In the early 1990s, when winemaker Steve Ledson broke ground on the Ledson winery and his dream home along Highway 12 in the Sonoma Valley, it was the talk of the town — the town being nearby Santa Rosa. It isn't every day you find a 16,000-square-foot French castle going up in the neighborhood.

The Castle became a popular tourist attraction and generated substantial buzz, sometimes overshadowing the Ledson wines, which were very good but hardly as dramatic.

Lately, however, the Ledson winery has been spitting out wines of such irresistible charm that they may have eclipsed the Castle as the Ledson winery draw. A case in point is the 2016 Ledson Estate cabernet sauvignon ($120) from a Ledson vineyard in the Alexander Valley. Way back in September, before a jury of professional sommeliers, it emerged as co-wine of the year (alongside a 2013 Tom Eddy cabernet from the Napa Valley) at the annual Sommelier Challenge International Wine & Spirits Competition in San Diego.

Here is the review of that wine that I wrote at the time: "Winemaker Steve Ledson has his namesake winery firing on all cylinders these days. Witness this awe-inspiring cabernet sauvignon from Sonoma's Alexander Valley. Richly layered, the cab from Ledson's estate vineyard in the valley offers remarkable depth and impressive complexity. With notes of cassis and blackberry and firm tannins, it has the structure to improve with age over the next decade or more, although it's perfectly enjoyable right now. What's most impressive is that it's just another hit in a long line of hits from Ledson over the past few years. Rating: 98."

The same wine popped up as an entry last weekend at the annual Winemaker Challenge in San Diego. Before a jury of accomplished winemakers drawn from across the United States, it once again emerged as the top wine. And this time, it didn't have to share the honor. It is a rare honor indeed for one wine to dominate at two separate major international wine competitions.

Kudos to Ledson are in order!

And in that vein, this week's tasting notes are dedicated to a few of the wines, all platinum award-winners, that I had the opportunity to sample over the weekend in my role as executive director. Complete results can be found on the Winemaker Challenge website.

Best Value

Wines are rated on a 100-point scale. Wines are chosen for review because they represent outstanding quality or value, and the scores are simply a measure of this reviewer's enthusiasm for the recommended wine.

Martin Codax 2018 Albarino, Rias Baixas DO, Spain ($15) — Martin Codax is a well-run cooperative in northwestern Spain that routinely proves the sum is often greater than the individual parts. Drawing from an army of small grape growers in the Rias Baixas, this winery consistently delivers an outstanding albarino at a modest price. The 2018 exhibits notes of citrus and yellow stone fruits, with a firm backbone and scintillating minerality. Rating: 94.

Whitehaven 2019 sauvignon blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand ($20) — This is classic Marlborough, showing grapefruit on the nose and notes of gooseberry and citrus on the palate. It has scintillating minerality and exceptional balance. Rating: 94.

Tasting Notes

Domaine Carneros by Taittinger Cuvee de la Pompadour Brut Rose, Carneros ($37) — Easily one of the finest sparkling rose wines made in the USA, the Domaine Carneros Cuvee de la Pompadour is restrained and elegant, exhibiting subtle red fruits with notes of crunchy apple and a touch of brioche. Showing a fine mousse and exceptional length, it is refined and impressive. Rating: 95.

Eberle Winery 2018 viognier, Mill Road Vineyard, Paso Robles ($26) — Viognier, the noble white grape of the northern Rhone Valley region of France, has had a checkered career domestically. All too often, domestic viognier is overripe and flabby, with none of the minerality and structure that have made Condrieu famous. Eberle's Mill Road viognier is one of the exceptions. The 2018 is beautifully structured and well-balanced, and delivers the flavors and aromas of honeysuckle and stone fruits that Condrieu lovers expect. Rating: 95.

Jeff Runquist 2017 Tannat, Silvaspoons Vineyard, Alta Mesa ($27) — Runquist is picking up where he left off last year, dazzling with his artistry at a major international wine competition. This 2017 Runquist Tannat is a beauty that has impressive density without the aggressive tannins that are common to this grape variety. It's rich and full-bodied, showing intense aromas of black cherry and wood spice, with a touch of graphite that adds complexity to the nose. Rating: 94.

McPherson Cellars 2018 Les Copains White, Texas High Plains ($13.99) — Winemaker Kim McPherson is something of a Rhone specialist, embracing the grape varieties of southern France with an extraordinary passion. His Les Copain white wine, a blend of marsanne, picpoul, viognier and roussanne, is true to form and consistent from vintage to vintage despite the vagaries of Texas weather. Restrained and subtle aromas of peach, apricot, melon and citrus flow from the glass of the well-balanced and inexpensive beauty. Rating: 94.

Follow Robert on Twitter at @wineguru. To find out more about Robert Whitley and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com. Email Robert at whitleyonwine@yahoo.com.

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