El Dorado County's Best Wines

2008 State Fair Award-Winners

Since 1855, the California State Fair has taken pride in honoring California’s top wine selections and wineries, making the California State Wine Competition the oldest and most Prestigious Wine Competition in North America. The competition is limited to California bonded wineries selling retail.  This is the authentic granddaddy of American wine competitions. First held in 1855, it is, by far, the oldest wine competition limited to vitis vinifera grapes in America, and trade publications credit it as the premier competition in America through 1967.

This event is firmly established as the most prestigious of American Wine Competitions. It is the most meaningful of the major competitions restricted to California wines.

In addition, the uniqueness of this competition gives further credibility to its future within the industry. It is the only competition that requires all wines to be entered based on the viticultural area (also known as an appellation) where the grapes are grown, not where the winery is located. To further focus on the event’s unique attributes and on the importance of the wine grapes, duplicate awards are presented to each single vineyard grape grower or the winery estate vineyard manager. This applies to all award-winning wines from single vineyards or estate vineyards. This is the first wine competition in the world ever to honor the grape growers and vineyard managers this way.

This judging takes 3 days of intense tasting. In the first two days, all wines are tasted, judged and possibly awarded a medal. On the final tasting day, all gold and double gold wines will be divided into one of eleven viticultural appellations that is the source of the grapes.

Awards Round: All wines will be judged using the “Peterson Method” which was developed for us by Richard Peterson PhD. Most other wine competitions bring wines to the judges in flights of 10 to 15 wines at a time, then each wine is judged separately and given an award or not. Under the “Peterson Method,” wines are brought to the judge’s table in flights of 25 to 50 wines, depending on the varietal and how many wines are entered. Each of the four judges on a panel will first smell a wine, then arrange it into 3 categories according to each judge’s criteria. The judge then re-smells the wines in each category and places them in a “ranking” order. Finally, the wines are tasted and rearranged again in a “ranking” order and awards are given. This system helps our judges find the best wines without fatiguing their palates unnecessarily and is used by most winemakers when tasting barrel samples.

Numeric Scores: Judges are also encouraged to give plus and minus signs to each wine award (for example: Silver minus, Silver plus or Bronze plus). Each of these awards is given a numeric score by our computer for each of the four judges on a panel, added together, then divided by four and the wine is given a final numeric score. Wines will be given a numeric score based on the following scale:

Bronze 85-87 points, Silver 88-93 points, Gold 94-98 points, Double Gold 97-99 points.  If all four judges on a panel decide to give a particular wine a gold medal, the wine will be elevated to double gold status. For a wine to receive a Bronze medal, each judge must give the wine a Bronze medal and the wine must have a minimum score of 85. In all cases, judges will be given as much time as needed for deliberation.

And The Winners Are: 

Listed First by Score, then Alphabetically.

Madrona Vineyards
2006 Cabernet Franc
Award: Double Gold
Score: 98

Perry Creek Winery
2005 Petite Sirah & Durif
Award: Double Gold
Score: 98

Auriga Wine Cellars
2007 Viognier
Award: Gold
Score: 95

Auriga Wine Cellars
2005 Syrah & Shiraz
Award: Gold
Score: 94

David Girard Vineyards
2005 Syrah & Shiraz
Award: Gold
Score: 94

diVittorio Winery
2005 Vintage Port (bottled within 24 to 36 months)
Award: Gold
Score: 94

diVittorio Winery
2005 Cabernet Sauvignon
Award: Gold
Score: 94

Hollys Hill Vineyards
2007 Viognier
Award: Gold
Score: 94

Madrona Vineyards
2006 Vintage Port (bottled within 24 to 36 months)
Award: Gold
Score: 94

Shadow Ranch
2004 Cabernet Sauvignon
Award: Gold
Score: 94




Hollys Hill Vineyards
2005 Syrah & Shiraz
Award: Silver
Score: 91

Madrona Vineyards
2005 Merlot
Award: Silver
Score: 91

Miraflores Winery
2005 Zinfandel
Award: Silver
Score: 91

R & B Cellars
2006 Cabernet Franc
Award: Silver
Score: 91

Hollys Hill Vineyards
2006 Mourvedre & Mataro
Award: Silver
Score: 90

Hollys Hill Vineyards
2006 Rhone Varietal Blends
Award: Silver
Score: 90

Mount Aukum Winery
2005 Zinfandel
Award: Silver
Score: 90

Boa Vista Vineyards byGoldCountryCellars
No Vintage Fruit Wines
Award: Silver
Score: 89

