In addition to the 10-12 flights of wine each panel judged for two days, our panel got to determine 7 best-in-class winners and then on the morning of the last day of the Indy International, each judge sat down in front of 40 different best-in-class wines and selected the best sparkling, best white, and so on. From these broad categories of winning wines the judges then voted for best of show.

Check where the winners came from:

- Best Wine of Show - Vignoles from River City Winery, Indiana

- Best Sparkling - Gloria Ferrer Winery Carneros Cuvee from California

- Best Red Wine - Chateau St. Michelle Winery Cabernet Sauvignon from Washington

- Best White Wine - Tabor Hill Winery Gewurztraminer from Michigan

- Best Rose Wine - 21 Brix Winery Catawba from New York

- Best Fruit Wine - Galena Cellars from Illinois

- Best Dessert Wine - Gehringer Brothers Estate Winery from British Columbia

There is good, if not great wine, being made everywhere as evidenced by these results. Furthermore double gold (all the judges say the wine is a gold) medals were awarded to wineries from 22 different states and 3 countries.

The River City Vignoles easily got the majority of the votes for Best Wine but the margins were much narrower for the best white and best red wines. I particularly thought there were a number of very nice reds - Syrah, Petit Sirah, a Red Vinifera Blend in addition to the Cabernet that won.

My judging panel, the members who I previously knew, worked together very well and it was fun to interact and compare notes on the wide variety of wines. I had previously judged with Mike Pile, a local distributor exec, and Erik Miller, owner and winemaker of Kokomo Winery (in Sonoma) and Amanda Stewart, a Purdue PhD student, who was on the Argentina wine trip this spring with us. Judging some of the more unusual hybrid grape wines wasn't as difficult as it has been with some past panels.

Our panel had some very average Chardonnay and Merlot flights but that was balanced by a very nice Cab Franc flight and several American and Vinifera blend flights. We also gave multiple double golds to wines in our Vignoles and Traminette flights. Perhaps because of our well-known passion for Zinfandels, we drew 2 separate Zin flights but didn't give a single one a gold medal.

As an aside last year Erik and I were on a pilot judging panel at Indy using iPads to record our judging scores and electronically submit them after some discussion but were disappointed that it wasn't continued or expanded this year. Maybe next year...

Top Wines by Varietal:

- Chardonnay: The best chardonnay was Steele's 2009 Cuvee (widely distributed $18 retail). Other double golds were won by Ambrose and Scaria Winery from Connecticut, California's 2011 Lagniappe Winery,Gehringer Brothers Estate Winery from British Columbia's 2011 Unoaked Flat Rock, France's La Plante 2010. Golds were won by Fox Run Vineyards, Kokomo Winery, Tabonne Vineyards 2011, Ponderosa Valley Vineyards 2011, Renata's 2010 Carneros, and Indiana's Satek Winery 2011.

- Cabernet Sauvignon: The best Cab came from Chateau St. Michelle - 2009 Coal Creek Vineyard ($30). Double golds were awarded to New Mexico's Black Mesa Winery 2009 Antelope, Virginia's Barrel Oak Winery 2010, Texas' Enoch's Stomp 2009, California's Hagafan Cellars 2009 Napa Valley and Richard Partridge Cellars Napa Valley 2008, Washington's Maryhill Winery 2009 Proprietor's Reserve, and Kentucky's MillaNova 2009. Golds were won by a second Cab from Chateau St. Michelle, Ethos Reserve 2009, Greece's Karelas, Kokomo Winery, Pollak Vineyards, Steele Winery, Turning Leaf (top value), and Indiana's Winzerwald Winery.

- Merlot: The best Merlot was Steele's 2009 Lake County ($16). Double golds went to California's Hagafen Cellars 2010 Napa Valley, Trecini Winery 2008, and Red Rock Winery 2010, Kentucky's MillaNova 2009, and Covington Cellars 2009 Rough House. Golds were awarded to Cougar Crest Winery, Davenport Cellars, and Materra.

