Winemaster's Lot

Lot #14
Tolosa Winery "The Kiss" Pinot Noir, Etched and Hand Painted, 1 x 5.0 liters, 2006

This five-liter etched and hand-painted bottle is truly one-of-a-kind. It holds a unique blend of Tolosa Pinot Noir that is not offered in any other bottling. Pinot Noir is the flagship wine of Tolosa winery. The vineyard has 24 distinct sites planted to nine different clones of Pinot Noir. Very few small wineries have this wide a selection of material to work with. The 2006 Pinot Noir "The Kiss" exemplifies the complexity of a premium Pinot Noir. It is deeply colored, a vibrant ruby hue, and offers ripe red fruit with notes of smoke and vanilla in the mouth.

This bottle also offers an opportunity to purchase a unique and intricate work of art created by glass artist Candice Norcross of Northern Cross Studios. There have been only 50 bottles made depicting "The Kiss", painter Gustav Klimt's masterpiece. Each bottle is an exceptional piece of art, individually unique, requiring many steps, each done by hand in a particular order and manner.

Star of the Show

Lot #25
Wine Spectator Top 100 Wines, 60 x 750 ml, 6 each of 10 of the Top 100

Sponsored by past Wine & Food Festival Chairs, Dona Hagen, Dottie Hollatz, Pat Petersen, Donna Sweeney, Susan Schwidde, Billie Ruff, Ben Ripley, Sharon Weatherwax- Ripley, Evelyn Noennig, Cara Schaer, Jane Howell, Joe Howell, Susan Carlson and Stella Fong

In 2009, Wine Spectator reviewed more than 17,000 new releases from around the world in blind tastings. More than 3,800 of these wines earned outstanding ratings (90 points or higher on the 100-point scale). From these the top 100 were chosen based on four criteria: quality, value, availability, and an X-factor called excitement. Once the list is announced however, availability becomes much more difficult. We have assembled six bottles each of 10 of the top 100, including the wine of the year (rating 95, number 1), Columbia Crest Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley Reserve 2005. The other wines are Renato Ratti Barola Marcenasco, 2005 (96, 7); Bancott Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough Reserve 2008 (92, 28); Chateau Ste Michelle Cabernet Sauvignon, Horse Heaven Hills Canoe Ridge Estate 2006 (92, 38); Royal Tokaji, Tokaji Aszu, 5 Puttonyos Red Label 2005 (94, 44); Tablas Creek Esprit de Beaucastel, Paso Robles 2006 (93, 50); Trimbach Riesling, Alsace 2007 (91, 55); Spring Valley Uriah, Walla Walla 2006 (93, 60); Concho y Toro Carmenere, Peumo Terrunyo 2006 (92, 62); Gloria Ferrer Brut, Sonoma County NV (90, 78).

Winemaster's Lot

Lot #34
Tolosa Winery, 12 x 750 ml, 2 each of 1772 Chardonnay, 1772 Syrah, 1772 Pinot Noir, Beyond Pinot Noir, Lily Gil Pinot Noir, Marley Anne Pinot Noir, 2007

1772 is the year that the Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa was founded and is the name Tolosa Winery gives to its best wines. All of the 1772 wines in the 1772 are barrel select wines. The Beyond, Lily Gil, and Marley Anne are block select wines that are crafted to exhibit the widest range of styles that the Tolosa estate vineyard can produce.

French Star of the Show

Lot #37
Cos d'Estournel, 12 x 750 ml, 2005

Sponsored by Lamplighter Square LLC

Château Cos d'Estournel is a winery in the Saint-Estephe appellation of Bordeaux; it is also the name of the red wine produced there. The wine was classified as one of fifteen Deuxiemes Crus (Second Growths) in the original classification of 1855. The 2005 Cos, however, may be the wine of the vintage. Winemaker Jean- Guillaume Prats considers the 2005 to be superior to the 2003 Cos, which many consider to be the top Bordeaux of that vintage. The superb 2005 has it all. Near perfect acidity balances lush fruit and dense tannins. This is a wine that will improve for ten or more years. The 2005 Cos is a brilliant effort from winemaker Jean-Guillaume Prats. Rated 98 by both Robert Parker and Wine Spectator, it may well be the wine of the 2005 Bordeaux vintage.

Domestic Star of the Show

Lot #41
Cardinale Cabernet Sauvignon, 6 x 750 ml, 2006

Sponsored by Bill Royer and Tim Schruth - UBS Financial Services

Perfect! Wine Enthusiast magazine awarded a rare perfect score, its first for 2010, to Cardinale Winery's 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon. Winemaker Chris Carpenter said, "… it is hard to beat a 100 point score, though with this wine that is ultimately what we hope to do." This 1,500 case cuvee is a blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon and 12% Merlot aged in 100% new French oak for 22 months. It is a big, opulent wine offering abundant quantities of sexy fruit. Wine Advocate calls it "sumptuous" and a "brilliant effort" that should drink well for 15 -20 years.