State Fair toasts Amador (SJ) County winery | Recordnet.com

State Fair toasts Amador County winery | Recordnet.com

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STATE FAIR TOASTS AMADOR COUNTY WINERY


By Reed Fujii
July 19, 2011
Record Staff Writer
Wines made by vintners or containing grapes from Amador, San Joaquin and Calaveras counties captured one-third of the Best Wines of California and Jeff Runquist Wines of Amador was named Golden State Winery of Year at the California State Fair Wine Competition.

Also, a 2008 primitivo from Amador County grapes was named the Best of Show Red Wine, with the honor going to Windwalker Vineyard in Somerset, in El Dorado County.

In all, San Joaquin County and Mother Lode wines or wineries took nine of the 27 Best of California prizes. Runquist scored two of those, Best barbera with its 2009 R Amador County vintage and Best Generic Red with its 2009 1448 California blend.

Jeff Runquist said he's been involved in winemaking in Amador County since 1979 and particularly favors zinfandel and barbera he buys from growers in the area.

"It (takes) a lot of hard work and a lot of gracious growers sending me some outstanding fruit," he said. "The basis of so many wines are out of my hands and with my growers. They just do a fantastic job."

Runquist, who uses grapes from all over California and has long also been a winemaker at McManis Family Vineyards in Ripon, said he was pleased at receiving winery of the year honors.

Stuart Spencer is the winemaker for St. Amant Winery in Lodi. Its 2009 The Old Soldier Touriga, Amador County, was named Best Other Red Varieta. He said his family has been growing grapes in the Lode since 1972.

"We have always felt Amador, much like Lodi, is one of California's hidden jewels," he said. "It just takes care to produce a great wine, and I think you're starting to see that."

The touriga, first planted in 1981 by the late Tim Spencer, his father, is a traditional Portuguese grape used to blend port wines. Stuart Spencer said he first tried it as a stand-alone table wine in 2006 and that the wine earned him a double gold distinction at the state fair last year as well.

Touriga is little known outside of Portugal, Stuart Spencer said. "People aren't sure what it is, but once you get them to try it, they absolutely love it."

Macchia, another boutique winery in Lodi, won a state fair Best of California prize for its 2009 Harmonious Sangiovese.

That is an Italian winegrape traditionally blended in Chianti, said Loni Holdener, a co-owner of Macchia.

"They grow real well in this region," she said.

Other area Best of California winners were:

Best Varietal Rose: 2010 Muscat Hamburg, California, Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi, an Acampo winery.

Best Tempranillo: 2008 Amador County, Wildrotter Winery from Plymouth.

Best Viognier: 2010 Lodi, Loredona, a label of Delicato Family Vineyards, which has a large winery in Manteca.

Best Speciality Red Variety Blend: 2008 Parcel 17, Calaveras County, Twisted Oak Winery, Vallecito.

Contact reporter Reed Fujii at (209) 546-8253 or rfujii@recordnet.com.