25 wine experts gathered August 2nd at the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center for the 34th annual Michigan Wine and Spirits Competition. Judges included wine experts from around the country, including Doug Frost, who is both a Master of Wine and Master Sommelier; two Master Sommeliers; and internationally known authors, winemakers and wine educators. Leading the group through the day was food and wine writer & competition superintendent Christopher Cook.
Fifty-three of the state’s 84 wineries entered 367 wines for this year’s competition, which is open only to wine and spirits produced from Michigan grapes and other fruit. Judges awarded the top “Best of Class” awards to eight wines from a group of 51 gold medal winners, including seven double gold. Four of these went Leelanau Peninsula Vintners Association wineries!
Best of Class Dry White: Chateau Fontaine – 2010 Dry White Riesling
Best of Class Sparkling Wine: L. Mawby – Cremant Classic
Best of Class Rosé: Forty-Five North – 2010 Rosé of Cabernet Franc
Best of Class Dessert Wine: Black Star Farms – 2008 A Capella Ice Wine
You can see the full results right here – there’s TONS of Leelanau wines on the list and if you’re in the Lansing area tonight (Aug 4, 2011), check out the Gold Medal Reception from 5-8 PM at the Kellogg Center!
Judges experienced just a sampling of red wines from the 2010 vintage, which is expected to be exceptional, as Michigan enjoyed a long, warm growing season that allowed red grapes to ripen more fully than in recent years. Most of the reds from 2010 will be released over the next year.
Master Sommelier Madeline Triffon, a veteran judge of this competition remarked “I was happy to see the overall Merlot quality. The dry white sweeps (Best of Class round) were a privilege to judge, so many good wines! Every year, my pride and confidence in our wines grows.”
James VanDerKolk, with Elite Brands agreed, saying he was “stunned by the depth of quality in the dry white wines from 2010, and very pleasantly surprised by the high-quality dry reds tasted from 2010.”
Glad you like them James, here’s hoping that Elite and other distributors can continue to grow the market share for Leelanau & Michigan wines!
Photo credit: Medal Winners 2 by troyryans