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That popping sound you heard in late June? Instead of early fireworks, it may have been corks popping around the state as Indiana wineries celebrated another great showing at the state’s premier wine contest.
Once again, the Indy International Wine Competition has shown just how amazing the state’s wine industry is: Of the 348 Indiana wines entered in the contest (out of more than 3,000 total wines entered), 274 won medals, including 36 gold and 10 double gold. A double gold is awarded when each judge rating the wine awards it a gold medal, which, as guest judges at last year’s contest, we can tell you is a rare honor.
The Governor’s Cup, a trophy given to the Indiana winery that wins the most medals, this year went back to Huber Orchard & Winery in Starlight, near Louisville. Huber and Oliver Winery in Bloomington usually seem to trade the trophy back and forth from year to year, although last year both went wanting when it was taken by Mallow Run in Bargersville.
Huber won 22 medals, including six golds and five double golds.
Other wineries who had heavy hauls included Chateau Thomas in Plainfield, with 27 total medals, Oliver Winery with 24 and Satek Winery in Fremont with 22.
And they say you can’t make wine in Indiana.
Among Oliver’s winners was a gold medal for the 2008 Creekbend Traminette, which we tried recently at Vintage Indiana and loved. Oliver’s Mango Harvest Flavor won a double gold.
Another wine we tried and fell in love with at Vintage Indiana was Satek’s Kreibaum Bay Dry Rosé. The 2007 vintage won a bronze, and the 2008 won a silver. Based on our taste at the festival, we would have given it a gold, and we can’t wait to get up to Fremont to stock up for the summer.
The thing to remember about all the medals Indiana wineries win is that although officials pull their results out separately so you can see how Hoosier wineries did, they are not a separate part of the contest. That means Satek’s Rosé and Creekbend Traminette were competing against rosés and traminettes from all over the world. To us, that means Indiana wine makers can hold their own against some of the best.
Here’s a few examples:
•Chateau Thomas’ 2006 Un-oaked Chardonnay won a silver medal. Other silver-winning chardonnays include brands you’ve heard of and see on the shelf all the time, like Dancing Bull and Chateau Ste. Michelle. Chateau Thomas beat out wines like Gallo and Sonoma Cutrer, which won bronze.
•Easley Winery won a gold medal for its Pinot Grigio. That beat out wines like Forest Glen and Gnarly Head, which won silver.
•When Buck Creek won a silver for their Riesling, they joined Dr. Konstantin Frank of New York’s Finger Lakes region – one of the best places for Riesling in the nation. And they beat out huge brands like Fetzer.
For us, looking down the list of winners is like scanning a list of alumni from your class reunion – it’s great to see what your friends have accomplished.
For example, we were so happy to see that our friends at New Day Meadery in Elwood won best of class for their 2007 Dry Mead. If you haven’t been to New Day (www.newdaymeadery.com) to try its ethereal wines, you are missing something unique.
One of our favorites from Illinois, Lynfred Winery in Roselle, won a double gold for its Sauvignon Blanc. There were tiny wineries from northeast Ohio we’ve been to that won medals, and little wineries we found in the hills of southern Wisconsin. There were even medals for one of the most unique wineries we’ve been to, Florida Orange Groves in St. Pete Beach, Fla. While there we tried an orange-coffee wine, a carrot wine and even a tomato wine. Florida Orange Groves won four medals, including a gold for their sparkling blueberry.
We haven’t been to St. James Winery in Missouri yet, but we know it’s a Midwestern favorite and had wines all over the medals list, and it’s one we hope to visit soon.
There were also surprises that make us want to rush out and try them, like the Target Wine Cube Cabernet Sauvignon that won double gold. No, that’s not a typo. The Target Wine Cube red blend won a gold medal, which proves once again you shouldn’t judge a wine by its packaging.
So as you relax this summer, sit back and enjoy the fruit of the winemakers’ labors. And when you do, take a moment to remember that no matter where that wine comes from – yes, even if it’s from Indiana – it may be an award winner.
Cheers!
