Hoffman wins best of division in fair's homemade wine contest

Fallbrook’s Tricia Hoffman won a best of division award for a wine she entered in the San Diego County Fair’s homemade wine contest.

Hoffman won the best of class award for her bottle of Blended Red Rhone before garnering best of division recognition for Blended Red Wine.

“It’s a good wine, and I had fun making it,” Hoffman said. “My husband, of course, helped me.”

Mike and Tricia Hoffman have been growing grapes on their Fallbrook property since 2006. What they refer to as Live Oak Vineyard has 140 syrah vines, 100 zinfandel vines, and 35 petite sirah vines. Mike Hoffman began entering the county fair’s homemade wine contest four years ago, and Tricia Hoffman started entering the following year. Last year, Tricia Hoffman won best of class recognition in the Blended Red Italian category.

Hoffman’s winning wine was bottled in 2010 and consists of syrah, carigan, and grenache grapes. She purchased the ingredients from Kurds and Wine in San Diego.

Since 2011 the fair has provided both head-to-head place awards and gold, silver, and bronze medals based on the Davis 20-point scale. In addition to her first-place class and division awards, Hoffman also earned a silver medal for her Blended Red Rhone bottle.

Tricia Hoffman entered two bottles of wine in the county fair contest, although her Tempranillo received neither a place award nor a point-based honor.

One of Mike Hoffman’s bottles took second place for Sangiovese while winning a silver medal. His Primitivo earned a silver medal while his Syrah gave him a bronze medal.

Fallbrook’s Bob Howard earned three place awards and three medals. He took home second place in the Dessert/Late Harvest category along with a gold medal, won second place for Rose/Blush while receiving a silver medal, was denied a medal for his Barbera bottle but still won third place, and was given a bronze medal but no place honors for a second Rose/Blush bottle. Howard’s wife, Carin, won a bronze medal for her Sparkling Wine entry.

Fallbrook’s Bob Parigian had one place award and four medals. One bottle took second for Cabernet Sauvignon and earned a silver medal, a bottle entered in the Zinfandel/Primitivo category didn’t place but received a gold medal, and he took home silver medals for his bottles of Merlot and Petite Sirah.

Mike Berberet of Fallbrook won a medal at each level. He took third in the Sparkling Wine category along with a gold medal while winning a silver medal for his Other White Varietal entry and a bronze medal for his Zinfandel/Primitivo bottle.

Fallbrook resident James Swelgin received silver medals for his Cabernet Franc and Merlot bottles and a bronze medal for his Sangiovese entry.

Michael Ian Dunlap of Fallbrook won second place and a gold medal for his Blended Red Bordeaux wine. Fallbrook’s Jerry Myslinski earned second place and a gold medal for his Merlot entry.

“What’s so wonderful is there was a large group of us from Fallbrook who won, and I’m so proud of everybody,” Tricia Hoffman said. “Maybe someday we’ll become a spot on the map for visitors to come visit for wines.”

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