- Cabernet Franc: The best Cab Franc was from Steele Vineyards 2009 Lake County. Double golds went to Kentucky's Talon Winery & Vineyard Monarch 2008, Virginia's Desert Rose Ranch and Winery 2010 and Rappahannock Cellars 2011 Noblesse Rouge, and California's Haywood Estate Lose Chamizal Vineyards 2008, Golds went to DeBeque Canyon Winery, Narmada Winery, Pollak Vineyards, Spangler Vineyards, Prairie State Winery, and Rappahannock also won a gold with their 2010.

- Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris: Viansa from southern Sonoma produced the best Pinot Grigio of the event. Double golds went to New York's Belhurst Winery 2011, Michigan's 2011 Tabor Hill Winery, Golds went to B.C.'s Chaberton and Gehringer Brothers Estate, New York's Dr. Konstantin Frank and Thirsty Owl Wine Company, and Indiana's Oliver Winery.

- Pinot Noir: The best Pinot at Indy was from Trecini Winery 2010 from California. Double Golds were won by France's Chorey-Les-Beaune 2009 and California's Noble Vines 667 2010. Golds went to Michigan's Bel Lago Vineyards and Winery 2010, New York's Coyote Moon Vineyards, Washington's Lake Chelan Winery, and the following from California: The Naked Grape, Redwood Creek, Noble Vines, Jeff Gordon Collection, Frank Family Vineyards, and two from Steele - 2009 Bien Nacido Vineyard and 2008 Santa Barbara.

- Riesling: In one of the most popular classes for entries, the best Riesling came from St. Julian in Michigan - 2011 Braganini Reserve. Double golds were earned by New York's Belhurst Winery 2011 Semi-Dry, Goose Watch Winery 2001, and Lakewood Vineyards 2011 Dry, Wisconsin's Cedar Creek Winery Waterfall Riesling and Wollersheim Winery Dry Riesling, Ohio's Ferrante Winery Golden Bunches 2011, and Michigan's Left Foot Charley 2011 Missing Spire, British Columbia's Gehringer Brothers Estate Winey received double gold for their 2011 and a gold for their Private Reserve. Golds were awarded to Arrington Vineyards (TN), Brys Estate Vineyard and Winery (MI), Chateau Fontaine (MI), Chateau St. Michelle (WA), Dr. Konstantin Frank (NY), Lakewood Vineyards (NY), Seneca Shore Wine Cellars (NY), Shelburne Vineyard (VT), Shooting Star (CA), and Wagner Vineyards (NY).

- Syrah: Colorado's The Winery at Holy Cross Abbey had the best Syrah - 2009 Colorado. Double golds went to Indiana's Buck Creek 2008, Washington's College Cellars 2008, , and then the following from California: Fawnridge Winery 2009 Le Bon Temps Rouler Red, Amphora Winery 2007 Dry Creek Valley. Golds went to College Cellars (WA), Klinker Brick Winery (CA), Three Coins (CA), Villa Bianca (NV), Wood Family Vineyards (CA), and Midnight Cellars (CA).

Top Wineries

- Gehringer Brothers Estate Winery was named Winery of the Year after this medal harvest: This British Columbian winery won their 2011 Signature Ice Wine 2011 won Best Dessert Wine and double golds were earned for their 2011 Unoaked Dry Rock Chardonnay, 2011 Minus 9 Ehrenfelser, and 2011 Riesling. Golds were awarded to 2011 A Desert Sun Auxerrois, 2011 Private Reserve Riesling, 2011 Late Harvest Riesling, and 2011 Private Reserve Pinot Gris. They also won 7 silver medals.

- Gloria Ferrer Caves and Vineyards: In addition to winning the Best Sparkling Wine with 2000 Carneros Cuvee they won double golds with their Blanc de Noirs and Sonoma Brut. They also won a gold medal with their 2004 Royal Cuvee as well as 4 silver medals.

- Huber Orchard & Winery: This southern Indiana tourist attraction won 5 double golds with their meritage blend 2010 Heritage, 2011 Moscato, and three fortified wines - Apple, Knobstone Chambourcin Port Style and Brandy. They also won golds with their 2010 Tannat and 2011 Lakeside White Aurora as well as 11 silvers.

