Seneca Lake wineries once again captured a number of awards, this time at the recent Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition, where Chateau LaFayette Reneau (CLR) led the charge and Riesling was the star.  CLR got two Best of Class/Gold awards for its 2008 Dry Riesling and 2008 Late Harvest Riesling, along with another Gold medal for the 2008 Semi-Dry Riesling.  Other Gold medals went Penguin Bay for their 2008 Riesling and 2007 and Wagner Vineyards for their 2007 Semi-Dry Riesling.

Belhurst Winery's Semi-Dry Riesling 2008 has won Best In Show, Best in Category and a Double Gold Medal from the 2009 New York State Fair Commercial Wine Competition. Ventosa Vineyards also captured a Best of Category- Dessert for their 2007 Tocaice. Anthony Road Wine Company received similar praise for their Dry Rose of Cabernet Franc 2008 in the Best of Blush/Rose category. While Earle Estates Meadery's Raspberry Reflections won Best of Category Mead/Honey wine. Double golds were awarded to Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards (2008 Gewurtztraminer), and Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars (2008 Semi-Dry Riesling).

The wineries of Seneca Lake continued racking up awards at the recent 2009 International Eastern Wine Competition, managed by Vineyard & Winery Management Magazine with 2006 Tierce earning Best White Wine, Riesling Best in Class and Best Dry Riesling awards. Penguin Bay Winery also captured a best-in-class with in the Semi-Sweet Riesling category. Tierce, a unique collaboration between winemakers at Red Newt Cellars, Seneca Shore Wine Cellars and Fox Run Vineyards has been receiving accolades from professionals and consumers alike. 

NEW YORK GOLD just keeps flowing in, this time from the 2009 Tasters Guild International Wine Competition in Michigan where New York wineries took 4 Double Gold, 31 Gold, 69 Silver, and 43 Bronze medals for a total of 147.  One Double Gold went to Belhurst Winery for their 2008 Semi-Dry Riesling, and another to Torrey Ridge for their Cous’n Emmy Lou (Rosé). Other Gold medalists included Chateau LaFayette Reneau 2008 Semi-Dry Riesling and Dry Riesling; Earle Estates Creamy Apricot (mead), Glenora 2007 Iced Vidal Blanc, Hazlitt White Stag, 2008 Homestead Reserve Riesling, and 2007 Cabernet Franc; Lakewood 2007 Port and 2007 Borealis; and Torrey Ridge Catawba (which previously won Best Rosé at Riverside). Run by Joe Borrello, the Tasters Guild competition, with over 2,000 wines, is another which celebrates diversity and quality of wines from throughout the United States.  

Click on the "Read More" link below for additional information on the terrific wines and wineries on Seneca Lake including numerous listings of medals and awards won.

For more information on the Seneca Lake Wine Trail please call us during regular business hours toll-free at 877-536-2717, or click on the Contact Us link under the Info tab above. 

White Springs Winery¹s entry was the best Gewurztraminer in the Beverage Testing Institute¹s 2009 World Wine Championships in Chicago, winning a gold medal and a rating of 91 in the competition. The Geneva winery¹s 2007 Gewurztraminer ($13.99) also was chosen as a Best Buy by the institute, which tasted the wine and eight others from U.S. wineries and announced the results April 23. White Springs¹ entry was the only one to win a gold medal in the category.cores of 90 to 95 are exceptional, according to the Beverage Tasting Institute, and the Best Buy designation means the wine provides "uncommon value." The next-highest-rated Gewurztraminer in the contest had a score of 89.

The 2009 Riverside (CA) International Wine Competition began with the Best of Show Rosé for Torrey Ridge Catawba, with Chateau LaFayette Reneau 2008 Dry Riesling taking a Chairman’s Award (unanimous Golds in the Sweepstakes round). The other Gold medals included Anthony Road 2007 Dry Riesling and Medium Sweet Riesling; Belhurst 2007 Semi-Dry Riesling; Earle Estates Strawberry Wine; Fox Run 2006 “Tierce” Dry Riesling; Glenora 2008 Vidal Ice Wine; Hazlitt White Stag and 2008 Homestead Reserve Dry Riesling; Lakewood 2007 Dry Gewurztraminer; Penguin Bay 2007 Gewurztraminer; Shulze 2008 Vidal Ice Wine; Torrey Ridge Blue Sapphire, Diamond and Niagara.

