Kiona Vineyards brings medals home from California

TEMECULA, Calif. -- A Red Mountain winery won three top awards last week at an international wine competition in Southern California.

Kiona Vineyards Winery earned gold medals for its 2004 reserve sangiovese, 2010 reserve dry riesling and 2008 chenin blanc ice wine at the Riverside International Wine Competition, which concluded Friday in Temecula, Calif.

Overall, Northwest wineries won 121 of the 1,321 medals awarded during the competition, including 21 of the 253 gold medals.

The Riverside competition, now in its 30th year, is one of the country's largest and most prestigious wine judgings and includes entries from four continents.

Chateau Ste. Michelle, Washington's oldest winery, won a unanimous gold medal for its 2009 Eroica riesling, which uses grapes primarily from the Quincy area.

Lake Chelan Winery also won a unanimous gold for its 2008 River's Bend Estate Syrah, which uses grapes from a vineyard near Benton City.

Also winning gold medals from Washington were Columbia Crest in Paterson (2007 Grand Estates merlot), Cougar Crest Winery in Walla Walla (2007 Cougar Hills Vineyard cabernet franc), Gamache Vintners in Prosser (2007 malbec), Hyatt Vineyards in Zillah (2008 Roza Ridge malbec), Martin-Scott Winery in East Wenatchee (2008 Raven Ridge Red), Maryhill Winery in Goldendale (2008 Proprietor's Reserve sangiovese), Milbrandt Vineyards in Prosser and Mattawa (2009 Traditions riesling), Swiftwater Cellars in Cle Elum (2010 riesling) and Treveri Cellars in Yakima (sparkling riesling).

For complete results, go to www.winepressnw.com.

-- Andy Perdue is editor of Wine Press Northwest magazine.