Press Release:January 19, 2010 ~ WALNUT CREEK, CA ~ Northern California wine has a colorful and storied history, boasting some of the most distinguished wine-growing regions in the World with the likes of Napa, Sonoma, and Monterey. Now, you can add Walnut Creek to the list. It’s here you’ll find Shadowbrook Winery, which was recently awarded not one, but two, Double Gold Medals at the 2010 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition for its 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon and its 2007 Encore Blend - a blend primarily of Malbec, Petit Verdot and Petite Sirah.

Shadowbrook Winery’s double-gold triumph over the established, legendary Napa brands in the “World’s Largest Wine Competition of American Wines” is the type of story that legends are made of. With nearly 5,000 wines from over 1,500 wineries being tasted, this year proved to be more competitive than ever, as Tasting Judge Derrick Schneider stated, “The Chronicle competition doesn't hand out golds like candy…and double golds are only awarded when every tasting judge awards a gold.” Shadowbrook Winery was not only able to prevail over wineries such as Cakebread Cellars, Heitz Wine Cellars, Rombauer Vineyards, and Turnbull Wine Cellars, but also did so with a Cabernet Sauvignon that retails for only $64 a bottle, while other medal winners in the “Elite Category” retail for up to $170 a bottle. Additional medals awarded this year to Shadowbrook Winery included a gold medal, again in the “Elite Category” for their 2007 Jon Raé, and silver medals for their 2007 Northgate Zinfandel, 2007 Petite Sirah, and 2007 Syrah.

“As a native of Walnut Creek, it’s an amazing feeling to have our wines be bestowed with such high honors, ” says Tim Jochner, proprietor and wine master of Shadowbrook Winery. “Shadowbrook’s success at this caliber of competition is proof, that with enough attention to detail and a commitment to quality, Walnut Creek fruit will produce truly World-class wines.”

While this notoriety for Walnut Creek wines would appear to most to be a recent turn of events, it is in fact a bit of history repeating. Although named for its valuable walnut and almond orchards, Walnut Creek’s viticulture origins date back to the late 1800’s, when over 700,000 gallons of wine were produced each year.

Nestled beneath Mt. Diablo in the Eastern region of the San Francisco Bay Area, Shadowbrook Winery was established in 2005 by Tim and Courtney Jochner as the first winery in Walnut Creek since Prohibition. Initial plantings included varieties like Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Syrah. Today, Shadowbrook Winery’s vineyards have expanded to include Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot, and Petite Sirah. Visit shadowbrookwinery.com for more information.