Here are a few of the medal-winning wines from the Los Angeles International Wine and Spirits Competition that we experienced at Fun Decanted last weekend in Pomona. Wines were presented from every imaginable region of the world, in a variety of price ranges, so it was possible for a meritage or petite sirah lover on a budget to check the list for award winners under $15 and find something they might actually buy. The event was laid-back and well maintained, with mind-boggling selection, generally short lines at all but the most popular pouring stations and food trucks, despite healthy attendance. Just about everything we tasted was delicious, but we thought we should mention a few things that stood out.
See our favorite tastes after the jump:
South Coast Winery’s Big Red Table – a blend of mostly merlot with some petite verdot and cabernet, jammy, soft and highly drinkable. I’m a fan of blends, and flavors like this for $14 a bottle are the reason.
Vina Robles’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 – A garnet red of incredible depth.
Line 39 Petite Sirah – mildly spicy, with a refreshing mouth feel. This paired perfectly with my short rib grilled cheese, cut right through the richness of the meat.
Perrier Jouet Champagne – but of course, one of the finest things on earth. The sight of a bottle with flowers on it is the surest sign of being in the right place at he right time you could ask for.
Balvenie 21 Year Scotch Whisky – nobody leaves liquor in the barrel for twenty-one years and does a crappy job of it . Like smoking butterscotch in a bong.
Photo by Elise Thompson.
ooh, and that raspberry one from Spain – like upscale Boone’s Farm!
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