I opened this thinking that it would be a light and fruity accompaniment to a pasta dish - I was in for a bit of a surprise. The first clue was on the nose; it was hot, ripe, oaky and slightly port-like. The palate was surprisingly sweet, with raisin notes and more oxidation. There was decent acidity and tannin, but overall it came across as too port-like. Drank half, kept the rest to cook with. Not rated.

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I finally got around to checking up on the results from the SF Chronicle Wine Competition. Now I've never had a particularly high opinion of such competitions ever since I realised that Gold, Silver and Bronze did not equate to first, second and third position; instead they are equivalent to point ranges. But it's always interesting to see what reviewers are saying about wines that you like, and this is supposedly the largest competition of American wines in the world.

As a follow-up to the competition there's a tasting event in San Francisco on Saturday February 28 at Fort Mason.

Ventana Vineyards from the Arroyo Seco AVA in Monterey County won best overall white wine for their 2007 Riesling.

La Honda Winery got Best In Class for their 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, "Naylor's Dry Hole Vineyard", Chalone AVA, which I called a nice, soft, drink-me-now cab with good blackcurrant flavour

Solis Winery was judged Best In Class for their 2007 Fiano, which I recently tasted and called the best non-Chardonnay white wine I've tried in a while.

Sarah's Vineyard achieved two Best In Class awards. The first was for their excellent 2007 Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir. I was impressed by a barrel sample at Pinot Paradise last year and tasted the finished product recently. It's very good, but give it a couple of years to really shine. They also scored Best In Class for their 2005 Besson Vineyard Syrah. Frankly I'm a little surprised by that as I found it a bit overripe for my taste.

Storrs picked up Best In Class for their 2005 Petite Sirah. Sadly they weren't pouring this when I last visited.

To be frank, working out who won what is not easy. There is a table of medals awarded by winery here, but it's full of errors and missing entries. Here are the ones that I have identified so far; apologies for any that I missed. All wines carry the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA unless noted.

