The winners

By the time you are reading this the fair and the tasting of the wines entered in the first North Idaho Wine Rodeo will be over. I anticipate that all who attended will have had a great time and ample opportunity to taste a lot of wonderful wine from all over the world and many from right here in the Northwest. While the winners will have been announced at the tasting last Saturday, here is the complete list of first- to third-place finishers in each varietal category as well as those who won Best in Show.

In order to be entered into Best in Show a wine needed to win its varietal category or tie for the win. Here are the results:

Whites and Roses:

Rose: Winner: 2009 Tapena Second: 2009 Milbrandt Third: 2009 Cline (7 Entries)

Sauvignon Blanc: Winner: 2009 Chasing Venus Second: 2009 Maryhill Third: 2008 Minet Pouilly Fume (7 Entries)

Viognier: Winner: 2009 Dusted Valley, Second: Tied 2009 Seven Hills, 2009 Steele, 2009 Maryhill Third: 2009 Jones of Washington (7 Entries)

Pinot Gris: Winner: 2008 Sawtooth Second: 2009 Boomtown Third: 2009 Chehalem (11 entries)

White Blend: Winner 2008 DeLille Chateau Blanc Second: 2009 Chehalem Chemistry Third: 2009 Treana White (8 Entries)

Other White: Winner: 2009 Esperanza Verdejo Second: 2008 Skylark Pinot Blanc Third: 2008 DeLille Rousanne (8 Entries)

Chardonnay: Winner: Tied 2008 Neyers, 2007 Phelps Freestone Second: 2008 Rodney Strong Third: Tied 2007Gloria Ferrer, 2008 Liberty School (16 Entries)

Riesling: Winner 2009 Latah Creek Second: 2008 Kana Third: Tied 2009 Seven Hills, 2009 Jones of Washington (10 Entries)

Pinot Noir: Winner: 2008 Balletto Burnside Vineyard Second: 2006 Gloria Ferrer Third: 2008 Balletto Estate (16 Entries)

Grenache: Winner: 2008 Dusted Valley Second: 2009 Penelope Sanchez Third: 2008 Writer's Block (3 Entries)

Red Blends: Winner: 2008 Cline Cashmere Second: 2007 Treana Red Third: 2008 Columbia Crest Les Chateaux (32 Entries)

Other Reds: Winner 2007 Saviah Petite Verdot Second: 2008 Timberock Carmenere Third: 2007 Thurston Wolfe Petite Sirah (9 Entries)

Zinfandel: Winner: 2006 Steele Mendocino Ridge Second: 2007 Balletto Estate Third: 2008 Cline Ancient Vines (16 Entries)

Malbec: Winner: 2007 Reasons Second: 2007 Seven Hills Third: Tied 2008 River Aerie, 2007 Basalt, 2007 Milbrandt (7 Entries)

Cabernet Franc: Winner: 2007 Basalt Second: 2007 Steele Third: 2008 Arbor Crest (5 Entries)

Syrah: Winner: 2006 2 Mountain Second: 2006 Whitman Third: 2007 Skylark Rodgers Creek Vineyard (20 Entries)

Merlot: Winner: 2007 Shooting Star Second: NV Candor Third: 2007 Robert Karl

Cabernet Sauvignon: Winner: 2007 Barrister Second: Tied 2007 Reasons, 2007 Liberty School, and 2009 Balboa Third: 2007 Dusted Valley (23 Entries)

Best in Show White: Winner: 2007 Phelps Freestone Chardonnay Second: 2008 Neyers Chardonnay Third: 2009 Dusted Valley Viognier

Best in Show Red: Winner: Reasons 2007 Malbec Second: 2007 Shooting Star Merlot Third: 2008 Balletto Burnside Vineyard Pinot Noir

Best Label White: Phelps Freestone Chardonnay

Best Label Red: Penelope Sanchez Grenache

We judged more than 220 entries over these 18 varietal categories, which does not happen without tremendous help and commitment from all involved. The Judges, I, Eric Cook, Jenniffer Curran and Mark Daanen would like to thank the fair board Chris Holloway and Chelsea Rosenberger for their early and enthusiastic support of the concept, the competition and the tasting. Also thanks are due to the wineries and winemakers for entering the competition. All of our great local distributors including Click, Odom, Hayden Beverage, Vehrs, Idaho Wine Merchants, JW Thornton, Bottles of Grapes and Varietals LLC. A special thanks to our two tireless coordinators Lynne Moyer and Debra Keller, and to Scott Conant who arranged the donation of the Judge's Riedel tasting glasses. Also thank you to our attorney who oversaw the judging and scoring process Kevin Breck of Winston Cashatt, and to Mary Lancaster, my business partner, who entered all of the scoring data into the spreadsheets and tabulated the scores and to Katie Lancaster who completed the winners graphics for display at the fair tasting.

If there is a topic you would like to read about or questions on wine you can e-mail [email protected] or make suggestions by contacting the Healthy Community section at the Coeur d'Alene Press.

George Balling is co-owner with his wife Mary Lancaster of the dinner party - a wine and table top decor shop in Coeur d'Alene. George is also the managing judge of The North Idaho Fair and Rodeo wine competition. Information: www.thedinnerpartyshop.com