Several Seneca Lake wineries won medals at the prestigious 2009 Pacific Rim International Wine Competition which consisted of over 2,000 wine entries from countries around the globe including Australia, Spain, South Africa, France and more.
The following wines captured gold medals:
Anthony Road Wine Company- 2007 Riesling
Belhurst Winery- 2007 Semi-Dry Riesling, Pinot Noir 2007
Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards- 2008 Homestead Reserve Riesling
Lakewood Vineyards- 2007 Riesling
Red Tail Ridge Winery- 2007 Riesling
Penguin Bay Winery- Valvin Muscat (also winning a Best In Class), 2007 Dry Gewurztraminer and Tuxedo Red.
Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards- 2008 Homestead Reserve Riesling (Also Best in Class), White Cat, 2007 Cabernet Franc, and Bramble Berry.
Torrey Ridge Winery- Blue Sapphire, Cous’n Emmy Lou, Cous’n Hick-A-Billy, and Niagara
Earle Estates Winery- Apple Enchantment
Red Tail Ridge Winery- 2007 Nutt Road Vineyard Chardonnay. 

Seneca Lake wineries continued their winning streak at the 2009 San Diego International Wine Competition with the following awards:
Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards, Silver, 2007 Cabernet Franc Finger Lakes and for their 2007 Riesling, Homestead Reserve Finger Lakes. Prejean Winery took a Silver for their 2007 Dry Riesling Finger Lakes. And last, but by no means least, Red Tail Ridge Winery snapped up three medals: Silver 2007 Chardonnay, Suns Oak, Nutt Road Vineyard Finger Lakes and their 2007 Chardonnay, Barrel Fermented, Nutt Road Vineyard Finger Lakes with a Gold Sweeps awarded for their 2007 Dry Riesling, Estate Grown Finger Lakes.

Penguin Bay Winery recently won medals in southern California at Jerry Mead’s New World International Wine Competition, with the Peterson family’s winery trio leading the charge with Best of Class/Double Gold for Penguin Bay Tuxedo White, Double Gold for Penguin Bay 2007 Riesling, and Gold medals for Penguin Bay Percussion.

And at the 2009 Finger Lakes International Wine Competition several of our member wineries received awards:
Anthony Road, silver, Martini-Reinhardt Selection Semi-Dry Riesling; and bronze, Dry Riesling and Tony's Red
Atwater Estate Vineyards, silver, 2007 Celsius, 2007 Dry Riesling and Estate Red; and bronze, 2007 Pinot Noir, 2007 Riesling and 2007 Vidal Blanc.
Belhurst Winery, bronze, Belhurst Merlot.
Chateau LaFayette Reneau, silver, 2005 Owner's Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, 2006 Barrel Fermented Chardonnay; and bronze, 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon.2007 Pinot Noir, 2008 Dry Riesling, 2008 Late Harvet Riesling, 2008 Semi-Dry Riesling, Cabernet Franc.
Fox Run Vineyards, silver, Cabernet Franc and Dry Riesling; bronze, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Noir and Riesling.
Fulkerson Winery, silver, 2007 Burntray, 2007 Riesling-Traminette and Red Zeppelin; and bronze, 2006 Cabernet Franc, 2006 Merlot, 2006 Semi-Dry Riesling and 2007 Diamond.
Glenora Wine Cellars, silver, 2007 Pinot Blanc; and bronze, 2002 Brut Methode Champinoise, 2007 Dry Riesling, 2007 Dry Riesling Vintner's Select, 2007 Merlot, 2007 Riesling, 2007 Syrah and Cayuga White.
Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards, silver, Bramble Berry, Schooner Red; and bronze, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Homestead Reserve Riesling, Red Cat, Riesling, Syrah and White Cat.
Lakewood Vineyards, silver, 2007 Chardonnay and 2007 Glaciovinum; and bronze, 2007 Pinot Noir, 2007 Port and Mystic Mead Wildflower Blend.
Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars, 2007 Chardonnay and 42 North; and bronze, 2007 Chardonnay Reserve.
Penguin Bay Winery, silver, 2007 Pinot Grigio, 2007 Rosé of Chambourcin, 2007 Valvin Muscat, Maroon Four, Percussion, and Tuxedo Red; and bronze, 2006 Pinot Noir, 2007 Gewurztraminer, 2007 Riesling, 2007 Surfside Chardonnay and Humboldt Red.
Red Newt Cellars, silver, 2007 Cabernet Franc and 2007 Gewurztraminer; and bronze, 2007 Cabernet Franc, 2007 Dry Riesling, 2007 Gewurztraminer and 2007 Viridescens.
Red Tail Ridge Winery, silver, 2007 Dry Riesling and 2007 Sans Oak Chardonnay; and bronze, 2007 Barrel Fermented Chardonnay and 2007 Pinot Noir.
Ventosa Vineyards, silver, 2007 Riesling; and bronze, 2006 Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Wagner Vineyards, bronze, 2007 Riesling Select, Riesling Dry and Riesling Semi Dry.
White Springs Winery, bronze, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Noir and Riesling.

