Wine Competition

This year's Golden Glass event saw the introduction of its first ever Wine Competition, encompassing wines from around the world – throughout Europe, New Zealand and California – judged by a team of top national and global wine experts the week prior to the June 21st event. The purpose of the first annual Golden Glass Wine Competition was to showcase and honor the caliber of the wines participating in the annual Slow Food tasting event: wines which reflect Slow Food production principles of "good, clean and fair", whether organic, sustainably grown or biodynamic. Golden Glass awards, as well as silver and bronze honors, were given to the designated best wines in six varietal categories: sparkling; white (mono); white (blend); red (mono); red (blend); and dessert. In addition, two wines, a white and red, respectively, were awarded a special “Expression of Terroir” award, which recognized a wine as a true representation of a specific terroir and historical grape. The winners of the competition were announced at the event by Competition Chairman, Charlie Arturaola.

WINNERS of the 2009 First Golden Glass Wine Competition


Sparkling

• Gold

  Ruggeri Prosecco Extra Dry DOC Italy

• Silver

  La Tordera Prosecco Extra Dry "Alne"  Italy

• Bronze

  Ruggeri "Cartizze" Prosecco Italy

White (Mono)

• Gold

  Bonny Doon, "Ca' del Solo Estate Muscat 2008 California

• Silver

  Pey-Marin, Riesling 2008 California

• Bronze

  Weingut Proidl Gruner Veltliner 2007 Austria

White (Blend)

• Gold

  Marisa Cuomo, Furore Bianco 2008 Italy

• Silver

  Paritua Vineyards, Grace Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon/Chardonnay Hawke’s Bay 2007 New Zealand

• Bronze

  Edmunds St. John, Edmund's St. John Heart of Gold El Dorado County 2008 California

Red (Mono)

• Gold

  Podere Ruggeri Corsini, Barolo 2005 DOCG Italy

• Silver

  Barolo “Preda” DOCG 2004 Cascina Adelaide Italy

• Bronze

  Vita, Sussumaniello 2007 Italy

Red (Blend)

• Gold

  Castello Delle Regine, Rosso di Podernovo 2004 Italy

• Silver

  Prunotto, Mompertone Rosso Monferrato 2006 Italy

• Bronze

  Martellotto DSM 2006 California

Dessert

• Gold

  Cornarea, Tarasco Passito di Arneis 2005 Italy

• Silver

  Tranchero Osvaldo, Moscato d'Asti 2008 Italy

• Bronze

  La Badia, Moscato d'Asti 2007 Italy

Special Expression of Terroir

• White:

  Caprai, Grecante Greccheto Italy

• Red:

  Bodegas Alejandro Fernandez Grupo Pesquera, Dehesa La Granja Seleccion 2000 Spain

 

Special thanks to our Competition Chairman, renowned Sommelier and wine educator (Lynn University, FL) Charlie Arturaola, and the panel of expert judges from around the nation and beyond who dedicated their time and palates over two days to make this a high-caliber first judging event:

• Rajat Parr (Michael Mina & RN74, San Francisco)
• Rob Costantino (Sante Magazine)
• Mauro Cirilli (Perbacco, San Francisco)
• Rebecca Chapa (Tannin Management, San Francisco)
• Shelley Lindgren (A16, San Francisco)
• Michael Flynn (Turtle Mansion, Dallas)
• Jill Gubesch (Frontera Grill, Chicago)
• Stephanie Honig (Winemaker, CA)
• Gillian Balance (Wine Director, Plumpjack Group, San Francisco)
• Rebeca Martinez ( El Diario del Vino- Online Blog in Spanish)
• Rob Renteria (Martini House, St Helena, CA)
• Jamie Smith (LV)
• Michael Doctor (Accademia Di Vino, NYC)
• Michael Engelmann (Gary Danko, San Francisco)
• Liberata Torlontano (Italian Association of Sommeliers)

We’d also like to thank the Hotel Frank, Riedel, our wonderful volunteers, and xx for helping make this first Golden Glass Wine Competition a successful event.