Judging, Part Deux!

The title, a word play on the cinematic farce, indicates that the results from the Pacific Rim International Wine Competition, as in the afore mentioned Judging! entry, are in and I am overwhelmed. Shawn was called by the head judge and given the news that his Dry Riesling was voted “Best White Wine” in category and that the judging of best of categories placed it second overall in the competition of 2800 judged wines, losing to a cream sherry. I don’t know if a cream sherry has ever passed my gullet, and if it has, then I was completely oblivious to the fact. Although second, it is a feat of Biblical proportions for Shawn, his abilities, and a first-year winery. The Riesling was voted double gold, and for you judging neophytes, that means that it was judged first on every judge’s card. And, since this was a totally blind tasting in which judges tasted completely without knowledge of make, winemaker, or vintage, it seems there was more than just subjectivity to the results. The judging list was a potpourri of who’s who in the wine world. “Holy cow!,” as our good friend Harry Caray would say, that’s pretty darned good. But there is, of course, more; Forty-Five North had two other best of classes, double gold for the Cabernet Franc and Pinot Noir Rosé, silver for the Pinot Gris, 45 White, and Late Harvest Vignole, and a bronze for the Pinot Noir. And, they are now official with approved labels and available for sale, thank God, finally.