“FINGER LAKES EVOLUTION” is the cover story of the March/April 2009 edition of Vineyard & Winery Management magazine, which was showcased at the company’s massive Wineries Unlimited trade show this week in Pennsylvania.  The cover photo of Scott Osborn (Fox Run Vineyards), Nancy Irelan (Red Tail Ridge Vineyards), and Dave Peterson (Penguin Bay Winery & Champagne House, among others) reflects the story contents on how each of their operations represents certain aspects of the Finger Lakes evolution toward quality, sustainability, and varietal diversity but with an emphasis on Riesling as the region’s “signature” grape.

Several Seneca Lake wineries were awarded at the 2009 Grand Harvest Awards. This year marks the 19th consecutive competition, with a field of over 1600 entries from North America, Europe, South America, and the Pacific Rim. Gold award winners include Anthony Road Wine Company for their 07 Riesling; 07 Riesling, Martini-Reinhardt; and 07 Cabernet Franc Dry Rose. Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards also capture multiple gold medals for their 07 Riesling, Semi Dry; 07 Chardonnay. With Ventosa Vineyards picking up a gold for their 07 Toca ice.

Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards dominated the field of Silver medal winners from the Finger lakes, with an impressive 7 wines acknowledged: 07 Cabernet Franc, 07 Riesling Homestead, Red Cat, 06 Syrah, White Stag and White Cat. Glenora Wine Cellars also won 3 Silver Medals for their 07 Merlot, Dry 07 Riesling and standard 07 Riesling. Fulkerson Winery captured a silver for their 07 Riesling.

At the Florida State Fair International Wine Competition Gold medals went to Atwater, 2007 Vidal Blanc; Fox Run, Sable; Fulkerson, Red Zeppelin and Airship White; Hazlitt 1852, White Stag; Lakewood, 2007 Gewurztraminer and 2007 Dry Riesling; Penguin Bay, Tuxedo Red and 2007 Rose of Chambourcin and Percussion; and Torrey Ridgefor their Blue Sapphire and Diamond.

Penguin Bay  took a Double Gold at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition for their 2007 Rosé of Chambourcin. While  Wine & Spirits Magazine gave its highest rating ever (93) to Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards for their 2007 Finger Lakes Homestead Riesling Reserve as well as a 90 rating to Wagner Vineyards for their 2007 Finger Lakes Riesling Ice Wine.  The Wine Spectator’s James Molesworth, who has done extensive tastings of Finger Lakes wines over the past year gave a 90 to Red Newt Cellars 2007 Finger Lakes Gewurztraminer.  Just a point behind at 89 were Anthony Road 2007 Finger Lakes Riesling Martini Reihnardt Selection, Anthony Road 2006 Vignoles Finger Lakes Berry Selection Martini Reinhardt Selection, and Red Newt Cellars 2007 Finger Lakes Gewurztraminer. There was also a great profile of Peter Bell, winemaker at Fox Run Vineyards and an industry leader in many ways.  This is all great news as the national wine industry  begins, some would argue belatedly, acknowledging the quality of the wine being produced in our region.

