Anthony Road, Sheldrake Point, Montezuma win top N.Y. wine awards
Three Finger Lakes wineries earned the top honors at the 2009 New York Wine & Food Classic competition, which ended today.
Anthony Road Wine Co.’s 2008 Semi-Dry Riesling won the Governor’s Cup, a large silver chalice that is awarded to the “Best of Show” of the entries in the 24-year-old competition. The wine was also voted Best White Wine, Best Riesling and Best Medium Dry Riesling. Anthony Road is in Penn Yan.
Sheldrake Point Vineyards of Ovid was named Winery of the Year, an award presented to the winery with the best overall showing. Sheldrake Point wines earned one double gold, two gold, four silver and one bronze award.
In addition, a Specialty Wine Champion award was added last year to recognize quality among the increasing number of wines made from honey or from fruits other than grapes. The 2009 winner was Montezuma Winery of Seneca Falls with one double gold and four silver awards.
“The competition this year, especially in the Riesling category, was very tight,” said Anthony Road owner John Martini, who with wife Ann worked in the competition’s back room doing such tasks as washing glasses. “… We’re very proud.”
He said he was surprised by how quickly word of the award got out. By Tuesday evening, people had ordered bottles totaling eight or nine cases of the Semi-Dry Riesling.
Martini and Sheldrake Point wine grower Bob Madill both credited their wineries’ success to Mother Nature, to their decisions to pay attention to the vineyards as well as the wine, and to collaboration among other Finger Lakes wineries. There is “a very strong base of professionalism here” and “a wide base of support,” Madill said. Martini said winemakers from several wineries often get together to taste each other’s wine and exchange ideas.
“When Sheldrake was started, we decided the vineyard would receive a great deal of attention,” not just the winery, Madill said. He cited the “skilled craftsmanship” and consistency of vineyard manager David Wiemann, who has worked at Sheldrake for more than 10 years, and winemaker David Breeden, who has worked there for seven years.
“We definitely believe it happens in the vineyards,” Martini said. He said his son Peter Martini, the vineyard manager, and winemaker Johannes Reinhardt manage the crop by choosing which blocs to use in making each type of Riesling, for example.
Later, Reinhardt stops fermentation at the point where sweetness, acidity and alcohol are in balance for each Riesling. “He hit the nail on the head with this one,” Martini said.
“We’ve really put our whole hearts and souls into this winery,” said Montezuma Winery’s Bill Martin, speaking of himself, his brother and his parents. “It makes us proud to win an award like this.”
Montezuma, which began as a meadery in Sterling, has expanded into fruits as well as honey. He said it started with apples and pears, then the family began to wonder “what else can we ferment that would be fun. That’s how we got into cranberries, which won the double gold.” Martin said Cranberry Bog, the winery’s best seller, is “sweet yet really tart,” with sweetness up front and a tart finish that makes a good pairing with poultry.
The winery also has expanded into distilling, with such products as bee vodka, cranberry vodka and maple liqueur.
The Classic is organized by Teresa Knapp of the New York Wine & Grape Foundation, which calls the event Oscars of New York wine, and it is open to all 258 New York wineries. This year’s competition, held in Watkins Glen on Aug. 17 and 18, comprised 805 New York wines and spirits from Long Island, the Hudson Valley, the Finger Lakes, the Niagara Escarpment, Lake Erie and other regions of New York state.
A total of 26 double gold, 71 gold, 266 silver and 279 bronze medals were awarded. In addition, “Best of Category” and “Best of Class” designations were awarded to wines rated as the finest in various areas. Double gold medals require unanimity among a panel’s judges that a wine deserves a gold medal, whereas gold medals require a majority vote. Sheldrake Point’s Madill said a bronze medal indicates a better-than-average wine, a silver goes to a wine with special character, and a gold goes to a very special wine.
Madill praised the “good strong list of judges with good international experience.” The awards were based on blind tastings by 24 expert judges — six from California, 12 from New York and six from other states. Judges included prominent wine writers, restaurateurs, retailers and wine educators. Four-judge panels determined the initial awards, with top-scoring wines evaluated by all 24 judges for Best of Category and Governor’s Cup awards.
The Best of Category awards all were eligible for the Governor’s Cup. Besides the winner, the awards went to Miles Wine Cellars’ nonvintage Wisteria for Best Blush, Swedish Hill Winery 2007 Cabernet Franc for Best Red, Sheldrake Point Vineyards 2008 Late Harvest Riesling for Best Dessert Wine and Earle Estate Meadery NV Pear Mead for Best Specialty Wine.
The Best of Category winners were chosen in a taste-off of Best of Class award winners for different varietals or proprietary blends. The Best of Class winners who did not win the category awards were: Sherwood House 2007 Oregon Road Chardonnay, Keuka Spring Vineyards 2008 Gewurztraminer, Belhurst Estate Winery 2008 Dry Riesling, Billsboro Winery 2008 Riesling for Best Medium Sweet Riesling, Martha Clara Vineyards 2008 SO VIN ON BLONK for Best Sauvignon Blanc, Billsboro Winery 2008 Pinot Gris, Highland Cellars 2007 Cayuga White, Knapp Winery NV Pasta White for Best Seyval, Goose Watch Winery 2008 Traminette, Keuka Spring Vineyards NV Celebrate for Best Hybrid White Blend, Honeymoon Trail Winery NV Diamond, Lakewood Vineyards 2008 Niagara, Lucas Vineyards 2008 Captain’s Belle for Best Hybrid Blush, Glenora Wine Cellars 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Mason Vineyards, Fox Run Vineyards 2007 Merlot, Damiani Wine Cellars 2007 Meritage for Best Vinifera Red Blend, Swedish Hill Winery NV Viking Red for Best Hybrid Red Blend and Casa Larga Vineyards 2006 Fiori Delle Stella Vidal Ice Wine for Best Ice Wine.
