Clayhouse Sauvignon Blanc Wins 14th Annual Oyster Award

PASO ROBLES, Calif., May 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Clayhouse Wines of Paso Robles, California, was the only Central Coast winery among 12 winners of the 14th Annual Pacific Coast Oyster Wine Competition, the annual event designed to find the best West Coast wines for oysters.

The Clayhouse 2006 Sauvignon Blanc from Paso Robles was honored with the win. A record 200 wines entered this year's competition, which served the wines blind with Kumamoto oysters in a four-tier judging process. The competition is sponsored by Taylor Shellfish Farms of Shelton, Washington.

    In addition to Clayhouse Sauvignon Blanc, other winners included:

    Amity Vineyards 2006 Pinot Blanc (OR)
    Chateau Ste. Michelle 2006 Columbia Valley Sauvignon Blanc (WA)
    Clos du Bois Winery 2006 Sauvignon Blanc (CA)
    Covey Run Winery 2006 Fume Blanc (WA)
    Dry Creek Vineyard 2006 Sonoma County Fume Blanc (CA)
    Girard Winery 2006 Sauvignon Blanc (CA)
    Kathryn Kennedy Winery 2007 Sauvignon Blanc (CA)
    Robledo Family Winery 2006 Sauvignon Blanc (CA)
    Simi 2006 Sauvignon Blanc (CA)
    Van Duzer Vineyards 2007 Pinot Gris (OR)
    Willamette Valley Vineyards 2007 Pinot Gris (OR)

Judges rate wines on the "bliss factor," the wine's affinity with the oyster. In the eight day preliminary judging in Seattle, five veteran judges consumed 1200 Kumamoto oysters and narrowed the contenders to 44 semi-finalists, and then to 20 finalists. The finalists were judged, again with oysters, by 12-14 judge panels in three cities.

Clayhouse proprietor Rick Middleton lives in Olympia, WA, about 14 miles from Shelton, where Taylor Shellfish is based. Taylor raises oysters near Rick's house, and he regularly watches their oyster dredge plying the oyster beds. "I don't know if something about oysters was planted in my subconscious and made it into the wine, or not ... I'm just pleased we're among the winners," said Middleton.

For more information on the Pacific Coast Oyster Wine Competition go to http://www.oysterwine.com. For more information on Clayhouse Wines, visit http://www.clayhousewines.com.