Recently Anthony Road Winery and Lakewood Vineyards each won a "Jefferson Cup" the Jefferson Cup Invitational in Kansas City, Mo. is is a unique competition where only "the best of the best" wines from around the country are invited to enter and seek a "Jefferson Cup" designation -- the top award essentially like a Double Gold in other competitions. This year's event had 17 of those top awards, including Anthony Road 2007 Finger Lakes Vignoles and Lakewood 2007 Glaciovinum dessert wine.They were among 80 Jefferson Cup nominees (similar to a gold), which also included New York's Chateau Lafayette Reneau 2007 Dry Riesling, Fox Run 2007 Dry Riesling and Hazlitt White Stag.

The wineries of Finger Lakes Wine Country continue to be internationally recognized for their world-class Rieslings and are now making history.  Recently twenty 2007 Finger Lakes Rieslings were featured in the December issues of Wine Spectator and Wine & Spirits and received reviews that are considered by the magazines to be very good to excellent.  It is the first time in history that so many Finger Lakes wines received scores of 90 and above in any major wine publication.  The 2007 vintage was one of the best ever in the Finger Lakes because of the warm, dry growing season.

And good news for next year's wines, as Wine Spectator gave the Finger Lakes Region a grade of "A" for the 2008 harvest! Despite a wetter-than-usual growing season, Finger Lakes vintners are happy with the results of their 2008 harvest, thanks primarily to a stretch of good weather from September through mid-October. "In the Finger Lakes we're used to vintage fluctuations," said Morten Hallgren, owner and winemaker at Ravines Wine Cellars on Keuka Lake, which forms the western edge of the region. "But 2008 was still very unusual." uly was wetter than normal, with a number of thundershowers adding to the disease pressures that are common in this humid grapegrowing area, and growers reported having to undertake aggressive anti-mildew spray programs. But the extra moisture had a benefit, as the region's typically dry August period, when vines sometimes shut down due to drought stress, was virtually eliminated. 

Glenora Rieslings recently got some great accolades including Best US Riesling $20 and under for its 2007 Riesling, and another Gold medal for its 2006 Riesling, at the Beverage Testing Institute’s 2008 World Value Wine Challenge. In addition, the 2007 received a 92 rating and tied with a Spatlese from Germany’s Mosel region for the second highest rating in a class of more than 180 wines. On the other side of the globe, Prejean 2007 Riesling took a rare Gold medal in the Canberra (Australia) Riesling Challenge, joined by Bronze medals from other New York wineries, which accounted for 7 of the top 11 wines from the U.S.  The wineries of Finger Lakes Wine Country continue to receive excellent reviews by some of the world’s top wine critics. Recently David Schildknecht of the Wine Advocate, published by Robert Parker, one of the world’s most influential wine critics, rated two Finger Lakes wines from the 2007 vintage. The 2007 vintage was one of the best in recent history for the Finger Lakes. The warm, dry season created excellent growing conditions for many varietals including Riesling and Cabernet Franc.
Lamoreaux Landing 2007 Finger Lakes Cabernet Franc T 23 score: 88 / $18
Anthony Road 2007 Finger Lakes Riesling Semi Dry score: 86 / $15

With this year’s harvest already underway, the 2008 holds promise as being as another excellent year for white varietals, especially Riesling, the region’s flagship grape. Grape growers and winemakers report similar conditions in 2008 to 2007 but with more rain.  

Fox Run Vineyards has been named one of the top 100 wineries in the world by Wine & Spirits magazine. Wine & Spirits editor and publisher Joshua Greene noted that the magazine staff tastes over 9,000 wines a year, with the top 100 wineries selected on the basis of a range of wines that score at the top of their categories. For years, Fox Run has been widely recognized as one of the top quality producers in the Finger Lakes and New York overall, with the hallmark of quality across a broad range of wines.

