Article posted by Robert Whitley.

By coming from nowhere I mean a winery that isn't already steeped in a tradition of excellence and consumer awareness.  Pacific Breeze comes quickly to mind.

Not one of your household names, Pacific Breeze.  Founded in 2005, it currently produces fewer than 3000 cases per year.  And it entered but a handful of wines.  Yet Pacific Breeze came away from the 2008 San Diego International Wine competition with two Gold medals and two Silvers.  One of its Golds, the 2006 GSM, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre, was nominated for Best of Show red and placed in the "sweepstakes" round of voting for that prestigious prize.

I'm not sure everyone understands how difficult it is to win a Gold medal.  This year slightly more than five percent of the more that 2000 wines enetered in San Diego were awarded Gold.  Silvers are only slightly less difficult to win.

Competition judges are looking for something special when they vote Silver.  And when they go to Gold they're locked in on finding the best of their Silvers.

Even Bronze medals shouldn't be taken for granted.  A Bronze medal indicates a majority of the members of the judging panel believed that wine showed exceptional personality and character.

So hat's off to Pacific Breeze.  Well done.

ROBERT WHITLEY's weekly "Wine Talk" column is syndicated nationally by Creators Syndicate. Robert also contributes monthly to the Reuters "Vine Talk" column, and is Publisher of Wine Review Online, an online wine publication that draws upon the expertise and writing brilliance of many of the top wine and food journalists in the United States.