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November, 2008
Member winery Childress Vineyards won Best of Show and the North Carolina Winegrowers Cup at the 2008 North Carolina State Fair. Its 2005 Meritage was also awarded a Double Gold. Congratulations!

2004 Murrieta’s Well Red Meritage
Silver Medal - San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, January 2008
Bronze Medal - Dallas Morning News Wine Competition, April 2008
Bronze Medal - Houston Livestock Show & Competition, Feb. 2008

2005 Murrieta’s Well White Meritage
Gold Medal - Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo Competition, Feb. 2008
Silver Medal - San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, January 2008

August, 2008
St. Supery
At the California State Fair, St. Supery’s 2006 Virtú won a silver medal and “Best of Class for Napa appellation” with 91 pts. At the Orange County Fair, Élu 2004 and Virtú 2006 both won gold medals.

August, 2008
2004 Surfrider Red, Malibu – Newton Canyon
The Rosenthal 2004 Meritage was a four-star gold at the OC Fair. Only 22 wines out of over 3,300 wines received this award.

June, 2008
2008 Pacific Rim International Wine Competition
Cosentino Winery's 2005 "The Poet" Meritage was named "Best Meritage" at the 2008 Pacific Rim International Wine Competition.
In the White Meritage category, two member wineries earned gold medals for their wines. Cosentino was awarded gold for its 2006 vintage of "The Novelist," and Three Rivers Winery won a gold medal for its 2006 White Meritage from the Columbia Valley.

June, 2008
Cinquain Cellars 2006 Reserve Meritage
Cinquain Cellars of Paso Robles won a Gold Medal and Best of Class designation for its 2006 Reserve Meritage at the 2008 California State Fair Wine Competition. The Best of Class award means it was
the highest rated wine of its type within California's South-Central Coast, including the appellations of Paso Robles through Santa Barbara.

May, 2008
St. Julian 2005 Braganini Reserve Meritage
St. Julian 2005 Braganini Reserve Meritage Gold Medal 2008 Great Lakes Great Wines Competition

April 9, 2008
INDYWeek.com
2005 Rodney Strong Symmetry
A Meritage blend of five Bordeaux-style grapes with Cabernet Sauvignon predominating. A showy wine with fullness, generosity, solidity and structure. A joy to drink and the kind of wine American aficionados crave­a showstopper now with aging potential optional. Delicious.
(5 stars out of 5) -- Arturo Ciompi

April 2, 2008
Miami Herald
2005 Rodney Strong Symmetry
Red Meritage wine, Alexander Valley (cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc, petit verdot, malbec grapes): hint of charred oak aroma, intense, concentrated black cherry and black plum flavors, full-bodied, very smooth, opulent, creamy; $60. -- Fred Tasker

April 2008
Casa Nuestra 2005 Estate Meritage has won three medals in recent competitions, including:

* A Silver medal at the San Francisco Chronicle International Wine Competition 2008
* Bronze medals at Jerry Mead's New World International Wine Competition 2008 and Vineyard & Winery Management's Grand Harvest Awards Wine Competition 2008

March 2008
Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine
Charlie Olken, Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine has given the
St. Supery 2006 Virtú, Napa Valley 92 points & two puffs in the March issue of the newsletter. He says, " This complex blending of ripe fig, honeyed melons, toasty oak and background grassy and stony notes is as outgoing in its round, slightly viscous flavors as it is in its first nose. A delight from front to back, and one of the most successful blends of these two varieties seen in California. Virtu is a wine that can as easily accompany a piece of grilled sea bass as a savory chicken dish."

March 5, 2008
Laurie Daniel, San Jose Mercury News
The 2004 Cosentino Winery "The Poet" Meritage ($65) is quite aromatic, with concentrated black cherry and spice and a long finish. Cosentino's 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon ($45) is also very good.