Wine Spectator also recently gave some high marks to Finger Lakes Rieslings of the excellent 2007 vintage, with 19 wines receiving scores which essentially translate into very good to good ratings. Topping the list with 88’s was Anthony Road 2007 Dry, Semi-Dry, and Semi-Sweet, and Atwater Estate Dry. Wines rated at 87 points included Belhurst Semi-Dry and Lakewood Riesling with 86 points awarded to Fox Run Riesling, and Hazlitt Homestead Reserve.

Back home, at the New York State Fair Commercial Wine Competition (only New York wines) the wineries of Seneca Lake won several medals. Double Golds included Anthony Road 2007 Dry Riesling, Lamoreaux Landing 2005 Merlot, Penguin Bay Percussion, Pindar 2007 Johannisberg Riesling, and Torrey Ridge Scarlet Red.

At the 2008 Indy International wine competition many New York wineries were awarded (a total of 229 medals), including Double Golds to Torrey Ridge for their Niagara and Traminette. Gold medals were also awarded to Lakewood for their 2007 Catawba, Torrey Ridge for their Diamond, Cayuga and Scarlet Red, Fulkerson's Red Zeppelin, White Springs' 2005 Riesling, Anthony Road's 2006 Cabernet Franc Rosé, Glenora's Alpine White, and last but by no means least Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards for their Bramble Berry.

At the 2008 LA International Wine & Spirits Competition, Penguin Bay's 2007 Dry Gewurztraminer took Best of Show White Wine among more than 900 entries from around the world, with several other top medals being awarded to various Finger Lakes wineries. Fox Run's 2006 Gewurtztraminer also got a nice plug by being named white wine of the month by Wine & Spirits magazine, further advancing the Finger Lakes’ reputation for high-quality aromatic whites. And last, but by no means least, in the Big E Gold Wine Competition, New York wineries took a total of 46 medals including a Double Gold for Torrey Ridge's Summer Delight and Gold Medals going out to Glenora for their 2007 Semi-Dry Riesling and Torrey Ridge for their Torrey Ridge Concord.

Anthony Road Wine Company- Riesling Finger Lakes Semi-Dry 2006 Score: 89 | $14
Atwater Estate Vineyards- Riesling Finger Lakes 2006 Score: 88 | $17
Chateau LaFayette Reneau Johannisberg Riesling Finger Lakes 2006 Score: 88 | $15
Fox Run Vineyards- Riesling Seneca Lake Reserve 2006 Score: 88 | $30
Red Newt Cellars- Riesling Finger Lakes Reserve 2006 Score: 88 | $24
White Springs Winery- Riesling Finger Lakes Red Label 2006 Score: 87 | $13

Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards was awarded Gold Medal for the newly-released 2007 vintage of its signature Homestead Reserve Riesling. The award was bestowed in the Johannesburg Riesling/Dry White Riesling category at the Pacific Rim International Wine Competition.

Wine Spectator's May 15 edition included reviews of over 50 New York wines, with scores ranging from 80 to 89. Nearly 40 Finger Lakes Rieslings were rated, led by Anthony Road (89 and 88 ratings for Semi-Dry and Dry), Atwater Estate (88 and 88), Chateau LaFayette Reneau (88) and Fox Run (88).

Several Seneca Lake wineries scored in San Bernardino, CA recently at the Pacific Rim International Wine Competition run by the inimitable Don Galleano. Topping the New York winners’ list was Chateau LaFayette Reneau 2005 Barrel Fermented Chardonnay which won Double Gold and Best of Class in the under $15 price category (in California!), with that winery’s 2006 Johannisberg Riesling also earning a Gold. Other Gold medals went to Belhurst 2006 Dry Riesling and 2006 Cayuga, Glenora 2001 Blanc de Blanc, Hazlitt 2007 Homestead Reserve Riesling, Prejean 2006 Cabernet Franc, and Wagner 2006 Semi-Dry Riesling.