The World’s Top Red Wines 2022 San Francisco International Wine Competition

The San Francisco Intercontinental Wine Competitors (SFIWC) is one of the world’s most critical wine competitions.

Founded in 1980, the SFIWC is now in its 42nd yr. It is the oldest American wine competition and among the most prestigious.

The competition is sponsored by the Tasting Alliance (TA), the parent organization of the similarly renowned San Francisco Entire world Spirits Levels of competition, the New York Planet Wine Competition, the New York Planet Spirits Competitiveness, and the Singapore Globe Spirits Levels of competition. This year TA announced the addition of new competitions masking beer and RTD cocktails.

This year extra than 30 judges gathered in San Francisco from November 9 – 12 to appraise and score somewhere around 3,000 wines from close to the world. About 65% of the wines were being from North The usa, and the equilibrium was from all around the world.

Below are the top rated winners and the formal tasting notes of the best-ranked crimson wines. See this link for the outcomes and tasting notes for the top-ranked white wines.

The Ideal in Present Pink Wine, which also took top honors as Ideal Grenache, was V. Sattui Vineyard 2020 Grenache, Napa Valley, California. At a listing cost of $39, it’s also an outstanding deal.

The formal SFIWC tasting notice described it as:

Vivid pink fruits with a touch of mocha, some spice, and a bit of white pepper on the nose. A medium-bodied wine with a noteworthy but nicely-ripened tannic spine, brisk acidity, and a very long, lingering pink fruit complete.

The Very best Over-all Rosé, as effectively as Finest Rosé Mix, was Becker Vineyards 2021 Rosé, Provençal (Dry Rosé), Texas, United states of america, $25. This year’s competition noticed a important boost in the number of entries from Texas. Many ranked amid the competition’s top-scoring wines.

The Judging Panel described the rosé as exhibiting:

Floral aromas with distinctive rose petal notes on the nose, accompanied by minerality and a hint of savoriness. The palate has notable crimson fruit and a prolonged, tangy, fruity finish.

The Best Cabernet Sauvignon was Herzog Special Reserve 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley, Usa, $48. The judging panel explained it as showing:

Aromatic and floral, with ripe darkish fruit notes and a trace of cassis on the nose. The wine is lush and fruity on the palate, with ripe tannins, moderate acidity, and a lengthy, bright, fruity end.

In Cabernet Shiraz blends, the top-scoring wine was Jip Jip Rocks 2021 Cabernet/Shiraz, South Australia, Padthaway, Australia, $16. An amazing discount taking into consideration that this wine can sometimes be discovered for about $10 a bottle. The formal SFIWC tasting be aware described it as:

Abundant darkish fruit and earth notes, with spicy aromas of cinnamon and a hint of nutmeg on the nose. A whole-bodied wine that characteristics a ripe tannic spine, reasonable + acidity, and a extensive finish.

The Best Top quality Bordeaux Mix > $25, was J. Lohr 2018 Quality Bordeaux Mix, Cuvée St. E, Paso Robles, Usa, $50. The judges described it as:

Dim fruit with a trace of prune and savory spices on the nose. Somewhat jammy and complete-bodied on the palate, with ripe tannins, moderate+ acidity, and a lengthy, fruity finish.

The Very best Top quality Non-Bordeaux Blend >$25 was the Gianelli Vineyards 2019 Pink Mix, Nino, Tuolumne, United states, $32. The official SFIWC tasting take note explained it as:

Pink fruit with distinctive strawberry notes. It is energetic on the palate, marginally drying, with ripe tannins, brisk acidity, and a prolonged, juicy, ripe red fruit finish.

The Best Bordeaux Mix < $25 was the BOXT NV 72% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot, California, USA, $16.

The Judging Panel described the wine as showing:

Red and black fruit, with a distinctive red currant note and a touch of earthy white pepper on the nose. Juicy on the palate, with well-integrated ripe tannins, moderate+ acidity, and a long, fruity finish.

Top honors for Best Non-Bordeaux Blend <$25 went to Freakshow 2020 Red Blend, Lodi, USA, $20. The official tasting note described the wine as exhibiting:

Very fruity, with ripe red and black fruit and prune notes on the nose. The wine is lush on the palate, with a noticeable weight, and features very ripe tannins, brisk acidity, and a long, nuanced, fruity finish.

At a list price of $20, it’s an incredible value and can often be found priced in the mid to high teens.

The Best Cabernet Franc was the Thirty-Seven 2018 Cabernet Franc, Reserve, Petaluma Gap, USA, $48. The Judging Panel described the wine as featuring:

Dark fruit and herbal aromas on the nose. Pronounced but ripe tannins, brisk acidity, and dark fruit flavors on the palate. It has a long, fruity, tangy finish with a touch of minerality.

The Best Merlot was Black Box Wines 2020 Merlot, California, USA, $20. This wine beat scores of far better-known, premium-priced wines to take the top honor. The judges described the Merlot as showing:

Black fruit, earthy, dusty, with a touch of graphite and a hint of dark chocolate on the nose. The wine is rich, medium to full-bodied, with a pronounced palate weight and a smooth texture. It features medium tannins, moderate acidity, and a long, juicy finish.

The Best Petite Sirah was Messina Hof Winery 2020 Petite Sirah, Private Reserve, Texas High Plains, USA, $25.

The official tasting note described the wine as:

Red fruits, earth, and a touch of chili pepper on the nose. Lush and full-bodied on the palate, with ripe but slightly drying tannins, brisk acidity, and a long, red fruit finish.

The Best Shiraz, not surprisingly, was Australian: Mockingbird Hill 2020 Shiraz, Dr. JWD Bain, Clare Valley, South Australia, Australia, $26.

