Organized annually by the New York Wine & Grape Foundation, the New York Wine Classic celebrates a diverse selection of world-class wines from producers within the State.
NYWGF has partnered again with the Beverage Testing Institute (BevTest) to judge wines submitted. Scores will be awarded by BevTest’s trained sensory panel comprised of beverage directors, sommeliers, top bartenders, retail buyers, and educators.
Top award winners were announced live during a Virtual Awards Ceremony hosted by Wanda Mann held on Wednesday, July 17th. The complete list of results is linked below.
Weis Vineyards 2018 Riesling Ice Wine
Weis Vineyards Hammondsport, NY(Keuka Lake, Finger Lakes)
The New York Wine & Grape Foundation is proud to announce the following “Best of Category” winners:
Dr. Frank Winery 2022 Reserve Riesling
Raphael Winery 2019 Cabernet Franc Reserve
Damiani Wine Cellars 2017 Brut Méthode Champenoise
Fulkerson Winery 2023 Estate Syrah Rosé
Weis Vineyards 2018 Riesling Ice Wine
CK Cellars Earle Estates Apple Enchantment
Scroll down for the list of “Best in Class” winners, and a link to download the full list of competition results.
The New York Wine & Grape Foundation is proud to announce the following “Best of Class” winners:
| CLASS | WINE | SCORE |
| Best Cabernet Franc | Raphael Winery 2019 Cabernet Franc Reserve, North Fork of Long Island. $60 | 95 |
| Best Cabernet Sauvignon | Damiani Wine Cellars 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon, Finger Lakes. $33 | 93 |
| Best Chardonnay (Unoaked) / Best Overall Chardonnay | Bright Leaf Vineyard 2021 Chardonnay, Finger Lakes. $28 | 93 |
| Best Chardonnay (Oaked) | Glenora Wine Cellars 2022 Barrel Fermented, Chardonnay, Finger Lakes. $19 | 92 |
| Best Force Carbonation/Transfer Method Sparkling | Fox Run Vineyards 2023 Estate Brillante Riesling, Finger Lakes. $16 | 92 |
| Best Fortified (Port-Like) | Toast Winery 2022 Luminescence Dessert Wine, Finger Lakes. $15 | 91 |
| Best Fruit Wine | CK Cellars NV Earle Estates Apple Enchantment Semi-Sweet Apple Wine, Finger Lakes. $18 | 93 |
| Best Gewurztraminer | Ryan William Vineyard 2019 Estate, Gewurztraminer, Finger Lakes. $20 | 91 |
| Best Gruner Veltliner | Weis Vineyards 2022 Gruner Veltliner, Finger Lakes. $21 | 94 |
| Best Iced Wine (Frozen After Harvest) | Harbes Vineyard 2010 Proprietor’s Reserve Ice Wine, Chardonnay, North Fork of Long Island. $45 | 96 |
| Best Lemberger/Blaufränkisch | Keuka Lake Vineyards 2022 Blaufränkisch, Finger Lakes. $35 | 93 |
| Best Merlot | Harbes Vineyard 2014 Proprietor’s Reserve Barrel Fermented, Merlot, North Fork of Long Island. $55 | 94 |
| Best Other Red Vinifera Varietal | McGregor Vineyard 2020 Reserve, Saperavi, Finger Lakes. $65 | 92 |
| Best Other Vinifera White Varietal | Bedell Cellars (NY) 2022 Viognier, North Fork of Long Island. $30 | 92 |
| Best Pétillant Naturel (Pét-Nat) | Inspire Moore NV Unsupervised Petillant Natural, Seneca Lake. $22 | 91 |
| Best Petit Verdot | Pellegrini (NY) 2019 Petit Verdot, North Fork of Long Island. $49 | 90 |
| Best Pinot Gris | Thirsty Owl Wine Company 2023 Pinot Gris, Finger Lakes. $15 | 90 |
| Best Pinot Noir | Wölffer Estate Vineyard 2020 Christian’s Cuvee, Pinot Noir, Long Island. $125 | 91 |
| Best Red Blend (Non-Vinifera) | Toast Winery (NY) 2022 Bougie Cuvée Rouge Red Blend, Finger Lakes. $22 | 93 |
| Best Red Blend (Vinifera) | Pindar Vineyards NV Pythagoras Red Blend, North Fork of Long Island. $22 | 94 |
| Best Riesling (Dry) | Smallholdings 2021 Lot 10 Vineyard Dry, Riesling, Finger Lakes. $32 | 94 |
| Best Riesling (Medium Dry) | Wagner Vineyards (NY) 2022 Semi-Dry, Riesling, Finger Lakes 1.95% rs. $15 | 94 |
| Best Riesling (Medium Sweet) | Red Newt Cellars NV Circle, Riesling, Finger Lakes. $15 | 93 |
| Best Riesling (Sweet) / Best Overall Riesling | Dr. Konstantin Frank 2022 Reserve, Riesling, Finger Lakes. $24 | 94 |
| Best Rosé | Fulkerson 2023 Estate Rosé, Syrah, Seneca Lake. $16 | 94 |
