The Atlantic Seaboard Wine Association (ASWA) held its 16th annual wine competition on August 14 and 15 at the Marriott Tysons Corner, VA. This year’s Best of Show wine, Fox Run Vineyards 2019 Reserve Riesling, was selected from thirty Best of Category Winners. ASWA’s Wine Competition is the largest in the nation, focused exclusively on East Coast wines. This year our judges evaluated 484 diverse wines made in the eastern US.
The Fox Run Vineyards 2019 Reserve Riesling was made from 100% estate grown grapes from a standout single lot that produced what the winery notes as “uncommon varietal aroma and flavor intensity”. This wine is the first Reserve bottling that the winery has produced in 8 years, indicating the distinctive characteristics of the grapes in this lot. The wine is off dry with 1.7% residual sugar, 8.0 grams/liter of acidity, pH of 3.21, and an alcohol level of 11.6%. Four hundred and eighty-one cases were produced.
Fox Run Vineyards is located in Penn Yan, New York at the north end of the east branch of Keuka Lake in the Finger Lakes. The winery is owned by Scott and Ruth Osborn and Albert and Kathleen Zafonte. Winemaker Peter Bell, Assistant Winemaker Ashley McCaffrey, and Vineyard Manager John Kaiser are responsible for the growth and production of this award-winning wine. Peter Bell is well known for leadership and support of the American wine industry and received the ASWA Wine Grape Productivity Tray in 2018.
The 2021 ASWA Wine Competition issued 78 gold medals, 120 silver medals, and 148 Bronze medals. Competition Chairman Dave Barber says, “A panel of well-qualified independent judges from various levels within the industry and hailing from several east coast states and from as far afield as California, evaluated red and rosé wines on day one, and whites on day two.” The final round, after scores were tallied for all Best of Category entries, took place Sunday afternoon.
ASWA hosts an awards ceremony on Capitol Hill every year after the completion of the competition under the auspices of the Congressional Wine Caucus. The perpetual Jefferson Loving Cup, designed by Tiffany in sterling silver, will be engraved with the winning winery’s name and presented to the Best of Show winner.
Winning wines will be showcased at the Unified Wine and Grape Symposium in Sacramento, CA, the leading wine industry conference and trade show typically drawing 15,000 attendees. The wines generally receive coverage on several west coast radio programs while ASWA representatives are in California, and a seminar and tasting at UC Davis is being planned. Opportunities for increased exposure will continue throughout the year. ASWA President Grant Crandall states, “We are excited to have a number of superb wines from the Competition to take around the country to demonstrate that East Coast wines can compete successfully on an international scale.”
More info:
Atlantic Seaboard Wine Association: aswawines.org
Fox Run Vineyards: foxrunvineyards.com info@foxrunvineyards.com
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The Atlantic Seaboard Wine Association promotes American wine produced in the seventeen eastern states: all those that touch the Atlantic Ocean plus West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Vermont. This trade organization was founded in 1973 as the Vinifera Wine Growers Association and renamed in 2008 to reflect an expanded regional focus.
ASWA’s mission is to increase awareness of the fine wines of the Atlantic seaboard through trade and consumer education. Members liaise with national, state, and regional wine organizations to identify opportunities to highlight the wines and winemakers working here.
Atlantic Seaboard Wine Association
P.O. Box 11332 Burke, VA 22009
(703) 280-4411 Email: info@aswawines.org
