Knee Deep in the Hoopla


August 02, 2008



The Californian

Sautrday, August 2, 2008

 

KNEE DEEP IN THE HOOPLA

 

That Wine Column

By John Hunneman

 

It was a blend of the old and new guard this week when the Temecula Valley Wine society held its annual wine competition and gala.  The fourth annual event is an examination of the maturity of the local wine region – which at about 30 years old is young by California standards – and the winemakers’ confidence to put their wines out there to be evaluated by others. 

 

Judges for the competition came from varied backgrounds, including wholesale, retail and winery operations.

 

Competition director Bob Foster is a longtime wine judge who edits the California Grapevine wine newsletter and recently retired from his regular job as a prosecutor with the California attorney general’s office. 

 

He said the 2008 Temecula contest was both the toughest and the easiest so far.

 

“It was easy, because the volunteers do such a great job,” Foster said.  “It’s more difficult, because each year the wines just keep getting better and better.”

 

Not too may wines were judged better this year than those produced by South coast winery, a relative newcomer to Wine Country that opened five years ago.  Owner Jim Carter, master winemaker Jon McPherson and winemaker Javier Flores dominated the competition, capturing more than I could count, including the majority of the golds.

 

However, the competition’s top award, the Sweepstakes Winner, was presented to Mount Palomar Winery – an old-timer founded in 1976 – for its Non Vintage Solera Cream Sherry.  Winemaker Etienne Cowper accepted the award.  Cowper was Mount Palomar’s winemaker when the cream sherry was produced.  He has since become the winemaker at Wilson Creek Winery.



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