Dr. Frank romps in International Eastern test››

WATKINS GLEN, NY -- Dr. Konstantin Frank took four major medals, best among all wineries, in the annual International Eastern Wine Competition just completed here.

The Finger Lakes winemaker's 2008 Riesling Bunch Select Late Harvest took top honors in four categories --- Best of Varietal and Best Dessert Wine, plus Best Sweet Riesling and the overall Riesling Championship, the latter two in a subsidiary Riesling competition.

As seems to be a growing trend in domestic wine competitions, nearly three-quarters of the entries won some sort of award, with 1,144 medals (44 Double Gold, 151 Gold, 399 Silver and 558 Bronze) awarded to a field of 1,600 entries submitted by wineries in 37 American states and three Canadian provinces (British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec) as well as Argentina, Australia, Chile, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, South Africa and Spain.

The event, held each May in the Finger Lakes, is a production of Vineyard & Winery Management Magazine.

Sweepstakes winners, by category:

BEST OF VARIETAL

• Bogle, 2008 Chardonnay, California (State Appellation), $9

• Ferrante Winery, 2008 Gewurztraminer, Grand River Valley (AVA), $15

• Dr. Konstantin Frank, 2008 Riesling, Finger Lakes (AVA), Bunch Select Late Harvest, $69.99

• Oliver Winery, 2009 Pinot Grigio, America (Lodi and Columbia Gorge AVAs) $12.50

• Domaine Laurier Winery, 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma County (County Appellation), Reserve, $9.99

• Trecini Winery, 2007 Merlot, Russian River Valley (AVA), $28

• Cross Keys Vineyards, 2008 Cabernet Franc, Shenandoah Valley (AVA), $21

• Napa Ridge Winery, 2007 Petite Sirah, Napa Valley (AVA), $12.99

• Jeff Runquist Wines, 2008 Primitivo, Amador County (County Appellation), Nostro Vino Vineyard, $26

• Balistreri Vineyards, 2008 Sangiovese, Grand Valley (AVA), Talbott Vineyard, $22

• Lost Bars, 2007 Icewine, Okanagan Valley (DVA), VQA, $38

BEST OF CATEGORIES

• Best White Wine: Chateau Ste. Michelle and Dr. Loosen, 2008 Eroica Riesling, Columbia Valley (AVA), $24

• Best Red Wine: Napa Ridge Winery, 2007 Petite Sirah, Napa Valley (AVA), $12.99

• Best Dessert Wine: Dr. Konstantin Frank, 2008 Riesling, Finger Lakes (AVA), Bunch Select Late Harvest, $69.99

• Best Fruit Wine: Ackerman Winery, 2009 Raspberry, Iowa (State Appellation), $9.95

RIESLING CHAMPIONSHIP

• Riesling Champion: Dr. Konstantin Frank, 2008 Riesling, Finger Lakes (AVA), Bunch Select Late Harvest, $69.99

• Beat of Class: Eagle Crest Vineyards, 2009 Riesling Dry, Finger Lakes (AVA), $12.99

• Best Semi-Dry Riesling: Chateau Ste. Michelle and Dr. Loosen, 2008 Eroica Riesling, Columbia Valley (AVA), $24.00

• Best Semi-Sweet Riesling: Chateau LaFayette Reneau, 2009 Riesling Semi-Dry, Finger Lakes (AVA), Estate, $14.99

• Best Sweet Riesling: Dr. Konstantin Frank, 2008 Riesling, Finger Lakes (AVA), Bunch Select Late Harvest, $69.99

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Iowa's Swine Festival welcoming outsider wines

• From the Des Moines Register:

The private party is over for Iowa wineries.

Vintners from ouside of Iowa will pour their wines on June 5 at an annual benefit in Ankeny, the Swine Festival. Swine has previously been billed as a showcase exclusively for Iowa wines along with gourmet pork dishes prepared by local chefs.

None of the 10 Iowa wine-making participants are worried about this party being crashed, said Doug Bakker, owner of Madison County Winery, immediate past-president of the Iowa Wine Growers Association and a Swine event organizer.

"One of the worst things they do in some situations is stick all the Iowa wines together," he said. "If they put us between some California wines and French wines, you might get some people to try us and say, 'You know what, this is really surprisingly good.' "

But having the confidence to jump into the ring with out-of-state heavyweights is not a signal that Iowa wine makers feel they can go toe-to-toe with wines from elsewhere, winery owners agree.

"I think we still have a ways to go," Summerset Winery's Ron Mark said of the Iowa wine industry. "But, I also think we're hitting more and more of the right notes."

Iowa wine sales increased from 50,422 gallons to 87,726, or 74 percent, from 2007 to 2009. With 72 licensed wineries in the state, according to Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division records, the sales total represents an average of about 1,200 gallons per winery.

Some wineries are faring better than others. Over the past few years, an elite class of Iowa wineries has emerged.

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Vintage Indiana coming up fast

Vintage Indiana is expected to draw more than two dozen state wineries when the annual festival is held Saturday, June 5, in downtown Indianapolis.

The event, which will run from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. in Military Park, also will feature about a dozen restaurants as well as live entertainment, art, kids’ activities and educational programs. A crowd upwards of 10,000 is expected.

One sidenote: This is the first Vintage Indiana since the Indiana Wine Grape Council named Traminette the official state grape. Look for a number of expressions of that particular hybrid, developed at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY.

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A celebri-quote: Dan Akyroyd

• Canadian actor/entrepreneur Dan Aykroyd has been so busy of late pushing his Crystal Head brand vodka some people might forget his first foray into adult beverages was his line of Dan Aykroyd Wines. When he was told Canadian troops stationed in Afghanistan were allowed to have free beer but had to pay for wine for their two-drinks-a-month allotment, he quickly reacted by having hundreds of bottles of his wines shipped from Diamond Estates Wines & Spirits Ltd., located in Niagara-On-the-Lake, Ontario, to Afghanistan free. The Canadian Press asked for his comment on the move.

"I was on board the moment Diamond Estates mentioned their support of our troops with Dan Aykroyd Wines.

"This is a very proud moment for me as a Canadian and I hope these wines can inspire some light-hearted times during this difficult mission for our armed forces."

The wine donation will last for the duration of Canada's military commitment there, which will expire in 2012.

[Note: Aykroyd recently sold his one millionth bottle of vodka.]

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Wineries Unlimited shifting venues

Wineries Unlimited, the second largest vineyard and winery conference and trade show in North America, will be held in Richmond, VA, next year, ending a 34-year run in Pennsylvania.

Wineries Unlimited 2011 is scheduled for March 29 through April 1, about three weeks later in the season than recent shows.

Event organizers said the venue change was made because "the more southerly location and later dates are expected to provide better weather conditions for attendees traveling from other states."

The last four editions of Wineries Unlimited were held at the Valley Forge Convention Center in suburban Philadelphia. A number of previous shows were located in Lancaster, PA.

The event has been produced since 1976 by the wine trade publication Vineyard & Winery Management.

Annette Boyd, marketing office director of the Virginia Wine Board, said the move will create new opportunities for Virginia wineries.

"Our growers and producers will have better access to the information provided by Wineries Unlimited, and the event will help showcase their wines to colleagues from other states."

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