We received 9 gold medals at The American Wine Competition. We were the only winery to receive 2 Best of Class Wines . AFWC is “ Invitation-only” and includes only wines that received an invitation. The panel of 32 judges include a somm, a wine-trained chef, a wine writer, and an educator, with no producers or distributors to avoid biases. Judges in the AFWC circulate to encourage positive, consistent and careful evaluations.
Best of Show: 2018 Gewurztraminer, Anderson Valley
Winemaker Brooks Painter noted “The grapes for this wine were grown in the Anderson Valley, Mendocino County. We pick after the grapes have developed a pink to reddish hue, and the aromas are effuse with rose petals, cinnamon spice and exotic lychee fruit. We handle the fruit very carefully, avoiding as much as possible some of the more bitter tannins found in the skins. It is cold fermented in stainless steel and bottled in the spring. Gewürztraminer is a grape I am familiar with, as it was one of the first white grapes I made into wine when I started in the wine business 38 years ago. It is delightful with strong cheeses, spicy Asian dishes and sauced white meats.”
Mary Davidek , who runs our highly acclaimed Royal Food & Wine Pairing Tour at the Castello, recommends pairing spicy dishes such as Thai or Indian cuisine with Gewurztraminer, to complement the sweet & spicy elements of the wine.
Best of Class: 2014 Il Barone, Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
Robert Parker of The Wine Advocate scored the 2014, 94 Points. Parker Noted “The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Il Barone is also impressively endowed with plenty of crème de cassis, blueberry, blackberry fruit, a dense purple color, full-bodied mouthfeel, sweet tannin and a long finish. The wine has more fruit and less minerality than the Butala Vineyard and doesn’t quite show the graphite character, but it is a beautiful Cabernet Sauvignon to drink over the next 15-20 years. Drink 2016 – 2036.”
Mary Davidek , who runs our highly acclaimed Royal Food & Wine Pairing Tour at the Castello, recommends grilled red meats, wild game, and flavorful cheeses to compliment the excellent 2014 vintage.
All awards from the 2020 American Fine Wine Competition
Castello di Amorosa also received a number of Gold and Double Gold Medals, along with two Best of Class medals for our 2015 Il Barone, Cabernet Sauvignon & 2018 Dry Gewürztraminer. We also received Best of Show White Wine Winner in 2018 Dry Gewürztraminer. Check out the complete list of award winners:
- 2018 DRY GEWURZTRAMINER – Best of Show – Best of Class – 95 Points
- 2014 IL BARONE, RESERVE CABERNET SAUVIGNON – Best of Class – 95 Points
- 2018 RESERVE CHARDONNAY, NAPA VALLEY – Double Gold Medal – 92 Points
- 2018 PINOT NOIR, TERRA DE PROMISSIO – Double Gold Medal – 90 Points
- 2018 CHARDONNAY, BIEN NACIDO – Gold Medal – 91 Points
- 2018 PINOT NOIR, MORNING DEW RANCH – Gold Medal – 90 Points
- 2018 PINOT NOIR, IL RUBINO – Gold Medal – 90 Points
- 2014 LA CASTELLANA, SUPER TUSCAN BLEND – Gold Medal – 90 Points
- 2018 LATE HARVEST GEWURZTRAMINER, ANDERSON VALLEY – Gold Medal – 90 Points
We are always proud of our amazing winemaking team, and look forward to sharing our award-winning wines with you!
