It's been a while since Kendall-Jackson dazzled me with a wine competition performance. What's surprising about that is the fact that K-J, as it is known, was once the King of competitions.

Back in its heydey, when all of Jess Jackson's winery properties more or less flew under one flag and every wine was given a chance to shine on the competition circuit, K-J was capable of some fairly incredible stuff. Like the time four Hartford Court wines advanced to the "Sweepstakes" round of the Monterey Wine Competition and all had a great shot at Best of Show.

Jackson later split his wineries into separate divisions and the pricier limited-production wines such as Hartford Court literally dropped off my radar. I haven't tasted a Hartford Court wine in years, and can't even remember the last time I saw one on a wine list.

So it seemed to me the K-J presence in general, and in wine competitions in particular, had gone into eclipse. Until recently when the mother ship, the Kendall-Jackson brand, struck the mother lode with 19 medals at the 2008 San Diego International Wine Competition. Any way you spin it, that's impressive.

But I can't say I'm totally surprised. A few years back Jackson ordered cuts in the production levels of the Kendall-Jackson wines, and directed that they be made entirely from estate-grown grapes. That was decisive on a couple of levels. First and foremost, Jackson owns thousands of acres of top-notch cabernet, merlot and syrah vineyards, including many superb mountain sites, in Napa and Sonoma; and some excellent pinot and chardonnay vineyards in the Central Coast.

And the estate-only edict gave winemaker Randy Ullom complete control of his grapes from vine to bottle. This is not insignificant, and has paid off in the competition results.

I mean, when I need almost all of my fingers and toes to tally any winery's medals, I figure they have to be doing something right!

K-J's performance was equaled by a Temecula Valley winery, South Coast, that is little known outside of Southern California.

South Coast winemaker Jon McPherson is known for his steady hand and is something of an icon within the wine community of Temecula, Calif., where he has been making wine for more than 20 years. The South Coast winery is something of a tourist destination because it comes with an inn and spa, not to mention some pretty good juice.

Closest to the top two was the Napa Valley's V. Sattui, which bagged 17 medals in what is becoming a monotonous exhibition of excellence on the wine competition circuit. V. Sattui wines are only sold at the winery, unfortunately, so to taste them you almost have to plan a trip to the Napa Valley.

Missouri's two great winery rivals, St. James and Stone Hill, checked in with 11 and 10 medals apiece, respectively. Both wineries specialize in hybrid grapes such as Vignoles, Vidal, Chambourcin and Norton, but they do it well and the San Diego judges always seem to respond.

Monterey County's Ventana Vineyards, which has been under new ownership for the past few years, was the only other winery in double figures in the medals count with 10. Ventana has been cleaning up on the circuit this year, with the Best of Show white wine (a Riesling) at the Monterey Wine Competition and the Best of Show red (a syrah) at the San Francisco Chronicle wine competition earlier this year.

Of course, many wineries didn't even enter 10 wines but were nevertheless impressive. Mumm Napa Valley medaled with all eight wines it entered, including a couple of golds. And Mitch Cosentino's Crystal Valley Cellars won gold with four of its five medals overall.

For a complete list of the winning wines, e-mail your request to [email protected].

TASTING NOTES

Wines are rated on a 100-point scale. Wines are chosen for review because they represent outstanding quality or value.

Marc Kreydenweiss 2006 Andlau Riesling, France ($27) - Everyone, including me, seems to be beating the drums these days for crisp white wines to slake a summer thirst. You would think a Kreydenweiss Riesling might be the ticket, but you would be wrong. Kreydenweiss' Andlau Riesling is no quaffer. This is serious stuff, with the depth and weight of a classic white from Alsace, exceptional length and complexity, and a modest price considering its class. Rich notes of honey, spice and red citrus dominate the front of the palate, but the wine finishes with clean, fresh acidity and perceptible minerality. A beauty that will age nicely for up to 15 years. Rating: 92.

Gary Farrell 2007 Redwood Ranch Sauvignon Blanc, Sonoma County ($25) - This is a sauvignon style that has fallen out of favor recently, but those wine enthusiasts who enjoy the toasty aromas of oak and lees will find this a yummy addition to the home cellar. The warmth of the wood notes slightly mute the fruit, but there is plenty there; running the gamut from succulent honeydew melon to citrus, with a gentle hint of minerality that helps balance the influence of oak. Rating: 89.

Robert Whitley may be reached at [email protected].

© Copley News Service

Visit Copley News Service at www.copleynews.com.