California Award-Winning Wines

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° San Francisco (Sailing and Kayaking) ° The Giants
° Napa and Sonoma ° The Peninsula: Half Moon Bay
° Mendocino County ° Shasta County ° Yosemite National Park

Wine Competition Public Tasting

Since the mid 1980s, The San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition Public Tasting has brought in hundreds of wineries from across the country to showcase their award winning wines to a sold-out crowd at Fort Mason’s Festival Pavilion for the past few years.

Education and food pairing with the wines is another important component of the Public Tasting; therefore, guests were encouraged to enjoy delicious creations from the California Culinary Academy, the Santa Rosa Junior College Culinary Department and SavorCalifornia.com.

The U.S. Pure Water Corporation made sure guests stayed well hydrated throughout the day and returning sponsor Costeaux French Bakery supplied award-winning breads to cleanse the palate of each attendee.

The Chronicle's public tasting is held in February each year and now features winning wineries and wines from all over the country.

Chronicle Wine Competition 2011 Winners include:

• Gloria Ferrer Champagne Caves
  2006 Carneros GF Brut Rose
• St Clair
  NV New Mexico Gewürztraminer
• Barnard Griffin
  2010 Columbia Valley Rose of Sangiovese
• Hacher Winery
  2008 Paso Robles Zinfandel Thacher Triumvirate
• Ecluse Wines
  2008 Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon Lock Vineyard
• Alapay Cellars
  2009 Paso Robles Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc

In addition to having favorite wines, we have favorite wine labels, one of which is Frog's Leap from Napa Valley, described as elegant and refined, with aromas of rich black fruit laced with hints of dried herbs. The wines deep connection to the soil is reflected in flavors of cassis, plum and black berries which are complemented by the essence of truffle, cedar and tobacco. Soft tannins and well integrated oak are balanced with a fine acidity to create a finish that will linger well after the last course has been cleared.