Alfaro Family Vineyards
Gold: 2006 "Billy K" Merlot
Bronze: 2007 "A" Pinot Noir
Bronze: 2006 "A" Syrah
Bargetto
Gold: 2006 Reserve Merlot
Beauregard
Gold: 2006 Trout Gulch Vineyard Pinot Noir
Bronze: 2006 Trout Gulch Vineyard Chardonnay
Big Dog
Silver: 2005 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon (San Francisco Bay)
Silver: 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Port (San Francisco Bay)
Bonny Doon
Gold: 2006 Ca del Solo Dolcetto (Monterey)
Bronze: 2006 Le Cigare Blanc (Central Coast)
Bronze: 2007 Le Vol des Anges (Arroyo Grande Valley)
Burrell School Vineyards
Bronze: 2005 Estate Merlot
Cinnabar
Gold: 2007 Pinot Noir (Santa Lucia Highlands)
Silver: 2006 Mercury Rising (California)
Bronze: 2006 Trebbiano (Paso Robles)
Clos LaChance
Gold: 2007 "Glittering-Throated Emerald" Chardonnay (Monterey)
Gold: 2005 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon (Central Coast)
Silver: 2006 "Black Chinned" Syrah (Central Coast)
Bronze: 2006 "Buff-Bellied" Zinfandel (Central Coast)
Creekview Vineyards
Double Gold: 2006 Syrah (Santa Clara)
Gold: 2007 Chardonnay (Arroyo Seco)
Cumbre of Vine Hill
Gold: 2006 Hicks Family Vineyard Pinot Noir
Fernwood Cellars
Bronze: 2007 Vanumanutagi Chardonnay
Bronze: 2006 Small Vineyard Merlot
Bronze: 2006 Machado Creek Petite Sirah (Central Coast)
Fortino
Silver: 2006 Petit Sirah (Central Coast)
Bronze: 2005 Sangiovese (Central Coast)
Bronze: 2005 Carignane (Santa Clara)
Gatos Locos of Vine Hill
Bronze: 2007 Chardonnay (Mokelumne River),
Bronze: 2006 Syrah
Hallcrest
2005 Belle Farms Pinot Noir
Hunter Hill
Silver: 2006 Estate Syrah
Bronze: 2007 Syrah/Grenache/Mourvedre (California)
JD Hurley
Silver: 2005 Merlot
Silver: 2006 Zinfandel
Bronze: 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon (Santa Clara Valley)
Bronze: 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon
J. Lohr
Gold: 2007 "Fog's Reach Vineyard" Pinot Noir (Paso Robles)
Gold: 2006 "Hilltop Vineyard" Cabernet Sauvignon (Paso Robles)
Bronze: 2006 "Arroyo Vista Vineyard" Chardonnay (Arroyo Grande Valley)
Bronze: 2005 "Carlo's Vineyard" Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley)
Jason-Stephens Winery
Silver: 2006 Dorcich Vineyards Syrah (Santa Clara Valley)
Bronze: 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon (Santa Clara Valley)
Bronze: 2006 "Dorcich Estate" Cabernet Sauvignon (Santa Clara Valley)
La Honda Winery
Best In Class: 2006 "Naylor's Dry Hole" Cabernet Sauvignon (Chalone)
Double Gold: 2006 Lonehawk Cabernet Sauvignon
Bronze: 2006 "Windsor Oaks" Cabernet Sauvignon (Chalk Hill)
Loma Prieta Winery
Gold: 2007 Saveria Pinot Noir
Gold: 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon
Mann Cellars
Bronze: 2005 Mannstand Vineyard Malbec (Santa Clara County)
Martella
Silver: 2006 Zinfandel (Fiddletown)
Silver: 2006 "Hammer" Syrah (AVA not stated)
Silver: 2005 "Heart Arrow Ranch" Cabernet Sauvignon (Mendocino)
Bronze: 2007 Viognier
Bronze: 2006 "Oleta Vineyard" Grenache (Fiddletown)
Martin Ray Winery
Gold: 2004 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
Monte Verde Vineyards
Silver: 2006 "Muritabo" Syrah (Central Coast)
Bronze: 2006 "Villa Palma" Merlot (Central Coast)
Muccigrosso
Gold: 2005 "Stan's Zin" Moniz Vineyard Zinfandel (Santa Clara)
Silver: 2006 "Lyn Zin" Zinfandel (Santa Clara)
Bronze: 2005 "Table Two" Syrah/Sangiovese (California)
Perrucci Family Vineyard
Silver: 2006 Sangiovese
Silver: 2006 Merlot
Roudon-Smith
Gold: 2007 Pinot Noir
Bronze: 2006 Cabernet Franc (Monterey)
Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard
Gold: 2005 "Bailey's Branciforte Ridge" Pinot Noir
Gold: 2006 Shepard Vineyard Durif
Silver: 2006 Branciforte Creek Pinot Noir
Silver: 2005 McDowell Valley Vineyard Durif (Mendocino)
Sarahs Vineyard
Best Of Class: 2007 Pinot Noir
Best Of Class: 2005 Besson Vineyard Syrah (Santa Clara Valley)
Gold: 2007 Estate Pinot Noir (Santa Clara Valley)
Silver: 2007 Chardonnay
Silver: 2007 Estate Chardonnay (Santa Clara Valley)
Satori Cellars
Gold: 2006 "Halelujah" Cabernet Sauvignon (Washington)
Bronze: 2006 "Ta Da" Syrah (Santa Clara County)
Bronze: 2006 Estate Petite Sirah (Santa Clara Valley)
Bronze: 2006 Estate "Bluehand" Cabernet Sauvignon (Santa Clara County)
Savannah Chanelle
Silver: 2007 Pinot Noir (Russian River Valley)
Bronze: 2006 "Gunsalus" Pinot Noir (Russian River Valley)
Bronze: 2006 "Armagh" Pinot Noir (Sonoma Coast)
Silver Mountain Vineyards
Silver: 2006 Tondre's Grapefield Pinot Noir (Sta. Rita Hills)
Silver: 2006 Muns Vineyard Pinot Noir
Silver: 2006 Miller Hill Pinot Noir
Silver: 2006 Wiedeman Syrah (Central Coast)
Solis Winery
Best In Class: 2007 Estate Fiano (Santa Clara Valley)
Silver: 2007 Estate Chardonnay (Santa Clara Valley)
Silver: 2005 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot/Cabernet Franc (Santa Clara Valley)
Bronze: 2004 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (Santa Clara Valley)
Sones
Gold: 2006 French Camp Petite Sirah (Paso Robles)
Silver: 2007 "La Sirena" (California)
Bronze: 2006 Zinfandel (Santa Clara County)
Sonnet
Silver: 2006 Amber Ridge Pinot Noir (Russian River Valley)
Silver: 2006 Kruse Vineyard Pinot Noir (York Mountain)
Bronze: 2006 Muns Vineyard Pinot Noir
Bronze: 2006 Tondre's Grapefield Pinot Noir (Sta. Rita Hills)
Soquel Vineyards
Gold: 2007 Saveria Vineyard Pinot Noir
Gold: 2007 Bald Mountain Vineyard Pinot Noir
Silver: 2007 Lester Family Pinot Noir
Silver: 2006 Garvey Family Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley)
Stefania
Silver: 2006 Uvas Creek Cabernet Sauvignon (Santa Clara Valley)
Silver: 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon
Storrs
Best In Class: 2005 Petite Sirah
Double Gold: 2006 Wildcat Ridge Pinot Noir
Gold: 2007 Chardonnay
Gold: 2007 Stu Miller Vineyard Chardonnay
Gold: 2006 Pinot Noir
Gold: 2005 Lion Oaks Zinfandel (Santa Clara County)
Silver: 2006 Le Manoir Pinot Noir (Monterey)
Sycamore Creek
Double Gold: 2007 Zinfandel (Santa Clara Valley)
Gold: 2006 Vanumanutagi Chardonnay (Santa Clara Valley)
Bronze: 2005 Uvas Creek Cabernet Sauvignon (Santa Clara Valley)
Therese Vineyards
Gold: 2005 Syrah (Santa Clara Valley)
Gold: 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon
Thomas Fogarty Winery
Silver: 2007 Gewürztraminer (Monterey)
Silver: 2007 Pinot Noir
Silver: 2004 Vallarga Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley)
Bronze: 2006 Chardonnay

