Sunset Wine Competition Awards: Organic Winners!

The results of Sunset Magazine's 2013 Wine Competition are in. Here are the organically grown wines and their competition scores.

It's an uneven contest - many of the best wines are not entered, but the results are still fun to evaluate.

A few of my favorites did well and I hope this brings them a wider audience - Volker Eisele Terzetto (a steal at $75 compared to other Bordeaux blends in its league). Ampelos won best in class for its Syrah.

In addition, it's always amazing to me how well Bonterra does compared to wines that are 2-5 times its price. Its Chardonnay did well as did its Pinot Noir and Zinfandel with all three winning silver medals (against stiff competition).

Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Gold
2009 Rocca Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley, Yountville Grigsby Vineyard $80.00
Silver
2009 Grgich Hills Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Estate Grown $60.00
Bronze
2009 Long Meadow Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley $47.00
2009 Rocca Family Vineyards Vespera Napa Valley $50.00
2009 V. Sattui Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Preston Vineyard $49.00

Cabernet Sauvignon 2010
Gold
2010 Signaterra Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma Valley Three Blocks $50.00
Bronze
2010 Bonterra Cabernet Sauvignon California Made with Organic Grapes 87% Mendocino County/13% Lake County $15.99

Chardonnay 2010
Bronze
Alma Rosa Chardonnay Sta. Rita Hills El Jabali Vineyard $28.00
Terra Savia Chardonnay Mendocino Made with Organic Grapes Sanel Valley Vineyards,
Estate Grown, Limited Release $13.50

Chardonnay 2011
Silver
2011 Bergström Wines Sigrid Chardonnay Oregon, Willamette Valley $80.00
2011 Bonterra Chardonnay Mendocino County Made with Organic Grapes $13.99

Bronze
2011 Signaterra West Rows Chardonnay Carneros Made with Organically Grown Grapes Sangiacomo Vineyard $32.00

Merlot 2008
Bronze
2008 Grgich Hills Estate Merlot Napa Valley Estate Grown $42.00

Pinot Noir 2009
Bronze
2009 Ampelos Lambda: The Magnitude, Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills Ampelos Vineyard $35.00

Pinot Noir 2010
Gold
2010 Alma Rosa Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills La Encantada Vineyard $43.00
2011 Signaterra Pinot Noir Russian River Valley Bella Luna Vineyard $49.00
2011 Bonterra Pinot Noir Mendocino County Made with Organic Grapes $15.99
Silver
2011 Bergström Wines Pinot Noir Oregon, Dundee Hills Bergström Vineyard $80.00
2011 Bergström Wines Pinot Noir Oregon, Chehalem Mountains de Lancellotti Vineyard $65.00

Red Meritage or Bordeaux Blend
Gold
2008 Volker Eisele Family Estate Terzetto Napa Valley $75.00
Bronze
2009 Terra Savia Reserve Meritage Mendocino Made with Organic
Grapes Sanel Valley Vineyards, Estate Grown, Limited Release $18.00

Rose
Bronze
2012 Verdad Grenache Rose Edna Valley Demeter Certified Biodynamic® Grapes Sawyer Lindquist Vineyard $18.00

Sauvignon Blanc
Bronze
2011 Bonterra Sauvignon Blanc 53% Lake County, 47% Mendocino County Made with Organic Grapes $13.99

Syrah/Shiraz, Vintage 2009
Best of Class, Gold
2009 Ampelos Syrah Sta. Rita Hills Ampelos Vineyard $35.00

Zinfandel 
Silver
2010 Bonterra Zinfandel Mendocino County Made from Organic Grapes $15.99