Winning wines: Gold Medal winners can be bargains

There's an old adage in the wine business that "gold means sold." If that holds true, then there's about to be some serious wine shopping this weekend as I've just returned from the New World International Wine Competition and I've got a brand new crop of 2008 gold medal winners.

Last April after I wrote a column about the winners, my inbox was jammed with emails from people with notes of thanks. Everyone said they liked knowing about delicious wine bargains. My friend, Jim McCracken (who writes a wine column for Florida Weekly), recently wrote a timely piece on good wine buys and he's right, tough times call for great wine values.

Lower priced wines sometimes do not get the big reviews and coverage that socalled serious, pricier wines do. The results can be enlightening for us wine lovers looking for alternatives to the ratings bestowed by Robert M. Parker or Wine Spectator.

A lot of you wanted to know how we judge. Wine competitions like ones I've judged in are blind tastings - that is, wines are placed before the judges without us knowing the names of wines we are tasting. We are told only the vintage and the varietal. If it's a Chardonnay it needs to taste like a Chardonnay and be true to its varietal character. We're also told if it's a blend like Meritage, for example, a Bordeauxstyled wine, made from grapes grown in the United States.

About 15 tables are clustered in a quiet area of a vast hotel lobby with three to four judges sitting at each table. We'll get a few people who'll stroll past eyeing the copious amount of wine all around them. Our noses sometimes can get confused when we smell their cologne or perfume and we get excited by what we're smelling in the glass and then disappointed we when discover the source is not the wine. Most passersby think we're pretty lucky.

"How do I get to do this," someone invariably asks. One judge's reply is always the same, "drink a lot of wine."

We had a judge-in-training with us this year (a wine buyer for a supermarket chain) so our table had four judges. Each table assesses about 100 to 120 wines a day for two days. We nibble shaved slices of rare roast beef to ease the palate after tasting flights of heavy, tannic reds and pick at organic crackers and olives that also help alleviate our palate fatigue.

This competition also categorizes wines by price hoping that it will give the less expensive wines the opportunity to win medals. Except during a break for lunch, we sit all day jotting down notes or discussing a wine's merits as we sniff, swirl, sip and spit. Yes, we all really do spit. (Except for perhaps a few gold medal winners where a little swallow is always de rigueur).

- Rose O'Dell King of Fort Myers is a trained sommelier who holds a degree in Culinary Arts from the French Culinary Institute. She welcomes comments or questions at roseodellking@ gmail.com.

Gold Medalists

Goose Watch Snow Goose white blend 2006 Finger Lakes, NY $11

This wine took the prize for Best New World White Wine, beating out wines more than 5 times its price. It's deliciously luscious with some sweetness but with a crisp underpinning that keeps it from being cloying. A blend of Viognier, Traminette, and Cayuga.

Cline Cellars Cashmere 2006 Rhone Blend, California $16

A rich, smooth red, that's sweet cherry-laden with hints of dark chocolate and black pepper. Grown with Rhone varietals like Grenache and Syrah and Mourvedre, a portion of the proceeds from every bottle sold will be donated to the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

PKNT Winery, 2006 Carmenere, Chile $7

Carmenere used to be exported and sold as Merlot, albeit a spicier, more powerful one. This Carmenere is gorgeously dark in color, with sweet tasting black fruit and round, soft tannins.

Hacienda Wine Cellars, Clair de Lune 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, California $8

This is just a plum delicious wine for the price. Soft ripe fruit, nice depth and finishes with some power. A wine this cheap - go splurge on some juicy steaks.

Goose Watch 2006 Traminette, Finger Lakes, NY $12

New York State is the place to watch for delicious wines. This Traminette is very dry, with a distinctive spicy finish that is reminiscent of Gewurztraminer. It's delightfully crisp and perfect on its own or with Thai foods.

Michael David 6th Sense 2005 Syrah, California $17

Fire up the grill and start barbequing. This hardy, smoky Syrah is deliciously ripe, mellow and picnic ready.

Auto Moto 2007 Riesling, California $12

It's a strange name but a great tasting bottle of wine. Boasting citrus and green apple flavors with a hit of minerality on the finish. Try with grilled fish or chicken.

Biltmore Estate Chardonnay Sur Lies $12

Winning best of class this Chardonnay was aged on the wine's sediments or "lies" creating a buttery, luscious wine with fresh fruit flavors. Delightful with Florida lobster or roasted chicken.