| Best Sauvignon Blanc | Wölffer Estate Vineyard 2022 Antonov, Sauvignon Blanc, Long Island. $32 | 94 |
| Best Traditional Method | Damiani Wine Cellars 2017 Brut Méthode Champenoise, Finger Lakes. $45 | 95 |
| Best White Blend (Vinifera) | Pindar Vineyards 2022 Dr Dan’s Signature Collections White Blend, North Fork of Long Island. $25 | 90 |
The competition is open to any wine produced in and bearing an approved New York AVA as established by the TTB.
A complete listing of New York AVAs can be found here: https://www.ttb.gov/wine/established-avas#New-York
The competition is also open to specialty wines (non-grape wines) and mead produced in New York State.
Non-grape wines and mead will have their own award and are not eligible for the Governor’s Cup round.
BevTest will use its scoring data as the basis for the Best of Category, Best of Class, and Governor’s Cup assignments thus ensuring the impartiality and credibility of the New York Wine Classic’s results from start to finish. If there are any score ties for the ‘Best of’ or Governor’s Cup Awards, BevTest would use its typicity data (i.e., which wine is more typical of the given category) to select the winner of the tie. If there is a still a tie based on typicity, BevTest would conduct a final taste-off with its senior wine panelists and editors to determine the winner. There will be only one winner for each award, each year.
The Governor’s Cup will be awarded to the wine (only grape-based wines are eligible) with the highest overall score of the competition (learn more about BevTest’s competition methodology here). The Winery of the Year award is presented to the winery with the best overall showing of their entries. Points are awarded for a wine’s score, as well as any Best of Class (varietal type – provided there are at least 7 entries of that type), Best Overall (i.e., Riesling – all sweetness levels/ Chardonnay – oaked or unoaked, etc.), Best of Category (Sparkling, White, Pink, Red, Dessert), and /or Governor’s Cup awards that the wine has earned. The winery with the highest overall score will win Winery of the Year.
BevTest’s Points-to-Medals conversion scale:
For this engagement, BevTest’s Platinum medal would be equivalent to a Double Gold medal.
You can read more about BevTest’s methodology and judging panel at: https://bevtest.com/lab/
Ship Two (2) 750 ml bottles or equivalent to:
The Lab
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Provide shipper with our phone 773-930-4080 and email [email protected]
Our facility is temperature-controlled, you may ship as early as you like. Bottles will be appropriately stored and cared for based on style.
For clients not authorized to ship alcohol with any shipper (ex., FedEx, UPS, etc.), Beverage Testing Institute can create an AWB from their sister company, OK Imports, on your behalf. We will need you to provide the following details:
Lastly, we will send you an invoice after generating the label for you. Please reach out to [email protected] for this service.
Top award winners will be announced live during the 2024 Classic Virtual Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, July 17th. The complete list of individual wine results will be released following the event and published on our website.
Still have questions?
If you are a winery with questions regarding submissions reach out to BevTest’s Client Marketing Manager, Matthew Richardson, via e-mail [email protected] or call 773-930-4080.
If you have any questions regarding this year’s competition, reach out to Jennifer Cooper, Membership & Events Manager.
The New York Wine Classic is a program of the New York Wine & Grape Foundation.
The mission of the New York Wine & Grape Foundation is to promote the world-class image of New York grapes and wines from our diverse regions to responsibly benefit farmers, producers and consumers through innovative marketing, research, communication, and advocacy.
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