The official SFIWC tasting note described the Shiraz as:

Rich, lush, red, and black fruits with explosive aromas of raspberry and blackberry on the nose. Full-bodied, with a pronounced, well-ripened tannic backbone, brisk acidity, and a very long, powerful, layered, and nuanced fruity finish.

The top-ranked Pinot Noir was Furthermore 2019 Pinot Noir, Single Vineyard, Starbridge Vineyard, Sonoma Coast, USA, $75.

The Judging Panel described the wine as

Pronounced red fruit on the nose, along with spicy and cinnamon overtones. Lively vibrant red fruit and earthy notes on the palate with a well-integrated tannic backbone and moderate acidity. The wine has a medium finish with lingering red fruit notes.

Among Italian varietal wines, Mountain Brook Vineyards 2020 Nebbiolo, Virginia, USA, $40 took the top prize for Nebbiolo wines. Virginia wineries are rapidly gaining an excellent reputation for outstanding wines and seem particularly adept with Italian wine varietals.

Helwig Winery 2020 Barbera, Gold Country, Amador County, USA, $18. Took the award for Best Barbera.

The top award for Sangiovese blends went to Maryhill Winery 2019 Tavolo Rosso, Proprietor’s Reserve, Columbia Valley, USA, $42.

The Judging Panel described the Sangiovese as:

Red fruits with slight mocha and a touch of herbal notes. Drying on the palate, exhibiting ripe tannins, brisk acidity, and a long, lingering, red fruit finish.

Cellardoor Winery 2019 Teroldego, American, USA, $22, took the top prize for Best Other Italian Red. The official tasting note described the wine as:

Floral and slightly earthy, with tangy red fruit on the nose. The wine is full-bodied and very slightly drying on the palate with ripe tannins, brisk acidity, and a long, red fruit finish with just a touch of earthiness.

The Best Red Rhône Varietals Blend was Truth Teller 2020 Red Rhône Blend, The Miscreant Project GobSMack’d, 54% Sugarloaf, 46% Double River, Columbia Valley, USA, $19. The official tasting note read:

Red and black fruit, and black pepper on the nose. This is a chewy full-bodied red wine and shows a pronounced palate weight. It features a well-ripened tannic backbone, moderate+ acidity, and a long, fruity finish.

The top scoring Mourvèdre was Flying Suitcase Wines 2019 Mourvèdre, Amador County, USA, $35. The top Petit Verdot was its sister wine, Flying Suitcase Wines 2019 Petit Verdot, Russian River Valley, USA, $45.

The Best Spanish, Portuguese, Argentine Red Varietal was Demencia de Autor 2018 Mencia, DO Bierzo, Spain, $26, while the top-ranked Tempranillo was Landon Winery 2019 Tempranillo, Reserve, Texas High Plains, USA, $30.

The official SFIWC tasting note described the Tempranillo as:

Red and dark fruit notes, especially blueberry, and earthy aromas. The wine is full-bodied, with a ripe, well-integrated, well-rounded tannic backbone and moderate+ acidity. It has a long finish of lingering red fruit notes and a touch of chocolate.

The Best Zinfandel was the Harney Lane 2020 Zinfandel, Scottsdale Vineyard, Lodi, USA, $40.

The Judging Panel described the wine as exhibiting:

Very ripe, jammy red and black fruits. A lush, full-bodied wine with a substantial palate weight, a pronounced but well-integrated tannic backbone, moderate acidity, and a generous, long-lasting finish of red and black fruit.

The top-ranked Hybrid Red Varietal was the St. James Winery NV Rougeon, Friendship School Rose, Ozark Highlands, USA, $14. The term hybrid means the grapes are a cross between native American grape varieties and European vinifera varieties.

The Best Other Red Varietal was Bending Branch Winery 2019 Tannat, Lost Pirogue Vineyards, Texas Hill Country, USA, $65. Tannat is an unusual grape variety. In its native France, it makes intense, concentrated, and highly tannic wines. In Texas and Uruguay, the wines are softer, more approachable, and lacking the mouth-drying tannins of their French cousins.

The Best Varietal Rosé was The Storm Cellar 2021 Chambourcin Rosé, Kay Vineyard, Grand Valley, USA, $25. An excellent price for arguably one of the top-ranked rosé wines in the world.

The Best Sparkling Rosé was PureCru 2022 Brut Rose, Moth-Fry Vineyards, Lodi, USA, $40 [1.6g/l%]. The judges described the wine as:

Floral, with pronounced rose petals and red fruit notes. The wine features a brisk acidity and a finely ripened tannic backbone. Cherry notes, with slight woody/brushy overtones, predominate on the palate. The finish is medium to long, with lingering red fruit notes.

The Best Non-Alcoholic wine was Jøyus NV Rosé, Non-Alcoholic, California, USA, $25. The official tasting note described the wine as:

Fruity, with a light salmon color. It’s light-bodied, with a malty character, a pronounced acidity, and a long, tangy, refreshing finish.

The Best Dessert Wine prize went to McWilliams NV Hanwood Estate, Australia, $80. The Judging Panel described the wine as showing:

On the nose are caramel, butterscotch, and dark dried fruit notes of fig, prune date, and raisin. The wine displays the classic rancio aromas of dry leather and a hint of furniture wax. Medium sweet on the palate, with a long, succulent finish of caramel and dried golden raisin.

The Best Other Port Style Wine award went to V. Sattui Winery NV Port, 20 YO Port, Napa Valley, USA, $68.

A complete listing of all the 2022 SFIWC medal winners is available on the San Francisco International Wine Competition website.