A winemaker has been declared the “Golden State Winery of the Year”, but it’s not from the world famous Napa Valley. It’s from the small Tehama County farm community of Vina. New Clairvaux Vineyard is Trappist-Cistercian Monastery built from stones imported by William Randolph Hearst from a disassembled European monastery. The monks formed a partnership in 2000 with 5th generation winemaker Aimee Sunseri. At this year’s California State Fair Wine Competition, the oldest such contest in the country, New Clairvaux earned three of the six “Golden Bear” awards in a double-blind judging process. The wines were among nearly 2,000 entries. The winning varieties were a St. James Block Moschofilero, a Poor Souls Block Barbara Rose and an Albarino. New Claivaux has a tasting room in Downtown Redding.
– Steve Gibson