April 2024 Pinot across California Mini-Tasting Results:
The April Mini-Tasting was held at seven sites throughout the county, with 113 people enjoying 10 wines in a blind tasting. The attendees each contributed a dish, each site voted for their favorite dish and the chef was awarded a bottle of wine as Chef of the Evening.
The wines were served in five blind flights of two wines each and the attendees judged each wine, voted for their favorites and tried to determine the region of California where the grapes were raised. Each of the 10 wines placed in the top three or four at one or more sites and the top two wines did very well at five of the seven sites.
All 10 of the wines finished in the top four at one or more of the sites, with the top two wines finishing in the top four at six of the seven sites. The top three were all California wines, but the fourth and fifth favorites were from Italy and Spain.
The overall winner was Cuvaison Estate’s Cuvaison Pinot Noir from Carneros. It got first place at two sites and second place at three more sites. Second place overall was Black Kite from Kite’s Rest Vineyard in Mendocino. It got first place at three sites and fourth place at two more. Third overall was Amici Pinot Noir from Amici Cellars in the Russian River Valley.
The three favorite wines across the seven host sites:
| Place | Wine & Winery | YR | PRICE | DESCRIPTION |
| 1st | Cuvaison Estate
Cuvaison
Caneros, CA
92 points Wine Enthusiast |
2021 | $38.99 | Effusive cherry and raspberry aromas are followed by warm, broad strawberry and cinnamon flavors in this full-bodied, smooth and generous wine. |
| 2nd | Kite’s Rest Vineyard
Black Kite
Mendocino, CA
94 points Wine Enthusiast |
2016 | $49.99 | Good balance and a plethora of juicy, ripe fruit flavors highlight this full-bodied wine. It has generous black cherry and light baking-spice aromas, plenty of cherry and sour cherry in the flavors and a moderately tannic texture livened by good acidity. |
| 3rd | Amici Cellars
Russian River Valley, CA
93 points James Suckling |
2021 | $39.99 | Rich aromas of cranberry, black cherry and baking spice meld with flavors of lively red fruits and hints of cherry cola. This polished Pinot Noir offers silky tannins and precise acidity that add complexity to the long finish. |
Attendees brought a delicious dish to share and then voted on a Chef of the Evening. The results of the Chef of the Evening at each host site are:
- Hosts Chris & Hank Bruce:
Pam Carter — Beef Enchiladas
Hosts Carolyn & Damian Christian:
Mary Ann & Don Mayer — Death by Chocolate
Hosts Mike Del Medico:
Rich Skoczylas — Paella
- Host Julie Good:
Jim Kerins — Cherrywood Smoked Salmon
- Hosts Christy & Robert Hall:
Greg Brett — Neapolitan
Hosts Steve & Kim Rizzuto:
George Cravens — Pork Loin with Cherry Chutney
Hosts Pat & Frank Solis
Tie –
Eric & Carmen Kaines — Filipino Pork Adobo
Jim Burk — Kumquat Cheesecake
Congratulations to all the winners and a big thank you to the hosts!
—George Cravens, OCWS Director