Santa Rosa, Calif. – Wine Competitions Management & Productions and The Press Democrat have concluded the seventh annual North Coast Wine Challenge, a competition focused exclusively on wines produced in California’s prestigious North Coast, arguably one of the finest winegrowing regions in the world. The judging, took place April 9-10, 2019 in Santa Rosa, Calif., awarding 28% gold medals with a score of 90 points or more.
Only wines produced and bottled by wineries in California’s North Coast AVAs are eligible to compete. The top wines received prestigious rankings of Gold, Double Gold, Best of Class by Category, Best of County, and ultimately one “Best of the Best” award. The criteria to only announce gold medal winners and above keeps the prestige level high in this wine judging. Only wines rating 90+ points were awarded gold medals and were eligible to move on to the ‘Best Of’ Category.
“This year we saw so many excellent wines that it was astounding! The North Coast AVA’s wine continue to get better and better, according to event producer Debra Del Fiorentino.
Adds Chief Judge Daryl Groom, “Once again, the competition ran very smoothly and was loved by all the judges. The feedback continually indicates this is the best competition and of the highest integrity. With only 28 judges I believe we have close to 1,000 years of combined expertise and industry experience,” according to Chief Judge Daryl Groom. His expertise includes serving as wine judge in more than 150 wine shows across the United States, and he has made many award-winning wines in California’s North Coast and his native Australia. He was named Winemaker of the Year by eight publications, including the San Francisco Chronicle and Los Angeles Times.
All gold medal winners were featured in the Food and Wine section of April 17, 2019 edition of The Press Democrat and online at pdncwc.com, NorthCoastWineandFood.com, PressDemocrat.com, and via WineCompetitions.com.
According to Groom, “Medal-winning wineries should be proud of their achievements. This hugely respected group of judges found their wines delicious enough to award the medals they did. The judges consist of influential media, major wine buyers (both local and across the USA) and prominent winemakers and sommeliers which will hopefully drive more business and consumers to their wineries.”
The Press Democrat will subsequently host the North Coast Wine & Food Festival on Saturday, June 8 at Sonoma Mountain Village in Rohnert Park, Calif. featuring the highest scoring Gold Medal winners from this year’s challenge, along with 30 top chefs from the region. “This event continues to be a first-class, quality experience for all involved. The public looks forward to sampling these stand-out wines paired with inventive and delightful local fare,” said Steve Falk, CEO of Sonoma Media Investments, owners of The Press Democrat.
Guests will be able to explore Sonoma Mountain Village, meet gold-medal-winning winemakers and taste their wines paired with delicious food bites prepared by iconic North Bay chefs. Complimentary trade and press passes are available. For more details about the tasting, contact Ginger Hopkins, Events & Sponsorship Manager for The Press Democrat (see contact information above) or visit NorthCoastWineandFood.com for full details.
Judging event sponsors include Penta Water, Wine Country Shipping, Graber Olives, Costeaux French Bakery, Guayaki Yerba Mate, and Lagunitas Brewery.
About Wine Competitions Management & Production (WCPM) and Libations Logistics
Based in Santa Rosa, Calif., WCM&P is an independently owned and operated adult beverage competition company with a uniquely designed portfolio to appeal to a niche market based on its regional or otherwise defined style of judging. Its wine competitions include the prestigious world-renowned Sunset International Wine Competition, The Press Democrat North Coast Wine Challenge, Harvest Challenge, West Coast Wine Competition, International Eastern Wine Competition, East Meets West, International Women’s Wine Competition, and the Craft Distillers Spirits Competition. It also operates the Mendocino Cider Competition and manages Dan Berger’s International Wine Competition. See website at www.winecompetitions.com.
About The Press Democrat
Based in Santa Rosa, Calif., The Press Democrat is the North Bay’s most-read provider of up-to-the-minute local news. It is a recognized leader in the development of highly effective integrated media solutions for its business clients. The Press Democrat is owned by Sonoma Media Investments LLC, a multimedia company that provides world-class local news, information and entertainment to audiences throughout San Francisco’s North Bay. See PDmediaSource.com and pressdemocrat.com for more information.
