Judges’ Reception Dinner 2017

Pine Mountain-Cloverdale Peak AVA
Hosted by the Pine Mountain-Cloverdale Peak AVA

Pine Mountain-Cloverdale Peak AVA Hosts Official Judges Welcome Reception

On Tuesday, January 10, the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition Judges gathered at the Cloverdale Citrus Fairgrounds to enjoy a welcome reception and social hosted for the first time by Pine Mountain-Cloverdale Peak (PMCP) AVA.

After a hard first day of judging, the judges were thrilled to come together to eat, drink, and chat with their fellow experts from across all areas of the wine industry.

At the reception, Barry Hoffner of Pine Mountain-Cloverdale Peak AVA spoke to the judges and welcomed them to Cloverdale. The Pine Mountain-Cloverdale Peak AVA has the unique distinction of having the highest elevation vineyards in Sonoma County. Their members range from a few large/well-known wineries as well as small boutique wineries and farmers.

With vineyards going up to 2,600 ft and averaging over 2,000 ft, the PMCP winegrowers share similar features of volcanic/well-draining soils, gently sloping hillsides with southwest orientations, lower diurnal temperature variations during the growing season, and long ripening periods. Winemakers appreciate the softer tannins, darker colors, and longer developed flavors that are found in the premium winegrapes on Pine Mountain.

The lively and cheerful evening at the fairgrounds provided a perfect place for PMCP to share their wine, food, and story with the judges. It was a great event to kick off the week and celebrate of the start of the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition judging!

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