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Solis dates back to before Prohibition. Back then it was owned by the Bertero family, who grew Zinfandel and Carignane. The property stayed in the family until the 1980s when it was purchased by the Vannis. Over the years they have planted several French and Italian vines both at the original site and a second nearby vineyard that is jointly owned and managed.

I last visited Solis around 5 years ago; their wines were clearly way ahead of many other Hecker Pass wineries at the time. All the wines carry the Santa Clara Valley appellation, and most are Estate. Tasting is free.

2007 Fiano Estate, Santa Clara Valley $18 Fiano is an ancient Italian varietal, grown mainly in the Campania region of southern Italy. If I hadn't been told that I'd have sworn that this was a Viognier. Floral nose; crisp, fruity palate and a nice finish. Good acidity too; the best non-Chardonnay white wine I've tried in a while. Value Recommended
2007 Vino Roseo, Santa Clara Valley $12 A sweet rose made from Sangiovese. While it has some complexity and nice flavours, it's too sweet for my tastes.
2005 Merlot Estate, Santa Clara Valley $24 A little on the oaky side, this had good black fruits with a subtle hint of black olive or bell pepper. Nice finish.
2007 Zinfandel, Santa Clara Valley $18 It's easy to let Zinfandel get too ripe and end up with a fruit bomb that's got 15.5%-17% alcohol. It's much harder to get Zinfandel that's properly ripe, having good acidity without unripe green flavours and still under 14% alcohol, so this was a pleasant surprise. Good raspberry flavour with white pepper notes.
2004 Syrah, Santa Clara Valley $20 Hints of earth and mushroom on the nose. On the palate it's fruity with soft, integrated tannins.
2005 Cara Mia (Meritage), Santa Clara Valley $30 90% Merlot, blended with a little Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Good fruit with a hint of espresso and vanilla. Give it a year in the cellar to integrate.

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