoma County $42 Double Gold

Wilson Zinfandel 2011 Estate Dry Creek Vly $68 Gold

Woodenhead Pinot Noir 2010 Wet Kiss Russian River Vly $52 Gold

The Rest

Karah Pinot Noir Karah Vyd Sonoma Coast $16 Gold

Saini Zinfandel 2011 Pear Block Dry Creek Vly $38 Double Gold

Sunce Mourvedre 2011 Montgomery Vyd Russian River Vly $28 Gold

Wilson Zinfandel 2011 Sawyer Vyd Dry Creek Vly $50 Gold

Windsor Vyd Carignane 2010 Reserve Alexander Vly $20 Gold

Best deals

Clos du Bois Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 Alexander Valley $28

Michael Pozzan Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 Sonoma County $15 

Pedroncelli Sangiovese 2011 Alto Vyds Dry Creek Vly $16  

Harvest Fair award winners