FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 12, 2010
CONTACT: |
Justin Furr, director of wine marketing
N.C. Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development
(919) 715-9463
|
N.C. State Fair awards 343 medals in 2011 Wine Competition
RALEIGH — RayLen Vineyards & Winery of Mocksville won its first N.C. Winegrowers Cup for best of show and Cypress Bend Vineyards of Wagram took home the N.C. Muscadine Cup in the 2011 N.C. State Fair Wine Competition.
The 12th annual wine competition was held Oct. 5 and 6, featuring 444 wines competing in the commercial division and 94 wines in the amateur division.
RayLen’s Cabernet Sauvignon won the Winegrowers Cup. Cypress Bend’s McNeill white muscadine wine won the N.C. Muscadine Cup. It was Cypress Bend’s second win in three years. Childress Vineyards in Lexington received the most awards in the competition, winning 34 medals.
The commercial competition was open to all North Carolina wineries, and the judges awarded 343 medals overall: 28 double gold, 26 gold, 128 silver and 161 bronze medals.
The amateur wine competition featured North Carolina hobbyist winemakers, and awarded ribbons to first, second and third place, plus honorable mention winners for each category of wine. Best of Show was awarded to Daisy King of Pinnacle for her Blackberry Dessert wine. It was King’s second victory in three years, and she claimed a total of five first-place awards in this year’s competition.
The top winners from the commercial and amateur wine competition will be on display at the 2011 N.C. State Fair from Oct. 13-23.
Commercial Wine Competition Winners:
Best of Wine Category |
Winery |
Wine |
White Vinifera |
Rock of Ages Winery, Hurdle Mills |
Southern Chardonnay |
Rose/Blush Vinifera or Hybrid |
McRitchie Winery & Ciderworks, Thurmond |
Pale Rider Dry Rose |
Red Vinifera |
RayLen Vineyards & Winery, Mocksville |
Cabernet Sauvignon (Best of Show) |
White Hybrid |
Silver Coast Winery, Ocean Isle Beach |
2010 Seyval Blanc |
Red Hybrid |
Banner Elk Winery |
Marechal Foch 2010 |
White Native American |
Cypress Bend Vineyards, Wagram |
McNeill (Best of Muscadine) |
Rose/Blush Native American |
Duplin Winery, Rose Hill |
Scuppernong Blush |
Red Native American |
Cypress Bend Vineyards, Wagram |
Campbell |
Fruit / Other Wines |
Stephens Vineyard & Winery, Lumberton |
Peach |
Sparkling |
Shelton Vineyards, Dobson |
Blanc de Blanc |
Fortified / Dessert |
Hanover Park Vineyard, Yadkinville |
Port Hanover |
Amateur Wine Competition Winners:
1st Place in Wine Category |
Winemaker |
Wine |
White Vinifera |
Daisy King, Pinnacle |
Sauvignon Blanc |
Rose/Blush Vinifera or Hybrid |
Daisy King |
Rose Vinifera |
Red Vinifera |
Daisy King |
Red Vinifera |
White Hybrid |
Robert Moncsko, Cary |
Traminette |
Red Hybrid |
Keith Lawrence, Winston-Salem |
Ararat Chambourcin |
White Native American |
Kristina Street, Apex |
White Wine |
Rose/Blush Native American |
Ron Powell, Mocksville |
Virgin's Blush |
Red Native American |
Gail Polk, Angier |
Concord |
Fruit / Other Wines |
William Oberkirsch, Sanford |
Bill's Mead |
Sparkling |
Daisy King |
Twin Muscats Sparkling |
Fortified / Dessert |
Daisy King |
Blackberry Dessert (Best of Show) |
North Carolina is home to 106 wineries from the mountains to the coast, and ranks ninth for wine and grape production in the United States. The wine and grape industry in North Carolina generates an economic impact of more than $1.28 billion and supports 7,600 jobs.
Find North Carolina wineries, maps, events and more at VisitNCWine.com or call 1-877-3NC-WINE. For more results from the N.C. State Fair Wine Competition, visit www.nccommerce.com/wine/news-events/awards-competitions.
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