by Fred McMillin
for August 2003

Who were...
The Winning Winemakers?

Forty wines from 29 excellent winemakers...my tasters loved it. And here are the 27 wines that gained top marks, along with the name of the winemaker.

White Wines

$10 Maximum
2nd—DARYL GROOM & MICK SCHROETER's Geyser Peak Gewürztraminer, $8
1st—RICK BOYER's Jekel Riesling, $10

$15 Maximum
1st—MILLA HANDLEY's Handley Cellars Gewürztraminer, $15

$20 Maximum
1st—JED STEELE's Steele Wines Pinot Blanc, $16

$40 Maximum
1st—MIKE GRGICH's Grgich Hills Napa Valley Chardonnay, $33

Unlimited
1st—DIMITRI TCHELISTCHEFF's Jarvis Napa Valley Chardonnay, $42

Red Wines

$15 Maximum
2nd—LEE SOBON's Sobon Estate Old Vines Zinfandel, $13
1st—DAVID LAKE's Columbia Winery Syrah, $15

$20 Maximum
3rd—ETIENNE COWPER's Mt. Palomar Meritage Blend, $18
2nd—SCOTT HARVEY'S Folie à Deux Old Vine Zinfandel, Amador County, $20
1st—ED WALLO & GREG GRAZIANO's Yorkville Cellars Cabernet Franc, $17

$25 Maximum
2nd—TOM LANE's Concannon Reserve Petite Sirah, $25
1st—MARGARET DAVENPORT's Clos du Bois Reserve Merlot, $22

$30 Maximum
2nd—BRUCE SNYDER's Camellia Cellars Sangiovese, $28
1st—PAUL DRAPER's Ridge Vineyards Lytton Springs (Zinfandel), $30

$35 Maximum
2nd—EILEEN CRANE'S Domaine Carneros Pinot Noir, $34
1st—DAVID BRUCE's Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, $35

$40 Maximum
1st—GARY FARRELL's Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, $38

$50 Maximum
4th—DAVID BRUCE's Chalone Pinot Noir, $50
3rd—CRAIG WILLIAMS' Joseph Phelps Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, $42
2nd—PHILLIP SHAW's Rosemount "Blue Mountain" Syrah-Cab Blend, Australia, $50
1st—PHILLIP SHAW's Rosemount Balmoral Syrah, Australia, $50

Unlimited
2nd—BILL KNUTTEL's Chalk Hill Merlot, $100
1st—GARY FARRELL's Rochioli Vineyard Pinot Noir, $60

Sparklers and Dessert Wines

Sparkler
1st—DAWNINE DYER's Domaine Chandon Blanc de Noirs, Non-vintage, $17

Comment

The average rating of these wines was 87, which the WINE SPECTATOR defines as "very good, with special qualities!"...words which apply equally to the WINEMAKERS.

About the Writer Fred McMillin, a veteran wine writer, has taught wine history for 30 years on three continents. For information about the wine courses he teaches every month at either San Francisco State University or San Francisco City College (Fort Mason Division), please fax him at (415) 567-4468.

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