Awards and Accolades

Awards

Commercial winemaking competitions:

  • Wreckless Blenders’ 2013 Touriga, GOLD MEDAL, BEST OF CLASS OF REGION (Sierra Foothills), 2015 California State Fair
  • Wreckless Blenders’ 2013 Barbera, Luce Brilliante, SILVER MEDAL, 2015 California State Fair
  • Westwood Family Cellars’ 2013 Barbera, El Dorado, GOLD MEDAL, BEST OF CLASS OF REGION (Sierra Foothills), 2015 California State Fair
  • Due Vigne di Famiglia’s 2012 Primtivo, SILVER MEDAL, San Francisco Chronicle
  • DK Cellars’ 2010 Barbera, a DOUBLE GOLD MEDAL, 2013 Amador County Fair
  • Obscurity Cellars’ 2009 Primitivo Rosato, Shaker Ridge Vineyard, a GOLD MEDAL, BEST OF CLASS, 2010 El Dorado County Fair; a SILVER MEDAL, 2010 Amador County Fair; a SILVER MEDAL, 2010 California State Fair
  • Obscurity Cellars’ 2009 Touriga, Shaker Ridge Vineyard:  GOLD MEDAL, 2012 San Francisco Chronicle; GOLD MEDAL, 2011 California State Fair; SILVER MEDAL, 2011 El Dorado County Fair; SILVER MEDAL, 2011 Amador County Fair
  • Oakstone’s 2009 Reserve Barbera, Shaker Ridge Vineyard:  SILVER MEDAL, 2012 El Dorado County Fair; SILVER MEDAL, 2012 San Francisco Chronicle; SILVER MEDAL, 2011 California State Fair; SILVER MEDAL, 2011 El Dorado County Fair; SILVER MEDAL, 2011 Amador County Fair; SILVER MEDAL, 2011 Orange County Fair; BRONZE MEDAL, 2011 San Francisco Chronicle
  • Oakstone’s 2008 Primitivo, Shaker Ridge Vineyard:  GOLD MEDAL, 2011 Amador County Fair; BRONZE MEDAL, 2011 California State Fair; BRONZE MEDAL, 2011 San Francisco Chronicle
  • Oakstone Winery’s 2007 Reserve Primitivo, Shaker Ridge Vineyard, a SILVER MEDAL, 2010 El Dorado County Fair; a SILVER MEDAL, 2010 California State Fair; a BRONZE MEDAL, 2010 Amador County Fair; a BRONZE MEDAL, 2010 San Francisco Chronicle
  • Oakstone Winery’s 2007 Reserve Barbera, Shaker Ridge Vineyard, a SILVER MEDAL, 2010 California State Fair; a SILVER MEDAL, Orange County Fair; a BRONZE MEDAL, 2010 El Dorado County Fair
  • Obscurity Cellars’ 2006 Primitivo, Shaker Ridge Vineyard, a SILVER MEDAL, 2008 El Dorado County Fair
  • Oakstone Winery’s 2006 Reserve Barbera, Shaker Ridge Vineyard, a SILVER MEDAL, 2009 El Dorado County Fair; a BRONZE MEDAL, 2009 California State Fair

Home winemaker competitions:

  • Shaker Ridge Vineyard’s 2011 touriga nacional:  DOUBLE GOLD MEDAL, 2013 Orange County Fair
  • Shaker Ridge Vineyard’s 2009 Primitivo: DOUBLE GOLD MEDAL, 2012 El Dorado County Fair;
  • Shaker Ridge Vineyard’s 2010 Dorado (port-style blend): SILVER MEDAL, 2013 Orange County Fair;
  • Shaker Ridge Vineyard’s 2008 Dorado (port-style blend):  GOLD MEDAL, BEST OF SHOW, 2011 El Dorado County Fair; DOUBLE GOLD MEDAL, 2011 Orange County Fair; SILVER MEDAL, 2011 Amador County Fair
  • Greg Rooney’s 2010 Weasel Boy Shaker Ridge Quinta Port:  SILVER, 2012 Wine Maker International
  • Greg Rooney’s 2010 Weasel Boy Primitivo Rose: BRONZE, 2012 Wine Maker International
  • Shaker Ridge Vineyard’s 2009 Estate Red (dry Portugese varietal blend): SILVER MEDAL, 2012 El Dorado County Fair; BRONZE MEDAL, 2010 Amador County Fair
  • Shaker Ridge Vineyard’s 2008 Estate Red (dry Portugese varietal blend):  GOLD MEDAL, 2011 El Dorado County Fair; BRONZE MEDAL, 2010 Amador County Fair
  • Shaker Ridge Vineyard’s 2009 Touriga Nacional:  GOLD MEDAL, 2011 El Dorado County Fair
  • Greg Rooney ’s 2008 Weasel Boy Primitivo, a SILVER MEDAL, 2010 WineMaker International
  • Shaker Ridge Vineyard’s 2008 Primitivo, a GOLD MEDAL, BEST OF CLASS, 2010 Amador County Fair
  • James Booth’s 2007 Grey Ghost Primitivo, a SILVER MEDAL, 2010 California State Fair
  • Shaker Ridge Vineyard’s 2007 Estate Red, a SILVER MEDAL, 2009 El Dorado County Fair; a SILVER MEDAL, 2009 Amador County Fair
  • Shaker Ridge Vineyard’s 2006 “John’s Revival” Primitivo, a GOLD MEDAL, 2008 El Dorado County Fair; a BRONZE MEDAL, 2008 California State Fair
  • Shaker Ridge Vineyard’s 2006 “Three Brothers” Barbera, a SILVER MEDAL, 2008 El Dorado County Fair; a SILVER MEDAL, 2008 California State Fair

Accolades

One of our first clients had the following (excerpted) to say about Shaker Ridge Vineyard.  The full article can be found on Obscurity Cellar’s website here (pdf file; see “The Story of Primitivo”).

“Andy and Elizabeth Standeven have developed a gorgeous vineyard called Shaker Ridge, with three acres each of Barbera and Primitivo grapes (and a few Port varieties they like to play with) in the El Dorado AVA at about 1500 feet of elevation. They are both scientists and bring the meticulousness of their scientific training to bear on the vines and the grapes they produce. Not only have they voluntarily limited the crop to the magic number of two tons per acre…but they insist on only picking the grapes when we’re satisfied they’re exactly ripe, and then will only deliver intact fruit in perfect condition. They inspect each cluster for any shrivel, mold or other Material Other than Grapes (“MOG”), and reject any that don’t meet their exacting standards. Andy posts weekly progress reports and chemistry measurements on his website, and provides full guidance for the wineries that purchase his grapes, allowing them unusual latitude in planning for the arrival of the fruit.

“The result of all this attention to detail is wonderful fruit that we hope to turn into equally exquisite wines. We bought a sample ton of primitivo, since we’ve never made it before, and were so delighted with the wine that we bought another half-ton for Port when the grapes ripened to dessert wine sweetness….only a week after pressing, we were delighting in the aromas and flavors the grapes produced. We followed this a couple weeks later with three tons of Barbera from their vineyard; grown, picked and sorted with the same care, and it promises to be an equally terrific wine.

“We’ll all see how our first attempt at this grape turns out, but whatever happens, we know we started with some of the best grapes we could possibly have had from the Shaker Ridge Vineyard.”