The NorthWest Wine Summit: The Results!

The results were posted this morning from the NorthWest Wine Summit and let me say, there is no doubt it was a lot of work to prepare the list from the final judging results. I know, as being a judge it was a lot of work deciding who would receive medals and unfortunately, who would not. I will post a partial list, including medal winning wines from Walla Walla. However, you can review the complete 2008 Results at the NorthWest Wine Summit.

An interesting note: one of the panels I sat on was with a winemaker from Canada. Kelly and I really struggled with each other (and always done in fun) as she and I could not agree on any of the Merlots or red blends we tasted. She wanted to put medals on those wines that were much softer and less tannic, while I wanted the opposite. It became quite amusing when she would say, "I give the wine a 3, but I know Catie will give it a 13...", which 13 is the highest score for a gold medal. This was a good learning experience for me regarding different palates and various styles from different regions and most of all - - a good example that all tastebuds are NOT created equal (this alone is a good argument on why not to be a "Parker Bitch").

Congratulations to all of the medal winners in Walla Walla! Also, I would like to congratulate LaFrenz Winery from the Okanagan Valley in Canada. Steve and I met owners and winemaker, Jeff and Niva Martin during the 2007 Walla Walla Barrel Tasting. We struck up a conversation with them over a great local syrah and the conversations continued as we met them at other wineries. They won 16 medals from this competition! We are hoping to plan a trip up north to visit their winery. It tickles me that many of the wines from Walla Walla and even from LaFrenz, I later found out that I was in the panels responsible for giving them medals - - and of course, I didn't have a clue at the time.

Partial List
The 2008 NorthWest Wine Summit Results

(complete list)

Best of Show:
Mission Hill Family Estate -
2006 Select Lot Collection Riesling Icewine Okanagan Valley, BC Canada VQA

Crystal Rose Awards (to include):
Best Non-Grape/Fruit Wine
Sea Mist Winery NV Cranberry/Raspberry Oregon (note: I recommend - seriously. Took us all by surprise!)

Best White Wine
La Frenz Estate Winery2007 Viognier Okanagan Valley

Best Red Wine
Koenig Vineyards2006 Cuvee Amelia Reserve Syrah Snake River Valley

Best Desert Wine
Gray Monk Estate Winery2006 Kerner Okanagan Valley

Best Ice Wine
Mission Hill Family Estate2006 Select Lot Collection Riesling Icewine Okanagan Valley, BC Canada VQA

Best Fortified Wine
La Frenz Estate WineryLiqueur Muscat Okanagan Valley

Best Sparkling Wine
Domaine Ste Michelle2001 Luxe Columbia Valley

Best Rosé Wine
Harbinger Winery2006 Lemberger Rose Red Mountain

Mount Rainier Award – Best of Washington (Co-winners and both Walla Walla)
Reininger Winery2005 Malbec Walla Walla Valley
Northstar Winery2004 Merlot Columbia Valley

Gold Medal (only listing Walla Walla)
Dunham Cellars 2005 Lewis Vineyard Syrah
L'Ecole No. 41 2006 Semillon Columbia Valley
L'Ecole No. 41 2005 Seven Hills Vineyard Estate Syrah Walla Walla Valley
L'Ecole No. 41 2005 Syrah Columbia Valley
L'Ecole No. 41 2005 Estate Perigee Walla Walla Valley Seven Hills Vineyard
Northstar Winery 2004 Merlot Columbia Valley
Patit Creek Cellars 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla Valley
Reininger Winery 2005 Malbec Walla Walla Valley
Reininger Winery 2005 Carmenere Walla Walla Valley
Saviah Cellars 2005 Stillwater Creek Vineyard Syrah Columbia Valley
Sweet Valley Wines 2006 Double Barrel Red Walla Walla Valley
Three Rivers Winery 2004 Boushey Vineyard Syrah Yakima Valley
Three Rivers Winery 2005 Malbec-Merlot Columbia Valley
Woodward Canyon Winery 2005 Artist Series No. 14 Columbia Valley
Zerba Cellars 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla Valley

Silver Medal (only listing Walla Walla)
Bergevin Lane Vineyards 2007 Calico White Columbia Valley
Cougar Crest Winery 2006 Viognier Walla Walla Valley
Cougar Crest Winery 2005 Estate Grown Merlot Walla Walla Valley
Dunham Cellars 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley
L'Ecole No. 41 2006 Fries Vineyard Semillon Wahluke Slope
L'Ecole No. 41 2006 Seven Hills Vineyard Estate Semillon Walla Walla Valley
L'Ecole No. 41 2005 L'Ecole No. 41 Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla Valley
L'Ecole No. 41 2005 Seven Hills Vineyard Estate Merlot Walla Walla Valley
L'Ecole No. 41 2006 "Walla Voila" Chenin Blanc Washington State
Mannina Cellars 2006 Merlot Walla Walla
Mannina Cellars 2006 Sangiovese Walla Walla
Reininger Winery 2002 Cima Walla Walla Valley
Reininger Winery 2005 Helix Syrah Columbia Valley
Saviah Cellars 2005 Big Sky Cuvee Columbia Valley
Saviah Cellars 2006 Une Vallee Walla Walla Valley
Saviah Cellars 2006 Syrah Red Mountain
Spring Valley Vineyard 2005 Uriah Merlot Blend Walla Walla Valley
Tamarack Cellars 2006 Firehouse Red Columbia Valley
Tamarack Cellars 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley
Three Rivers Winery 2006 Biscuit Ridge Vineyard Late Harvest Gewürztraminer Walla Walla
Three Rivers Winery 2005 Champoux Vineyard Merlot Horse Heaven Hills
Woodward Canyon Winery 2005 Merlot Columbia Valley
Zerba Cellars 2005 Syrah Columbia Valley
Zerba Cellars 2005 Wild Z Columbia Valley

Bronze Medal (only listing Walla Walla)
Bergevin Lane Vineyards 2007 Merlot Columbia Valley
Cougar Crest Winery 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla Valley
Cougar Crest Winery 2005 Walla Walla Valley Syrah Walla Walla Valley
Cougar Crest Winery 2005 Anniversary Cuvee Walla Walla Valley
Cougar Crest Winery 2005 Dedication Two Walla Walla Valley
L'Ecole No. 41 2005 Merlot Columbia Valley
L'Ecole No. 41 2006 Chardonnay Columbia Valley
Mannina Cellars 2006 Cali RTW Walla Walla
Patit Creek Cellars 2005 Merlot Walla Walla Valley
Sweet Valley Wines 2007 Viognier Walla Walla Valley
Watermill Winery 2005 Syrah Walla Walla Valley
Woodward Canyon Winery 2005 Estate Red Wine Walla Walla Valley
Woodward Canyon Winery 2006 Chardonnay Washington

Congratulations to everyone! It was an honor to have been part of this event!