Wineries take top wins in state awards

FINGER LAKES—While this year’s Governor’s Cup went to a winery outside of the immediate area, a number of Seneca and Keuka Lake wineries took top medals in the 2010 New York Wine & Food Classic competition.
The competition was held, Monday and Tuesday, Aug. 16 and 17, in Watkins Glen.  Last year Anthony Road Winery secured the Governor’s Cup, but this year it went to Swedish Hill Winery’s Riesling Cuvee, out of Romulus.  Sheldrake Point Vineyards in Ovid took the Winery of the Year, for a second consecutive year.
There were 850 wines and 17 spirits from all over New York entered into this competition.  New this year was a Best New York Spirit award, which went to Watkins’ Finger Lakes Distilling for its Seneca Drums Gin.
Keuka Lake Vineyards took Best White Wine, Best Medium Sweet Riesling, and Best Overall Riesling, all with the 2009 Semi Dry Riesling.  Torrey Ridge Winery won Best Specialty Wine with its Scarlet Red, Best Diamond with its Diamond wine, and Best Mead with its Scarlet Red.
The Best Medium Sweet Riesling went to Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars’ 2009 Semi Dry Riesling.  Glenora took Best Vinifera White Blend with its 2009 Signature.
Dr. Konstantin Frank Vinifera Wine Cellars won Best Late Harvest with the 2008 Bunch Select Late Harvest Riesling.   McGregor Vineyard’s 2009 Rosé D’Cabernet Franc won Best Vinifera Rosé.  Fulkerson Winery’s 2008 Dornfelder took Best Other Vinifera Red Varietal.
The awards were based on blind tastings by 24 judges - four from California, 12 from New York, six from other states, and two from the United Kingdom.    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.