Broad Ripple Random Ripplings
search menu
The news from Broad Ripple
Brought to you by The Broad Ripple Gazette
(Delivering the news since 2004, every two weeks)
Subscribe to Broad Ripple Random Ripplings
Brought to you by:
VirtualBroadRipple.com Broad Ripple collector pins EverythingBroadRipple.com

Everything Broad Ripple HomearrowRandom Ripplings Homearrow2015 01 23arrowColumn

back button return to index button next button
Converted from paper version of the Broad Ripple Gazette (v12n02)
The Wine Scene: by Jill A. Ditmire
posted: Jan. 23, 2015

Wine Scene header

Wine Country Capers 2015 - Part ONE

As the temperatures plunged in Indiana, I had my nose in a glass of wine. Almost 300 wines in fact.
The 2015 San Francisco Chronicle Wine competition was a record breaker. 6400 entries from across the country. That meant more judges and more spitting. We were split into panels of 3, which does help get through the many different categories of wine much more efficiently and effectively. My panel judged about 150 wines each day for three days. We had it all, white and red, from expensive Chardonnays to zesty Italian red blends. Being able to stay focused in mind, (relying on my 20+ years of wine business experience) and cleansed in palate (nibbling Graber olives, bread and celery helps there) helped me determine which wines earned a Double Gold, Gold, Silver or Bronze medal.
Organizer Bob Fraser says wineries know that entering and winning medals from SFC means increased sales. So he was not surprised with the surge in entries. Wineries from New York, Virginia, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Washington and Arizona competed with the "big players" from California, and all did well. Read the final results on line at www.winejudging.com (Check out the INDIANA connection as winemaker and owner of Kokomo Wines, Erik Miller, Purdue Graduate and Kokomo Indiana native won big awards for his rich, lush Chardonnay, 2012 Russian River Valley Mukaida Reserve.)
One of the categories that my panel judged was Barbera, a hearty yet smooth red wine from Italy that also loves California soil. It's a great value and perfect for winter weather foods. Growers like it because the grape does well in a variety of soils and climates. It's not too fussy and consistently produces drinkable juice. A few of the favorites judged that you can find around town include:
  • Locati Cellars 2012 Walla Walla Valley Mission Hills Estate
  • Villa Vallecito Vineyards 2010 Sierra Foothills
  • Old Creek Ranch Winery 2011 Santa Ynez Valley Estelle Vineyard
I also judged a fun category called "Other White Varietals". The best of class was a crazy white semi dry vidal wine infused with lavender. Christian W. Klay Winery 2013 Carbonated Lavender Infused Vidal Lavender Mist. It's from Pennsylvania so odds are not good of being able to find it here. But maybe some Indiana winemakers will follow suit. The softly sweet wine smelled like spring!
Our judges dinner was held at Coppola Winery. (Yes, film maker Francis Ford Coppola's place!) It was a night to remember filled with movie memorabilia, impressive wines, first class food AND hosted by Francis and his wife Eleanor. I will share that evening with you in my next column.



Jill A. Ditmire is an Omnimedia wine specialist, AWS certified wine judge, freelance broadcast journalist and 20+ year home owner in the Warfleigh neighborhood of Broad Ripple. Send your questions and comments to Jill at jill@broadripplegazette.com
Also on INSTAGRAM @jaditmire




jill@broadripplegazette.com
back button return to index button next button
Brought to you by:
BroadRippleHistory.com Broad Ripple collector pins EverythingBroadRipple.com
Brought to you by:
EverythingBroadRipple.com RandomRipplings.com Broad Ripple collector pins