David Girard Vineyards
2006 Mourvedre & Mataro
Award: Silver
Score: 89

High View Vineyards
2005 Syrah & Shiraz
Award: Silver
Score: 89

Lava Cap Winery
2005 Petite Sirah & Durif
Award: Silver
Score: 89

Lava Cap Winery
2005 Sangiovese
Award: Silver
Score: 89

Lava Cap Winery
2005 Zinfandel
Award: Silver
Score: 89

Madrona Vineyards
2005 Syrah & Shiraz
Award: Silver
Score: 89

Miraflores Winery
2005 Syrah & Shiraz
Award: Silver
Score: 89

Sierra Vista Winery
2005 Cabernet Sauvignon
Award: Silver
Score: 89

Wofford Acres Vineyards
2007 Varietal Rosé (all types)
Award: Silver
Score: 89

Colibri Ridge Winery & Vineyard
2006 Viognier
Award: Silver
Score: 88

David Girard Vineyards
2007 Rosé Wine
Award: Silver
Score: 88

Hollys Hill Vineyards
2006 Syrah & Shiraz
Award: Silver
Score: 88

Lava Cap Winery
2005 Cabernet Franc
Award: Silver
Score: 88

Madrona Vineyards
2005 Bordeaux Varietal Blends
Award: Silver
Score: 88

Madrona Vineyards
2005 Cabernet Sauvignon
Award: Silver
Score: 88


Colibri Ridge Winery & Vineyard
2005 Barbera
Award: Bronze
Score: 87

Colibri Ridge Winery & Vineyard
2005 Red Generic (grape varietals need not be stated)
Award: Bronze
Score: 87

Crystal Basin Cellars
2006 Mourvedre & Mataro
Award: Bronze
Score: 87

Crystal Basin Cellars
2006 Zinfandel
Award: Bronze
Score: 87

Crystal Basin Cellars
2006 Bordeaux Varietal Blends
Award: Bronze
Score: 87

Hollys Hill Vineyards
2006 Other Red Varietals (not listed above and not blends, i.e. Teroldego)
Award: Bronze
Score: 87

Jodar Vineyards & Winery
2005 Vintage Port (bottled within 24 to 36 months)
Award: Bronze
Score: 87

Madrona Vineyards
2006 Rhone Varietal Blends
Award: Bronze
Score: 87

Miraflores Winery
2005 Petite Sirah & Durif
Award: Bronze
Score: 87

Mount Aukum Winery
2006 Rhone Varietal Blends
Award: Bronze
Score: 87

Perry Creek Winery
2005 Syrah & Shiraz
Award: Bronze
Score: 87

Crystal Basin Cellars
2006 Cabernet Franc
Award: Bronze
Score: 86

Crystal Basin Cellars
2006 Vintage Port (bottled within 24 to 36 months)
Award: Bronze
Score: 86

Granite Springs Winery
2007 Chardonnay
Award: Bronze
Score: 86

Sierra Oaks Estates
2005 Syrah & Shiraz
Award: Bronze
Score: 86

Sierra Vista Winery
2006 Rhone Varietal Blends
Award: Bronze
Score: 86

Sierra Vista Winery
2006 Roussanne
Award: Silver
Score: 89

Witch Creek Winery
2005 Cabernet Franc
Award: Bronze
Score: 86

Paramount importance is placed at this competition on assuring the highest level of integrity in the results. This means, among other things:

• 1) a seasoned, trained, dedicated, and respected management and staff;

• 2) qualified and experienced judges who have proven the high calibre of their palates;

• 3) judging criteria that call for worldclass standards of excellence;

• 4) avoidance of conflict of interest in every aspect of this competition.

All aspects of this wine judging have been and will be conducted to assure the results have the highest degree of integrity and are fully worthy of the California State Fair.