When 48 of the West’s top wine tasters judge almost 3,000 bottles, the results yield terrific insider tips for drinking well. We’ve mined our Gold Medal winners from this year’s Sunset International Wine Competition for trends that will put the best bottles on your table
ebbe roe yvino-smith 2014
Written bySara SchneiderAugust 28, 2017
Share this story
Bubbles: They’re What’s for Dinner Now
Sparkling wine took a lion’s share of our Gold Medals this year, and the judges remarked on their potential beyond the toast to the table. Pair these bubblies with everything from seafood and poultry (chicken potpie!) to barbecue and Asian curries.
Prophecy 2015 Sauvignon Blanc (Marlborough, New Zealand; $14)
Skinner 2014 “Smithereens” Red Blend (El Dorado; $20)
Ebbe Roe Yovino-Smith
Chardonnay Delivers Again
Wine experts can be harsh on this most popular wine in the country when it’s too “big”— buttery and overoaked. But from old standbys to new labels, Chardonnay earned our judges’ praise for lovely balance this year.
Ferrari-Carano 2015 “Fiorella” Chardonnay (Russian River Valley, Sonoma County; $36)
Stoller Family 2015 Estate Grown Reserve Chardonnay (Dundee Hills; $35)
Ebbe Roe Yovino-Smith
At All Price Points, The King of Reds Still Rules
They may be different animals, but Cabernets (and Cab blends) less than $50 satisfied our judges with their balance of fruit, structure, and oak; above $50, their more complex layers often defied words (and scores).
Whitehall Lane 2014 “Mancino Lanciatore” Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley; $65)
Ebbe Roe Yovino-Smith
Lesser-Known Varieties Shine
It’s time to break up the monot- ony of house faves with some- thing new. More “alternative” wines than ever were entered in this year’s competition—and earned terrific scores.
OFFBEAT REDS
Abacela 2014 “Fiesta” Tempranillo (Umpqua Valley, Southern Oregon; $23)
