I love October in Sonoma County, because it means the Harvest Fair is here! I’ve attended every year for the past 10 years to taste the top scoring wines. In addition, I enjoy checking out the monster-size pumpkins, the decorated cakes, visiting all of the sheep, goats, cows, horses, and pig pens, listening to the music, and always catching the Grape Stomp before I leave.
Afterwards, I head to some of my favorite wine stores in Sonoma County, because they have great deals on the Harvest Fair medal winning wines. The two stores I always hit are Bottle Barn and Olivers, because they have some of the best prices and great displays. My strategy is to purchase a bottle of every Best of Class and Gold Medal wine under $16. I then invite friends over for a BBQ and we try them out. Each year I find a favorite wine and end up going back to buy a case or more.
This year’s best gold medal wine, in my humble opinion, for under $16 was the 2006 Leveroni Merlot from Sonoma Valley. It is a plush mouthful of ripe blackberries and plums with velvety tannins, good acid, and a very long pleasing finish. It tastes like a $60 merlot for only around $12 at our local stores. I’d encourage you to give it a try. As a former merlot drinker who succumbed to the seduction of pinot noir, this merlot has tempted me back to the roost.
Following is a table of the 14 wines below $16 that were either Best of Class or Gold medal winners.
Best of Class | Kenwood Vineyards | 2009 | Pinot Gris | Sonoma County | $14.00 |
Best of Class | Leveroni Vineyards | 2006 | Merlot | Sonoma Valley | $16.00 |
Best of Class | Sebastiani Vineyards & Winery | 2008 | Chardonnay | Sonoma County | $12.99 |
Best of Class | Sebastiani Vineyards & Winery | 2009 | Unoaked Chardonnay | Russian River Valley | $14.99 |
Best of Class | Trecini | 2009 | Sauvignon Blanc | Russian River Valley | $14.99 |
Gold | Healdsburg Ranches Winery | 2009 | Chardonnay | Russian River Valley | $15.00 |
Gold | Huntington | 2008 | Chardonnay | Sonoma County | $15.00 |
Gold | Kenwood Vineyards | 2007 | Zinfandel | Sonoma County | $16.00 |
Gold | Kenwood Vineyards | 2009 | Chardonnay | Sonoma County | $14.00 |
Gold | Long Gamma Cellars | 2007 | Red Wine | Sonoma County | $12.00 |
Gold | Pedroncelli Winery | 2007 | Syrah | Alexander Valley | $14.00 |
Gold | Pedroncelli Winery | 2009 | Chardonnay | Dry Creek Valley | $12.00 |
Gold | River Road Vyds & Winery | 2009 | Pinot Meunier | Russian River Valley | $16.00 |
Gold | Valley Of The Moon Winery | 2009 | Pinot Blanc | Sonoma County | $15.00 |