- Maryhill Winery: This picturesque Washington winery overlooking the Columbia River won double golds for their 2009 Proprietor's Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon and 2011 Moscato di Canelli. They also won golds with their 2009 Proprietor's Reserve Serendipity Cabernet Sauvignon and 2011 Viognier along with 13 silvers.

- Oliver Winery: Indiana's largest winery won the Governor's Cup, annually awarded to the top-scoring Indiana winery. Their top wine was a double gold 2010 Reserve Shiraz. They won golds with 2010 Estate Bottled Creekbend Vineyard Vidal Blanc Ice Wine, 2011 Pinto Grigio, Mead with Natural Peach Flavors, Beanblossom Blueberry Hard Cider, and 2010 Estate Bottled Creekbend Vineyard Vidal Blanc. Almost all of their other entries won silver medals.

- River City Winery: The winner of the Best Wine with 2011 Vignoles also was impressive with their other award-winning wines - double golds 2011 Unoaked Chardonel and non-vintage Robert E. Lee Chambourcin, and golds 2011 Chardonel and Strawberry Cyclone plus 8 silvers.

- Steele Wines: From Lake County, CA, Steele won 3 double golds which were also judged to be the best wine of their varietals - 2009 Chardonnay Cuvee, 2009 Lake County Cabernet Franc, and 2009 Lake County Merlot. Golds were awarded to 2009 Bien Nadico Vineyard Pinot Noir, 2009 Santa Barbara Pinot Noir, and 2009 Red Hills Cabernet Sauvignon. Their 'value' label Shooting Star also won golds with their 2011 Lake County Riesling and 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon.

- E. & J. Gallo: They were named Winery of the year with numerous entries from their value brands such as Barefoot Cellar. It's hard to find better 'value wines', The Naked Grape and Turning Leaf. Double golds were given to their 2010 Red Rock Winery Merlot ($10) and The Naked Grape Moscato ($5). They won golds with their 2011 Edna Valley Sauvignon Blanc, 2010 Bodega Elena de Mendoza Malbec,Ballatore Gran Spumante, Barefoot Bubbly Pink Moscato, Barefoot Bubbly Spumante, Gallo Family Sweet Red, 2009 Las Rocas Calatayud, Liberty Creek Naturally Chocolate Red, 2010 Redwood Creek Pinot Noir ($6), Redwood Creek non-vintage Red Blend, 2010 Turning Leaf Cabernet Sauvignon ($6), and non-vintage The Naked Grape Pinot Noir ($8).

Cheers!

Steve

Indiana winery takes top honors in Indy International

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - For the first time, an Indiana winery took top honors at the Indy International Wine Competition, which took place Wednesday through Friday (Aug. 1-3) at Purdue University.

River City Winery of New Albany was awarded Wine of Year for its 2011 Vignoles. The entry was among nearly 2,400 wines from 41 states and 14 countries competing in the annual event. The competition is run by the Indiana Wine Grape Council.

"For an Indiana winery to win Wine of the Year is very exciting for the Indiana wine industry," said Jeanette Merritt, the council's marketing director. "Indiana wines are outstanding, and River City not only showed that, but all of our wineries proved that in the amount of medals they won this year."

Fifty international judges selected the winning entries based on appearance, aroma, taste and aftertaste, said Christian Butzke, Purdue professor of enology and the competition's chief judge. Entries came from as far away as France, Australia, Chile and Germany.

"The nearly 2,400 wines entered in the 2012 Indy provided a fascinating perspective of things to come for American wine consumers," Butzke said.

Other wine entry awards included:

* White Wine of the Year - 2011 Gewürztraminer, Tabor Hill Winery, Buchanan, Mich.

* Red Wine of the Year - 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon, Chateau Ste. Michelle, Woodinville, Wash.

* Rosé Wine of the Year - 2011 Ellatawba Rosé, 21 Brix Winery, Portland, N.Y.

* Sparkling Wine of the Year - Carneros Cuvee, Gloria Ferrer Caves & Vineyards, Sonoma, Calif.

* Dessert Wine of the Year - 2011 Signature Ice Wine, Gehringer Brothers Estate Winery, British Columbia, Canada.

