Business & Tech

Saratoga's Cinnabar Winery Wins 3 Medals at Wine Competition

Its 2009 Bordeaux Blend wins best of class while its 2010 Syrah/Shiraz and Merlot win gold each.

Saratoga's Cinnabar Winery, 14612 Big Basin Way, received three gold medals, one best of class, at this year's San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition held Jan. 8-11 at the Cloverdale Citrus Fairgrounds in Sonoma County.

Joe Gargiulo, a spokesman for the winery, said the winery's 2009 Bordeaux blend, $20-29.99, won best of class; while its 2010 Syrah/Shiraz, $40-plus; and Merlot, $20-24.99, each won gold. 

The Bordeaux blend is under the Mercury Rising designation, which is a Bordeaux-style red cuvée, Gargiulo said. The Bordeaux Blend category is actually composed of two or more of the following: cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc, petite verdot or malbec.

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"Vineyards are chosen for their favorable climate and soils, effective cultural practices, and history of producing quality fruit," he said. "Mercury Rising has a long history of offering tremendous value and garnering respect among wine critics."

In operation for more than three decades, the small, family owned winery is under the direction of winemaker George Troquato who makes traditional tasty wine transformed into the Medallion Series and the Watermark Portfolio of wines.

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The winery opened in 1981. Grapes used to make Cinnabar wine come from nearby cellars in Los Gatos, Monterey, Paso Robles or Sonoma County, according to the winery's website.

Cinnabar's Tasting Room, less than five miles away from its wine estate in the Saratoga Hills, is open daily, 11 a.m.–5 p.m. between 5th and 6th streets in Saratoga Village.

The winery's The Mudd Room, an after-hours wine bar, is open every Friday and Saturday 5-8 p.m. There's no cover charge. It's named after vineyard and winery founder Tom Mudd (1942-2007); visitors can sit inside or on its patio.

To see the complete list of winners, please click here.


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