Medals & Awards
Klinker Brick Winery is very proud to have earned a large number of medals and awards over the years from distinguished organizations and competitions across the country and the world. Below we feature some of our highlights.
2017 Grenache Blanc
Wine Enthusiast, Aug 2018
89 Points
2017 Albariño
Wine Enthusiast, June 2018
89 Points
2017 Bricks & Roses
Wine Enthusiast, June 2018
89 Points
2016 Albariño
Wilfred Wong, Wine.com
90 Points
2016 Rosé
Wilfred Wong, Wine.com
89 Points
2016 Grenache Blanc
Wine Enthusiast, Aug 2017
90 Points, Editor's Choice
2015 Farrah Syrah
American Fine Wine Competition, 2019
95 Points, Best of Class
2015 1850°
Wine Enthusiast, Dec 2018
90 Points
2015 Petite Sirah
Wine Enthusiast, Feb 2019
90 Points
2015 Dolcetto
Wine Enthusiast, Dec 2018
92 Points, Editor’s Choice
2015 Old Ghost
Wine Enthusiast, Dec 2018
91 Points
Wine Spectator, Nov 2018
90 Points
American Fine Wine Competition, 2019
93 Points, Gold
Tasting Panel, 2018
93 Points
2015 Marisa Vineyard Old Vine Zinfandel
Wine Enthusiast, July 2018
90 Points
American Fine Wine Competition, 2019
93 Points, Double Gold, Best of Class
2015 Old Vine Zinfandel
San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, 2018
Gold
2015 Rosé
Wine Enthusiast, July 2016
90 Points
Wine Spectator, Dec 2016
88 Points, "100 Top Value Wines of 2016"
2014 Old Vine Zinfandel
Wine Enthusiast, Aug 2017
90 Points
New World Int'l Wine Competition, 2017
94 Points, Gold
Wilfred Wong, Wine.com
90 Points
2014 Farrah Syrah
Wine Enthusiast, Aug 2017
90 Points, Editor's Choice
San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, Jan 2017
Double Gold
New World Int'l Wine Competition, 2017
94 Points, Gold
Wilfred Wong, Wine.com
91 Points
2014 1850°
Wilfred Wong, Wine.com
90 Points
2014 Cabernet Sauvignon
Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine, Dec 2016
87 Points, ✿, "Good Value"
San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, Jan 2018
Double Gold
2014 Old Ghost
Wine Enthusiast, Aug 2017
92 Points
New World Int'l Wine Competition, 2018
95 Points, Gold
San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, Jan 2017
Gold
2014 Marisa Vineyard Old Vine Zinfandel
Wine Enthusiast, Aug 2017
91 Points, Editor's Choice
American Fine Wine Competition, Jan 2017
Gold
New World Int'l Wine Competition, 2017
94 Points, Gold
2014 Carignane (Club Only)
Wine Enthusiast, Aug 2017
90 Points, Editor's Choice
2014 Petite Sirah
Wine Enthusiast, Aug 2017
90 Points
2013 Old Vine Zinfandel
Wilfred Wong, Wine.com
94 Points
2014 Dolcetto
Wine Enthusiast, Dec 2017
92 Points, Editor's Choice
2013 Marisa Vineyard Old Vine Zinfandel
Wine Enthusiast, March 2016
92 Points
Wine Spectator, Jan 2016
89 Points
2013 Old Ghost
Wine Enthusiast, March 2016
89 Points
Tasting Panel
90 Points
2013 1850°
Wine Enthusiast, July 2016
89 Points
Tasting Panel
92 Points
New World Int'l Wine Competition
Best of Varietal, Best of Class, Gold, 94 Points
2013 Rosé
Monterey Wine Festival, 2014
Gold Medal
2013 Farrah Syrah
San Francisco Int'l Wine Competition, 2015
Double Gold
El Dorado County Fair, 2015
Double Gold
2012 Old Ghost Old Vine Zinfandel
Indy Int'l Wine Competition, 2014
Wine of the Year
Best of Class, Zinfandel
2012 Klinker Brick Old Vine Zinfandel