The following wines were awarded double gold medals: Anthony Road Wine Co. 2006 Tierce, 2008 Semi-Dry Riesling and 2008 Semi-Sweet Riesling; Atwater Estate Vineyards 2007 Cabernet Franc; Billsboro Winery 2008 Riesling and 2008 Pinot Gris; Cascata Winery 2008 Regatta Red; Dr. Konstantin Frank Wine Cellars 2007 Reserve Gewurztraminer; Earle Estates Meadery NV Pear Mead; Fox Run Vineyards 2007 Merlot; Goose Watch Winery 2008 Traminette; Highland Cellars 2007 Cayuga White; Honeymoon Trail Winery NV Apple; Keuka Lake Vineyards 2008 Semi-Dry Riesling, 2008 Gewurztraminer and NV Celebrate; Knapp Winery NV Pasta White and NV Prism; Lucas Vineyards 2008 Captain’s Belle; Montezuma Winery NV Cranberry Bog; Rock Stream Vineyards NV Grappa; Rooster Hill Vineyards 2008 Estate Semi-Dry Riesling; Sheldrake Point Vineyard 2007 Riesling; Sherwood House 2007 Oregon Road Chardonnay; Shinn Estate Vineyards 2006 Ultra Brut; and Young Sommer Winery NV Cherry Breeze.
Among other winery achievements, Swedish Hill Winery won five golds for its Naturel, 2008 Dry Riesling, Viking White, Viking Red and 2007 Cabernet Franc, while Thirsty Owl Wine Co. won four, for its 2008 Dry Riesling, 2008 Pinot Gris, 2008 Diamond and 2007 Reserve Pinot Noir.
Gold medals went to: Americana Vineyards NV Crystal Lake; Atwater Estate Vineyards 2008 Riesling and 2008 Gewürztraminer; Belhurst Estate Winery 2008 Dry Riesling; Bet The Farm Winery 2008 Village White; Brotherhood, America’s Oldest Winery NV Holiday Spiced Wine; Casa Larga Vineyards 2006 Fiora Delle Stella Vidal Ice Wine; Castello di Borghese Vineyard 2008 Riesling; Chateau LaFayette Reneau 2008 Late Harvest Riesling;
Damiani Wine Cellars 2007 Merlot Barrel Select and 2007 Meritage; Duck Walk Vineyards 2007 Vidal Blanc Ice Wine; Eagle Crest Vineyards NV On-no-lee; Earle Estates Meadery NV Autumn Harvest and Apple Enchantment; Fox Run Vineyards 2008 Reserve Riesling; Fruit Yard Winery NV Natural Plum Wine; Fulkerson Winery 2007 Riesling Traminette;
Glenora Wine Cellars 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Mason Vineyard and 2008 Meritage; Goose Watch Winery 2008 Diamond; Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards 2008 Homestead Reserve Riesling and 2008 Pinot Gris; Heart & Hands Wine Co. 2007 Barrel Reserve Pinot Noir; Honeymoon Trail Winery NV Diamond and NV Honeymoon Sweet; Hosmer Winery 2008 Dry Riesling and 2008 Seyval; Imagine Moore 2008 Love Riesling;
Keuka Lake Vineyards 2008 Dry Riesling; King Ferry Winery 2007 Treleaven Meritage; Lakewood Vineyards 2008 Niagara; Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars 2007 Chardonnay Reserve; Liberty Vineyards & Winery NV Fredonia; Lucas Vineyards 2007 Cabernet Franc; Magpie Farms NV Legendary Magpie Honey Mead; Martha Clara Vineyards 2008 SO VIN YON BLONK; Miles Wine Cellars NV Wisteria;
Peconic Bay Winery 2006 Riesling; Pellegrini Vineyards 2007 Chardonnay and 2005 Merlot; Penguin Bay Winery 2008 Surfside Chardonnay; Pindar Vineyards 2007 Johannisberg Riesling; Red Newt Cellars 2007 Cabernet Franc and 2007 Merlot; Rooster Hill Vineyards 2008 Semi-Sweet Riesling; Scarola Vineyards 2007 Cabernet Franc; Schwenk Wine Cellars NV Lake Breeze White; Sheldrake Point Vineyard NV Ice Apple Splash and 2008 Late Harvest Riesling; Sherwood House Vineyards 2004 Blanc de Blanc; Shinn Estate Vineyards 2006 Cabernet Franc; Standing Stone Vineyards 2008 Vidal Ice; Stoutridge Vineyard 2007 Cabernet Franc / Noiret, Swedish Hill Winery NV Naturel, 2008 Dry Riesling, NV Viking White, NV Viking Red, and 2007 Cabernet Franc;
Thirsty Owl Wine Co. 2008 Dry Riesling, 2008 Pinot Gris, 2008 Diamond and 2007 Reserve Pinot Noir; Torrey Ridge Winery NV Summer Delight; Ventosa Vineyards 2008 Pinot Gris and 2007 Cabernet Franc; Villa Bellangelo 2008 Semi-Dry Riesling; Wagner Vineyards 2007 Chardonnay Reserve, 2007 Semi-Dry Riesling and 2007 Meritage; and Young Sommer Winery NV Traminette, Semi-Dry.
Complete results of the 2009 Classic will soon be posted under “New York Gold” at www.newyorkwines.org, which also lists gold medal New York wines from other major competitions.