* Fruit Wine of the Year - Cracklin Apple, Galena Cellars, Galena, Ill.

* Honey Wine of the Year - White Winter Winery, Iron River, Wis.

* Honey Wine Blend of the Year - Wyldewood Cellars, Mulvane, Kan.

E&J Gallo Winery of Modesto, Calif., was awarded the Winery of the Year Trophy, sponsored by the Leisure Family. The trophy honors the competition's best international brand.

Gehringer Brothers Estate Winery won the Winemaker of the Year Trophy, honoring the winery that wins the most gold medals by brand at the competition.

Indiana was well represented in the competition. Hoosier wineries won 363 medals, including 22 double gold, 26 gold, 110 silver and 76 bronze.

Oliver Winery of Bloomington won the Indiana Winery of the Year, the Governor's Cup, recognizing the top-winning Indiana winery. Wildcat Creek Winery of Lafayette was awarded Indiana Wine of the Year for its Chambourcin.

The Indy International features a special award division for Indiana-grown wines. Wines must be composed of more than 85 percent Indiana grown fruit to be eligible. Wildcat Creek Winery won Indiana-Made Traminette of the Year, honoring Indiana's signature wine and grape. Wildcat Creek also won Indiana-Grown American Wine of the Year for its Steuben. Brown County Winery of Nashville won Indiana-Grown Fruit Wine of the Year for its 2011 Hard Cider. River City Winery won the French-American Wine category for its 2011 Vignoles. Huber Orchard, Winery & Vineyards of Starlight won the Indiana-grown Vinifera Wine of the Year for its 2010 Heritage.

The Indy International began in 1973 as an Indiana-only event but began including entries from around the world in 1992 under the leadership of Richard Vine. Butzke took over leadership of the competition in 2006.

Organized by the Purdue Wine Grape Team since 1991, the Indy International Wine Competition is the largest scientifically organized and independent wine competition in the United States, now the world's largest wine market. "The Indy results are a crucial guide for wineries who need to swiftly respond to every-changing consumer preferences and global winemaking trends," said Christian Butzke, professor of enology at Purdue University and chief judge of the competition.

Major trophies for the commercial wines include Wine of the Year, White Wine of the Year, Red Wine of the Year, Sparkling Wine of the Year, Rosé Wine of the Year, Dessert Wine of the Year, Winery of the Year and Winemaker of the Year. This year the Indy introduces a paperless judging panel that will allow judges to enter wine aroma descriptors and scores on tablet computers to provide feedback to the winemakers.

The competition will be held at the historic ballrooms of the Purdue University Memorial Union in West Lafayette, Indiana. The general public is invited to come and watch August 3^rd and 4^th from 10 am to 3 pm, and Friday, August 5^th for the Wine of the Year taste-off from 11 am to noon. Entry information and a listing of all award-winning wines is available at www.indyinternational.org.

An article posted on the New York Cork Report website last week took a bold stand on the subject of wine competitions: The website's writers and editors will no longer accept invitations to judge them. After much deliberation, the NYCR crew came to the conclusion that competitions don't provide any real value to the consumer -- and it's calling on other would-be wine judges to join the boycott.

Before I go any further, I should tell you that the company I work for organizes three major wine competitions: the West Coast Wine Competition, the International Eastern Wine Competition and the Grand Harvest Awards.

That said, I must admit that I have some mixed feelings about wine judgings. They are not perfect. I have judged in competitions where we were called upon to make medal declarations in less time than it would take to pick up the glass and take a sniff -- let alone actually taste the wine. Why? Because we each had to taste through 147 wines before lunch, and there simply wasn't any time to spare on frivolous activities like thinking.

And yes, some organizers pressure judges to "be generous" when awarding medals, because when wineries do well, they're more likely to enter their wines in that competition next year. Some judges have even told me that they were not asked to return the following year because they were "too tough" on the wines.

But that's not to say that all competitions are run that way. The folks I know who organize these events -- not only my work colleagues, but respected fellow wine writers like Dan Berger and WRO publisher Robert Whitley -- do so with great care and integrity.

