A vineyard tour hosted by the Lake County Winegrape Commission led VIP guests including County Supervisors, city managers, chamber directors, and media representatives for a question and answer session, as well as a lunch and wine tasting.

Attendees were sent winegrape vines with an invitation attached, asking them to meet at the County courthouse where they boarded a bus that took them to... (READ MORE - See Winegrape News Winter 2008 Newsletter)

2005 Gregory Graham, Bartolucci Vineyards, Lake County ($20): One simply does not often see wines of this quality bearing $20 stickers. Yet that is exactly what this fresh, fruity, full-bodied and impeccably balanced wine delivers. Its style is tighter and racier than the softer wines from the Central Valley, and it is more likely to go with fish and shellfish than with sweet-basted chicken.

87 Points     Six Sigma 2006 Michael's Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc (Lake County)     $28.00.
Lots of new French oak barrel fermentation and less stirring went into the making of this wine, and it shows the yeasty richness and creamy texture of that expensive handling. Yet the underlying wine is just very good. It has very bright acidity, and slightly sweet flavors of spearmint chewing gum, lemons and limes.

85 Points     Six Sigma 2006 Rooster Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc (Lake County)     $20.00.
Lots to like in this dry, crisp Sauvignon Blanc. It shows ripe grapefruit, peach, lemongrass, peppery spice and gooseberry flavors, but those sensitive to aggressively pungent scents will be turned off.

87 Points     Guenoc 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon (Lake County)     $18.00.
Soft and gentle in the mouth with a silky texture, this very ripe Cab shows jammy blackberry, cherry, vanilla and smoke flavors. This is the best Lake County Cab from Guenoc in years.

87 Points     COPAIN     $26.00
Madder Lake, Lake County 2004
Sweet, raspberry-like fruit is joined by slightly peppery spice and light notes of briar and dark chocolate in both the well-defined aromas and bright, medium-density flavors of this yet-to-evolve youngster, and, if firmed up by both tannins and acids at the finish, the wine exhibits good depth and should come into its own with five years of age.

Noggle Cabernet Sauvignon Lake County     $25.00 Long Valley Vineyard 2003

Obsidian Ridge Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Red Hills     $25.00 Lake County 2004

1. Anderson's Conn Valley 2006 Sauvignon Blanc Lake County $40.00 White 85
    Anderson's Conn Valley 2005 Sauvignon Blanc Lake County $40.00 White 88

"Todd Anderson and his very capable assistant Mac Sawyer are turning out some attractive Sauvignons from Lake County. My favorite is the 2005, a 100% Sauvignon Blanc that shows crisp fig, grapefruit, and steely notes with good penetration, medium body, and a nice dry finish. "

2. Cartlidge & Browne 2006 Dancing Crow Lake County $12.00 white 89

"Cartlidge and Brown continues to provide rewarding and suprising tasty drinking. Their brilliant 2006 Sauvignon Blanc Dancing Crow is a medium-bodied white loaded with melony fruit notes, crisp acidity, freshness and a true Sauvignon character. Drink it over the next year. "

3. Copain 2006 Madder Lake Lake County (not yet released) red 90

"The 2006 Syrah Madder Lake is co-fermented with 5% viognier and that gives the wine an exotic, heady fell to the exhuberant aromatics. It is a wine to drink in the next 4-5 years, and is a wonderful bistro-style Rhone Valley red with loads of spicy, peppery, peach and blackberry fruit notes in a stunningly proportioned style. It is seamless and velvety textured.

4. Corte Riva 2005 Petite Sirah Lake County $60 red 92+

"Pride Mountain Vineyard's well known viticulturist, Romel Rivera produced impressive wines under his own label Corte Riva. Working closely with Bob Foley has been to his benefit and Foley's winemaking philosophy is apparent in these brilliant reds. The enormously endowed 2005 Petite Sirah reveals an opaque blue/purple color, a stunning bouquet of acacia flowers, incense, blueberries, and black rasberries and a powerful, rich, super-concentrated style. Forget this beauty for 4-5 years and enjoy it over the following two decades."

5. Rosenblum Cellars 2005 Zinafandel Snows Lake Lake County $35 red 91

"Another impressive effort is the 2005 Zinfandel Snows Lake. A blend of 87% zinfandel, 9% Petite Sirah, and 4% Syrah from, of all places, Lake County. It boasts a dark ruby/purple hue along with floral, blueberry and boysenberry characteristics interwoven with black currant, camphor, earth ansd oak notes. With crisp acidity, sweet tannin, and a long heady finish, this elegant beauty is filled with substance. Drink it over the next 5-7 years.

The promise is there in this ripe, plush wine, with its rich tannins and good acidity. It’s rewarding in herb-tinged blackberry jam, plum, violet, coffee and chocolate flavors, with a distinct white pepper edge...— S.H.

Score 91/100: Shannon Ridge 2006 Lake County Sauvignon Blanc; $16. An intriguing style of sauvignon, this is as fat as a scallop, with a leesiness that brings toasted rice to mind. While the texture is broad, the flavors are cool, clean and spicy. It's a balanced white that would work well with wasabi-spiked sushi. (2,000 cases) Shannon Ridge, Clear Lake Oaks, CA

#88: 39° 2006 Sauvignon Blanc (Lake County); $9. This is a really great price for a Sauv. Blanc of this varietal purity. It's bone dry and crisp, with stimulating flavors of lemongrass, lemons and limes, figs, peaches and melons. Makes you admire how the winery produced 12,000 cases at this quality and price.

The 2006 Fortress Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc – Musque Clone just received a review of 91 points and designated as an “Editor's Choice” from the Wine Enthusiast magazine. Check it out in the forthcoming May 2008 issue!

In addition, the wine is recommended in Santé Magazine's 2008 Annual Buyer's Guide and Fortress Vineyards was featured in Touring and Tasting Magazine's fall/winter 2007 issue! A copy of the Touring and Tasting article is on our website.

The 2006 vintage was also awarded a bronze medal in this year's San Francisco Chronicle International Wine Competition.