Gerardo Gonzalez is 2008 Sonoma County Pruning Champ
Ten Finalists from Five Sonoma Winegrape Regions Competed
Gerardo Gonzales (right to left), Francisco Toledo, Arturo Perez and Rosendo Avila
March 3, 2008, Santa Rosa, Calif.—Gerardo Gonzalez of Fosters Wine Estates’Asti Vineyards in Alexander Valley won first place honors Friday at the 9th annual Sonoma County Pruning Championships. He expertly pruned five vines, combining speed and best quality work, and collected $1,100 for his winning efforts. Second place honors went to Francisco Toledo ($550) of Clendenen Vineyard Management in Knights Valley, and third place went to Arturo Perez ($325) of Vimark Vineyards in Alexander Valley. Fourth place was Rosendo Avila ($200) of Emeritus Vineyards in Russian River Valley.
Approximately 200 people attended the event to cheer on the competitors at Santa Rosa Junior College Shone Farm.
In the celebrity winemaker/vineyard management pruning contest, the team from Alexander Valley beat teams from Russian River Valley, Dry Creek Valley and Knights Valley. The team included vineyard managers: John Gauduno, Asti Vineyard, John Tankersley, Trione-Vimark Vineyards and Miguel Maciel, Vimark Vineyards. Winemakers were: Ed Killean, Chateau Souverain, Scot Covington, Trione-Vimark Vineyards, and Ondine Chattan, Geyser Peak Winery.
“This is the biggest pruning event we have ever had,” says Nick Frey, president of the Sonoma County Winegrape Commission. “The quality and speed of the pruning was exceptional and it was a great day for both competitors, spectators and sponsors.”
First and second place winners from the recent regional contests advanced to the Sonoma County Championship (listed below). It was produced by the Sonoma County Winegrape Commission (SCWC) and sponsors included Francis Coppola Winery, Vineyard Industry Products, Central Valley Builders Supply and Chris Maloney Crop Insurance.
The purpose of the contest was to showcase the skills of the vineyard employees and to recognize that pruning is the critical start of the 2008 vintage year.
Russian River Valley |
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| 1st Place | Rosendo Avila | Emeritus Vineyards |
| 2nd Place | Juan Avila | Pinot Vineyards |
Sonoma Valley |
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| 1st Place | Jose Arellano | Sebastiani Vineyards |
| 2nd Place | Serbendo Rojas | Enrique’s Vineyard Management |
Dry Creek Valley |
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| 1st Place | Leonardo Gomez | Valdez & Sons Vineyard Management |
| 2nd Place | Javier Lopez | Valdez & Sons Vineyard Management |
Alexander Valley |
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| 1st Place | Arturo Perez | Vimark Vineyards |
| 2nd Place | Gerardo Gonzalez | Asti Vineyards-Fosters Wine Estates |
Knights Valley |
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| 1st Place | Francisco Toledo | Clendenen Vineyard Management |
| 2nd Place | Fernardo Gutierrez | VINEPRO Vineyard Management |
The Sonoma County Winegrape Commission was established in 2006 as a non-profit marketing and educational organization dedicated to the promotion of Sonoma County as one of the world’s premier grape growing regions. SCWC’s goal is to increase awareness and recognition of the quality and diversity of Sonoma County’s grapes and wines through dynamic marketing and educational programs targeted to wine consumers around the world.