Red Sweepstakes Award for McGrail Vineyards

McGrail Vineyards and Winery Cabernet 

named Best Red Wine in SF Chronicle Wine Competition

LIVERMORE, CA – January 31, 2012  – McGrail Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve from McGrail Vineyards and Winery, a family-owned producer of premium wines in the Livermore Valley, won the Sweepstakes Red Wine Award from the 2012 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.

McGrail Vineyards and Winery was one of six Sweepstakes wine winners in the competition.  Categories include Sparking, Rose, White, Red, Dessert, and Label Design.

The San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition has awarded Sonoma Valley, Russian River, and Paso Robles the Sweepstakes Red Wine Award in the past few years, but this is the first time Livermore Valley has achieved the highest accolade at the largest domestic wine competition in the US, with over 5,500 entrants.

The 2008 McGrail Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve from McGrail is well balanced with notes of blackberry, dark cherry, cassis, vanilla, dark caramel, and chocolate covered cherries.  The tannins give nice structure and the finish is velvety smooth. 

McGrail Vineyards and Winery, located in the Livermore Valley American Viticulture Area in Northern California, is owned by the McGrail family. The tasting room opened four years ago on the Greenville Hill with expansive views of the Valley.