Our Wine Super Bowl!

On Wine

Our Wine Super Bowl!

Wine

by Fred McMillin

Napa and Sonoma clashed in our Super Bowl battle. Each quarter there were three entries from each district, with some big names like Corison, Gary Farrell, Grgich, etc. Here's the kickoff!

First Quarter

All White Wines

Napa won this quarter by 6 points with these entries:

Sauvignon Blanc, Joseph Phelps Vineyards, Napa Valley, 2006, $32
Pinot Blanc, Robert Sinskey Vineyards, Los Carneros, 2006, $18 (375 ml)
Chardonnay,Grgich Hills Estate, Napa Valley, 2006, $42

Second Quarter

Sparkler and Pinot Noir

Sonoma won this quarter by 19 points with these entries:

Royal Cuvée, Gloria Ferrer, Sonoma County, 2000, $36
Pinot Noir, Marimar Estate, Russian River Valley, 2005, $42
Pinot Noir, Gary Farrell Vineyards, Russian River Valley, 2004, $50

Half Time

Sonoma leads 19 to 6.

Third Quarter

Zinfandel and Merlot

Napa won this quarter by 5 points with these entries:

Zinfandel, Peju Provence, Napa Valley, 2004, $25
Marilyn Merlot, Nova Wines, Napa Valley, 2006, $27
Merlot, Uvada Wines, Napa Valley, 2001, $28

Fourth Quarter

Cabernet Sauvignon and Blends

Napa won this quarter by 12 points with these entries:

Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve,Trinchero Vineyards, Napa, 2002, $45
Cabernet Sauvignon, Corison Vineyards, Napa Valley, 2004, $70
Lake William Blend, Jarvis Wines, Napa Valley, 2001, $60

The Super Bowl Winnah Is

Napa, 23 To 19!

And a Final Wine Smile

A pharaoh favorite: The wines of the legendary King Tut (ca. 1370-1352 B.C.) included the best from Egypt's large Oasis of Baharia, which made three grades. The pharaoh no doubt skipped the third grade, as it was made by adding water to the skin-seed-pulp fermentation residue. They then pressed it again...we wonder if they called it TWO BUCK TUT?

Credits: Edgar Vogt
Statistics: Ophie Mercado

Fred McMillin

About the Writer

Fred McMillin, a veteran wine writer, has taught wine history for 30 years on three continents. He was voted one of the U.S.A's 22 Best wine writers by the Academy of Wine Communications. For information about the wine courses he teaches every month at San Francisco City College (Fort Mason Division), please fax him at (415) 567-4468.

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