Gold medal dreams come true
Lightpost, other local wineries score at competition
BOLD WINE Morgan Hill’s Lightpost Winery received Best Red of Show at the 2021 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition for its 2018 Lightpost Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. Photo courtesy of San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition
We desperately need some bright spots in the news these days. Among the cheery tidings is word that many Santa Clara Valley tasting rooms have once again reopened after a long hiatus. We can only hope it remains so.
One of the region’s brightest spots is Lightpost Winery on Lightpost Way in Morgan Hill. Owned by Sofia Fedotova and her husband, John Mauro, Lightpost Winery, with consulting winemaker Christian Roguenant (Niven, Laetitia, Deutz) at the helm, has been on a tear of late.
Lightpost just scored Best Red of Show at the 2021 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition for the 2018 Lightpost Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon from Paso Robles, a bold but well-mannered wine that won over the judges in the Sweepstakes Round. It tied with Jeff Runquist’s 2018 Syrah, also from Paso Robles, for top honors. The 2018 Reserve Cabernet also took Platinum and 94 points at the San Diego Wine & Spirits Competition in February 2021.
Also at the SF Chronicle competition in March, Lightpost scored Best of Class for the 2019 Ferrari Vineyards Reserve (Santa Cruz Mountains) Pinot Noir, Double Gold for the 2019 Spanish Springs Chardonnay (San Luis Obispo), Gold for the 2018 Ignition Rhone blend, Gold for both the 2019 Spanish Springs and Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noirs and Gold for the 2019 Rosé of Pinot Noir. The 2018 Lightpost Ferrari Vineyards Pinot Noir scored 95 points, Platinum and Best of Show at the San Diego International Wine Competition last May. This is a vineyard to watch.
The week prior to the SF Chronicle Competition, the 2018 Lightpost “Sevastien” Cabernet Sauvignon from the Santa Cruz Mountains was named Best of Class at the 2021 East Meets West Competition, earning a spot on the Sweepstakes table for the final round of judging. Its excellent mélange of spicy black pepper, leather and ravishing fruit made a really strong run for Best Red, but lost out to a wildly popular Italian varietal blend from Livermore.
These excellent showings followed news of great scores from Wine Enthusiast for two of Lightpost’s top notch Pinot Noirs, including 94 points for the 2019 Saveria Vineyards Pinot Noir, and 93 points and Editor’s Choice for the 2019 Ferrari Vineyards Reserve Pinot Noir. Both are from the Santa Cruz Mountains.
Other local wineries scoring impressive results at the SF Chronicle Competition include two Double Golds for Solis Winery for their 2017 Grenache and 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon, and a Gold for their 2017 Baciami Syrah blend, all from Santa Clara Valley. Cinnabar received a Best of Class for their Cabernet Franc from Lodi, and Golds for their 2018 Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir and 2019 Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay.
- Kinship Center to hold 65th Wine & Food Tasting – July 27, 2021
- La Vie Dansante reflects on changes – June 18, 2021
- Gold medal dreams come true – April 9, 2021