Amenti Del Vino Int'l Wine Competition, 2014
Gold Medal
Monterey Wine Festival, 2014
Gold Medal
Wine Spectator
Daily Pick, August 11, 2014
2012 Farrah Syrah
Wine Enthusiast, December 2014
91, Editor's Choice
Amenti Del Vino Int'l Wine Cometition, 2014
Gold Medal
Pacific Rim Wine Competition, 2014
Gold Medal
Monterey Wine Festival, 2014
Gold Medal
San Francisco International Wine Competition, 2014
Gold Medal
2012 Marisa Vineyard Old Vine Zinfandel
San Francisco Int'l Wine Competition, 2015
Gold Medal
Wine Spectator, Jan. 2015
Top 12 Zinfandels of 2012
2012 1850°
Amenti Del Vino Int'l Wine Cometition, 2014
Double Gold
Wine Enthusiast, August 2015
91 Points
2011 Klinker Brick Old Vine Zinfandel
Wine Spectator, December 2013
89 Points, Smart Buy
Indy International Wine Competition
Gold Medal
San Francisco International Wine Competition
Gold Medal
Wilfred Wong, BevMo! Cellar Master
90 Points
2011 Old Ghost Old Vine Zinfandel
American Fine Wine Competition, 2014
Double Gold
Wilfred Wong, BevMo! Cellar Master
92 Points
San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, 2014
Gold Medal
Florida State Fair Wine Competition, 2014
Double Gold
2011 Farrah Syrah
American Wine Society Int'l Wine Competition
Double Gold, Best Red Wine of Show
Indy International Wine Competition
Gold Medal
San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, 2014
Gold Medal
Dallas Morning News & TEXSOM Wine Competition, 2014
Gold Medal
2011 Marisa Vineyard Old Vine Zinfandel
Pacific Rim Wine Competition, 2014
Gold Medal
2014 Grand Harvest Awards
Gold Medal
American Wine Society Int'l Wine Competition
Gold Medal
Indy International Wine Competition
Gold Medal
Wilfred Wong, BevMo! Cellar Master
94 Points
Florida State Fair Wine Competition, 2014
Gold
Monterey Wine Festival, 2014
Gold Medal
Consumer Wine Awards, 2014
Gold Medal
2011 Bricks & Mortar
American Wine Society Int'l Wine Competition
Gold Medal
Indy International Wine Competition
Double Gold Medal
Wilfred Wong, BevMo! Cellar Master
93 Points
Monterey Wine Festival, 2014
Gold Medal
2010 Klinker Brick Old Vine Zinfandel
California State Fair, 2012
95 Points, Gold Medal
San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition
Best in Class
Wilfred Wong, BevMo! Cellar Master
92 Points
Loco for Lodi Wine
So what exactly is a Classic Lodi Zin, you might ask? I'd describe it as a value-priced, big, rich, spicy, high alcohol Zinfandel from old vines (85 years old in the case of this wine). As we've discussed in the first couple installments of this series, Lodi is a great value region for all types of wine. However, when I had the opportunity to ask a couple of winemakers from the area which variety offered the very best value compared to other regions, the quick reply came back as Zinfandel. And the Klinker Brick was offered up as the "Quintessential Lodi Zin".
The 2010 Klinker Brick Old Vine Zinfandel begins with a very pleasant aroma of black raspberry and other dark fruits, mint, and spice. Tasting the wine reveals remarkably little heat considering the 15.8% alcohol. The wine is smooth and soft with lots of rich dark fruit and spice. It's frankly quite fun to drink with lots of rich flavors, vanilla and caramel. Some oaky notes flow into the long finish. Very nice!
