Milagro Farm Vineyards & Winery in Ramona wins Best of San Diego County

By Joe Naiman

A bottle of estate-grown 2012 Sauvignon Blanc from Milagro Farm Vineyards and Winery won Best of San Diego County in the 2013 San Diego County Fair wine competition.

“It’s just an incredible honor,” said Milagro Farm Vineyards marketing manager Audrey Koniges. “To be recognized as the best is a true honor.”

Koniges notes that the Sauvignon Blanc is her personal favorite.

“That was an added bonus,” she said.

The bottle was from the Ramona winery’s third release of Sauvignon Blanc. The winery planted 1,000 vines producing musque and California clone grapes in 2006.

The fair also awarded double gold, gold, silver and bronze medals based on the Davis 20-point scale. Milagro’s Sauvignon Blanc bottle received a double gold medal.

Four of Milagro’s estate-grown wines received silver medals from the fair: its 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2010 Meritage, a bottle of 2012 Rose of Sangiovese, and a 2012 Pinot Gris.

“We’re very happy. The competition just keeps getting better, so it’s really nice to be recognized,” Koniges said.

Five other Ramona Valley wineries received silver medals at the fair. Highland Hills won one for its Lola bottle

and one for its Lucy entry. Principe di Tricase received a silver medal for its 2011 Aglianico, Turtle Rock Ridge Vineyard and Winery entered a Zinfandel that took a silver medal, and Lenora Winery’s was for its 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon.

Woof’n Rose Winery earned its silver medal for a 2009 Cabernet Franc.

Highland Hills Winery won four bronze medals: for a Merlot, for a Barbera, for its 2011 Sublime Coyote and for a bottle of 2011 Royal Coyote.

Cactus Star Vineyard won two bronze medals for its Scaredy Cat Ranch bottles: one for a 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon and one for a 2010 Meritage. Chuparosa Vineyards won bronze medals for a 2009 Sangiovese and for its 2012 North Black Blend Rose. Lenora Winery received a bronze medal were for its 2012 Sauvignon Blanc and Metz Winery’s bronze medal was for its 2010 Gold Medalen Angelica Chardonnay.

Two separate 2009 bottles earned bronze medals for Mahogany Mountain Vineyard and Winery: a Mourvedre and a Cabernet Sauvignon. Pamo Valley Winery won one bronze medal with a 2010 Tempranillo and one with a 2011 Sangiovese.

Woof’n Rose Winery had two 2009 bottles that received bronze medals: an Eglantine and a Merlot. A bottle of 2011 Super Tuscan earned Ramona Ranch Winery a bronze medal. Turtle Rock Ridge Vineyard and Winery entered a Chocolate Turtle bottle, which received a bronze medal.

Milagro Farm Vineyards and Winery also took home a gold medal from the July 6 Tierra Del Vino international competition in Ensenada, Mexico.

Milagro Farms Vineyards and Winery is owned by Kit and Karen Sickels. Jim Hart is the winemaker. Tony Ramos, the farm manager since 2001, helped clear the land to plant the vines.

“Our attention here is really on quality and attention to detail,” Koniges said. “We’re really focused on getting the maximum quality out of the land that is here. Our focus is estate-grown wine.”

Of Milagro farm’s 100 acres, 20 acres are in production for wine.

“There’s still room to grow,” Koniges said.