Largest newbie winemaking contest
Billed as the biggest wine competitors of its sort on the earth, the 2021 WineMaker Worldwide Beginner Wine Competitors, sponsored by WineMaker Journal, attracted 1,893 entries from passion winemakers in 47 American states, 4 Canadian provinces, and 6 international locations as far-off as Australia.
That’s why I used to be flat-out blown away to study that three of the 4 wines I entered received a medal! And it was form of a podium sweep as properly. I received a bronze medal for my 2020 Pinot Rosé, a silver medal for my 2020 Wild White Sauvignon Blanc, and a gold medal for my 2019 Morpho Cabernet Sauvignon.
Candy sassy molassy!
I digress
I’ve written about each my Pinot Rosé and my Sauvignon Blanc in an earlier put up, however my Cabernet Sauvignon deserves a particular point out. I’ve now made this Cab three years in a row with grapes from the identical winery, affectionately recognized to some of us as Sam’s Winery. In my first classic in 2018 I made 5 gallons of Cabernet and by some means managed to win a silver medal within the U.S. Beginner Winemaking Competitors placed on by CellarMasters in Los Angeles. In my second classic, with a brand new 30-gallon French oak barrel and a tad extra winemaking savvy, I scored the gold medal from the WineMaker Competitors, described above. My third classic tastes improbable, however I’m going to depart it within the barrel one other yr simply to see what extra I’d coax from these outstanding grapes.
So outstanding that I’ve determined to make use of them this fall to make one in all my first business wines. After lengthy consideration on her half, I used to be lastly capable of persuade Sam (yep, Sam’s a she) to promote me a ton of her grapes, which is 4 occasions as a lot as any quantity I’ve gotten from her prior to now. On this drought yr, with low yields, it might take your entire winery to ship the burden. However what which means, expensive reader, is that two and a half years from now you’ll be capable to snag a bottle and get to style the magic of Sam’s Winery.
Sufficient about you, let’s speak about me
Let’s get again to the package deal that confirmed up within the mail yesterday with my three medals, judges’ notes, and three framable certificates. I do know this contest is “only for dwelling winemakers”. . .however nonetheless! Beginner winemakers are usually not allowed to enter skilled competitions, so we’re a bit restricted past native and regional contests sponsored by wine golf equipment and county gala’s. And plenty of of these had been cancelled for the previous season as a result of Covid pandemic.
However in case you learn WineMaker Journal, or have attended any of their seminars or occasions, you recognize this group is the true factor, staffed by true wine professionals who know their stuff. So I’m giving the competitors some actual credence.
In fact I’m!
Click on right here for a whole itemizing of medal-winning wines and winemakers for 2021.