-Reverse Wine Snob, May 2013
2010 Farrah Syrah
91 Points, Top Value from California
A big, rich, full-bodied and expressive mix of spicy, beefy flavors, this deeply fruited Syrah flirts with berry jam yet gains depth and sophistication.
-Wine Spectator, Dec 2012
San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition
Best in Class
California State Fair Wine Competition, 2012
98 Points Double Gold, Best Syrah of California
Gold Medal
-American Wine Society Competition, 2012
91 Points
Deep and dense with ripe cassis, black raspberry and vanilla oak notes; rich and full bodied with lovely balance, tangy acidity and a long luscious finish.
-The Tasting Panel, Anthony Dias: Blue Reviews. March 2013
2009 Klinker Brick Old Vine Zinfandel
2011 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition
Gold Medal
2009 Farrah Syrah
2011 East Coast international wine competition
Double Gold Medal
2011 Long Beach Grand Cru
Gold Medal
95 Points
Utterly decadent. With all the rivers of Syrah currently gushing across the borders of Washington state, it seemed a bit kinky to feature one from a somewhat frowned-upon region of California, a state which a lot of “experts” regard as too warm a climate to grow “proper” Syrah. Having never been especially proper, I tasted this and simply dropped my teeth on the floor. Sourced from the “monster-wine” appellation of Lodi, Klinker Brick’s “Farrah” certainly expresses the area’s notorious “fruit bomb-ish” character but then adds a fine-grained layer of acids and firm but supple tannins to create what might best be called an “Uber-Rhone”. This wine is rich and soft and deep and black as the pit of hell and is scaled like a Napa Power Cabernet but shows an totally uncharacteristic grace and balance that makes this, hands down, the finest wine of any type I’ve ever found from rural old Lodi. The palate is broad and emphatic, offering up gobs of blackberry liqueur, plum jam, stewed raspberries, pie crust, sage, pepper, cocoa, espresso, and flowers, with grace notes of spruce and gunpowder. The nose is incense, waffle cone, hot cherries, and cafe au lait and the texture is as sensual and luxurious as any wine I’ve sampled in two years. The very thing that gives this wine its romance and fantastic appeal is the thing that will probably have hide-bound Francophiles forming their pursed pieholes into a prissy little moue of disapproval: it tastes rich and soft and fruity and sexy. For the faux-French hoardes, these things are the Syrah Kiss of Death. More for the rest of us, is my view. This is one of the most fabulous deals in American Syrah in the past ten years.
-The Pour Fool's Daily Picks
2009 Old Ghost Old Vine Zinfandel
92 PTS WILFRED WONG
(Tasted: August 31, 2011, Concord, CA USA) Deep ruby color; husky, rich, ripe fruit aroma with a hit of oak; full bodied, textured on the palate, juicy and rounded; dry, medium acidity, well balanced; ripe berry, juicy and fresh; lingering finish, juicy aftertaste. 92 PTS WILFRED WONG. Deftly combining ripe jam with sweet oak, the luxurious '09 Klinker Brick Old Ghost Old Vine Zinfandel shows that Lodi can make some of California's finest wines; simply fine!
2008 Klinker Brick Old Vine Zinfandel
2010 San Francisco International Wine Competition
Gold Medal
2008 Farrah Syrah
2010 San Francisco International Wine Competition
Gold Medal
2007 Klinker Brick Old Vine Zinfandel
2010 San Francisco International Wine Competition
Gold Medal
2010 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition
Double Gold Medal
2006 Klinker Brick Old Vine Zinfandel
2009 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition
Gold Medal
2005 Klinker Brick Old Vine Zinfandel
2008 International Eastern Wine Competition
Gold Medal
2008 West coast Wine Competition
Gold Medal
2007 "Best of the Bay Wine Competition & Zinfandel Challenge"
Gold Medal
2005 Farrah Syrah
2009 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition
Double Gold Medal
2008 International Eastern Wine Competition
Gold Medal
