LAKEPORT — Amateur winemakers from near and far went home with a wide-range of ribbons from the 10th annual Lake County Home Winemakers Festival, which took place Saturday from 1 to 5 p.m. at Library Park.
An estimated 400 attendees strolled through the numerous vendor booths at the festival, sipping both amateur and professional wines along the way.
The event was sponsored by non-profit Clear Lake Performing Arts (CLPA), with all proceeds going to support the group”s music activities, including the CLPA Youth Orchestra, scholarships, concerts and the Lake County Symphony Orchestra. Sponsors included Kathy Fowler Chevrolet, WestAmerica Bank and Re-Coop Corp. of Ukiah, a company that restores used wine barrels.
The big winner for the day was Kelseyville”s Scott Simkover. His “Smiling Dogs Ranch” took three gold medals, a silver medal and Best in Show. His winners were a 2009 “Backyard Zin” Zinfandel, a 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon and a 2010 version of the same varietal. Simkover”s silver medal was for a dry-farmed Merlot, while the “Best in Show” was for the “Backyard Zin.”
Other multiple winners were David Pretari of Foster City, who won gold with his 2010 Zinfandel and silver for a 2011 Zinfandel; and Connel Murray of Kelseyville, who was awarded two silver medals: one for his Meritage-labeled 2010 Italian Blend of three Italian varietals, and one for a 2009 Semillion white wine. Jamie Celozzi also won two medals with a gold for his 2011 Zinfandel and a bronze for a 2011 Syrah.
Mike Howell of Philo took home a gold for his 2010 Harpe Trust Pinot Noir. John McKillip took home a silver for his 2005 Port.
Additional winners in the bronze category were Scott Kinckmeyer for a 2007 Syrah, and Michelle Shultz for her Syrah-based 2010 Port. Both are members of the Remembrance Vineyard Group of Finley. Neil Peaty of Windsor won for his “Whimsical Wines” CCG & Pomegranate Dry Red.
The popular “People”s Choice” ribbons, voted on by attendees, went to Murray for “Best White Wine,” Pretari for “Best Red Wine,” the Remembrance Vineyard Group of Finley for “Best Wine Label” and Celozzi for “Best Decorated Booth.”
Commercial wineries were able to introduce new products and services — along with tastes — but were ineligible for awards because those were restricted to solely home winemakers, whose efforts were rated by a panel of professional judges.
The panel of judges consisted of Stephen Dilley, Lavender Blue Wines; Pietro Buttita, Rosa d”Oro; Stephanie Cruz-Green of “Focused on Wine”; Jack Vos, Thorn Hill Winery; Bonnie Sears, Snows Lake Winery and Vineyard; and Valerie Ramirez, representing Wildhurst Winery and Vineyard.
A silent auction that featured weeklong and weekend trips to Hawaii, San Francisco and other destinations was held by the Auxiliary of CLPA, the organization”s fundraising arm. Dozens of raffle prizes were also offered, including wine and gift baskets contributed by local businesses.
The “David Neft Duo” of Neft and Steve DuBois provided music. They were joined by guitarist Stephen Holland. Classical guitarist Travis Rinker and the symphony musician “Black Forest Trio” of cellist John Weeks and violinists Lynne Bruner and Marta Fuller also performed.
Home brewers were represented by Bruce Lightfoot of Cobb, who poured tastes of both wine and beer.
According to Murray, who helped organize the event, other home brewers were reluctant to participate because of confusion regarding state laws covering such events. Murray said the offices of State Senator Noreen Evans and the Senate Select Committee on California”s Wine Industry promised to seek clarification from the local office of the state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control in order to permit future exhibitions, competitions and tastings of homemade beers and ales at county and state fairs as well as other events such as the Home Winemakers Festival.
The 2013 festival is tentatively scheduled for June 22 at Library Park.