Last month, I judged at the Indy International Wine Competition at Purdue University, one of the country's largest competitions. I was actually a bit wary of participating in such a giant contest -- there were more than 2,500 wines entered, and only about a dozen judging panels to taste through them all in less than three days. But I was pleasantly surprised at the pace of judging; we were given as much time as we needed to taste and re-taste the wines in front of us. At no point did I feel rushed or pressured.

I think I can speak for my panel -- highly qualified wine pros representing wine education, retail, and winemaking perspectives -- when I say that we took our job seriously. If we felt that a particular wine was not medal-worthy, it did not get an award. We didn't agree unanimously on every wine, but the best wines had a way of transcending individual palate differences to rise to the top.

Who Benefits?

While wine competitions are designed to help lead consumers to wines that they'll enjoy, they are not organized entirely as a public service. Here's a breakdown of the various parties who benefit from them:

Wineries: Winning medals helps wineries sell bottles. When a shopper is choosing between two similar wines on a shelf, the one sporting a medal from a major wine competition has an advantage. Competitions also allow wineries the opportunity to get their products in front of influential wine judges -- writers, retailers and sommeliers -- who could end up placing an order or praising their wines in the media. I know many wine writers -- myself included -- who have gone on to write about a particular wine or producer that they encountered in a wine competition.

Organizers: Wine competitions make money, whether it's for a company, educational institution or a charity. The more wines entered, the more money the organizers make in entry fees. But it's not all gravy; there are plenty of organizational costs involved: administration, site fees, glassware rentals, travel expenses for the judges, etc.

Judges: They're not doing it for the money. Some competitions will pay judges a small honorarium -- say, $100 -- for their time, but many pay only to reimburse them for their travel expenses. So why do it? It's just plain fun to spend time discussing and tasting wine with professionals from all aspects of the industry, and you inevitably learn something interesting or valuable in the process. I've tasted thousands of wines in my life, but until I judged the Indy competition, I can't say that I'd ever sampled eight rhubarb wines in a sitting. I also had the opportunity to taste wines made from native and hybrid varieties that I never would have come across in California. It's that sort of thing that keeps judges coming back.

Consumers: Here's where the debate comes in. Wine competition detractors contend that because the various contests are conducted in different ways and the quality of judges varies from competition to competition, they are too confusing to have any value for consumers. But the same thing could be said of wine reviews, whether they're published in Wine Spectator or posted on a personal blog. Like wine competition organizers, individual wine reviewers and publications take different approaches, and some have more integrity and skill than others. But that doesn't mean that all wine reviews are worthless.

Regardless of the differences between competitions, competent professional judges can tell the difference between a so-so wine and a terrific one -- and this is ultimately reflected in the medals awarded.

The problem comes in, however, when wineries or salespeople are selective in how they present their award information to the public. In the past few years, many competitions have bumped up the number of categories in which wineries can win medals. Producers of high-end wines didn't want to risk having some $7 Merlot beat their $45 Merlot, so some organizers responded by dividing the wines into several categories by price-point. Once medals are awarded, it's up to the winery or retailer to let consumers know not only that this $7 Merlot won a gold medal in the competition, but that it won a gold medal in the under-$10 category. That context is very important. Otherwise, someone might buy that wine and wonder why it's not the best Merlot they ever tasted; when you specify the category for the gold medal -- whether it's based on price, region or some other factor -- it's no longer misleading.

Sifting Through the Clutter

As with wine reviews, finding the value in individual wine competitions involves a little knowledge about the source. Look for competitions that are run by reputable organizations or individuals, and that are transparent about their judging process. Credible contests have websites that list the names and credentials of their judges, and stats on the number of entries in the latest competition vs. the number of medals awarded. If 85% of entries in a competition received medals, the judges are probably being too generous (even a 15% gold medal rate is high). You'll also find listings of the most recent competition's medal winners, which will give you an idea of the caliber of entries and how the wines you enjoy were rated.

While I respect NYCR's decision to bow out of judging wine competitions because of the flaws in the system, I would argue that by doing so, its editors are missing out on some great opportunities to educate themselves -- and their readers -- about unfamiliar wines and producers, and to broaden their perspectives through interaction with other judges.

It is those aspects of wine judging -- and the thought that I might just help a thirsty wine lover find a new favorite -- that will keep me from joining the boycott.

http://www.winereviewonline.com/Tina_Caputo_on_Wine_Competitions.cfm

Bellhurst Winery of Geneva, N.Y., received the Wine of the Year award for its 2009 Riesling.

Bellhurt's winning entry was among nearly 2,700 wines in the competition. Wines from 15 countries as far away as France, Australia, Chile and Spain were judged on appearance, aroma, taste and aftertaste by 14 panels of judges. In all, 52 judges from the United States and Canada evaluated the entries.

"Our 52 international judges picked some truly exceptional wines to receive recognition as Wines of the Year of the Indy International Wine Competition," said Christian Butzke, associate professor in Purdue's Department of Food Science. "Fifteen countries entered a fascinating range of wines that represent an amazing diversity that makes tasting and judging wine so enjoyable vintage after vintage."

Other wine entry awards included:

* White Wine of the Year - 2008 Traminette, French Lick Winery, French Lick, Ind.

* Red Wine of the Year - 2006 Artist Series Meritage Red, Chateau Ste. Michelle, Woodinville, Wash.

* Rosé Wine of the Year - Simply Pink, St. Julian Winery, Paw Paw, Mich.

* Sparkling Wine of the Year - Blanc de Noirs, Gloria Ferrer Caves & Vineyards, Sonoma, Calif.

* Dessert Wine of the Year - 2008 Icewine Express, Debonne Vineyards, Madison, Ohio.

* Fruit Wine of the Year - Strawberry Rhubarb, Maple River Winery, Casselton, N.D.

* Honey Wine of the Year - Winehaven Winery & Vineyard, Minnesota.

* Honey Wine Blend of the Year - Mango Harvest Flavors, Oliver Winery, Bloomington, Ind.

* Indiana Wine of the Year - Vidal Blanc Ice Wine, Satek Winery, Fremont, Ind.

E&J Gallo Winery of Modesto, Calif., was awarded the Winery of the Year Trophy, sponsored by the Leisure Family. The trophy honors the best international brand of the competition. E&J Gallo won double gold, gold, silver and bronze medals.

Oliver Winery won the Winemaker of the Year Trophy, honoring the winery that won the most gold medals by brand at the competition.

Indiana was well represented in the competition, with 31 of the state's wineries entering. Hoosier wineries took home 21 double gold, 22 gold, 89 silver and 94 bronze medals.

"The Indiana wineries went head-to-head with wines from throughout the world and brought home 226 medals," said Jeanette Merritt, marketing director for the Indiana Wine Grape Council. "This shows that Indiana wines are of high quality and can be judged well against any wine in the world."

Huber Orchard & Winery won the Indiana Winery of the Year, the Governor's Cup, recognizing the winningest Indiana winery.

The Indy International features a special award division for Indiana-grown wines. Wines must be composed of more than 85 percent Indiana grown fruit to be eligible. French Lick Winery won Indiana-Made Traminette of the Year, honoring Indiana's signature wine and grape. Oliver Winery won the Indiana-Grown Fruit Wine of the Year for its 2009 Beanblossom Hard Cider. Huber Orchard, Winery & Vineyard won the French-American Wine category for its 2009 Vignoles and the Indiana-Grown Vinifera Wine of the Year for its 2008 Knobstone Blaufrankisch. Easley Winery of Indianapolis won the Indiana-Grown American Wine of the Year for its Pink Catawba.

The Indy International Wine Competition began in 1973 as an Indiana-only event. The competition began admitting entries from around the world in 1992 under Richard Vine. Butzke took over the leadership of the competition in 2006.

The Indy International is held at Purdue and run by the Indiana Wine Grape Council. For a list of all medal-winning wines, log onto http://www.indyinternational.org

The Indy International Wine Competition is the largest scientifically organized and independent wine competition in the United States, the world's largest wine market. Commercial entries from 12 countries and 39 US states will be evaluated by our distinguished judges. Wine writers and winemakers, winegrowers and enologists, chefs and sommeliers, wine distributors, retailers and consumers meet every year in Indiana, the heart of America, a truly central place for wines to be seen and recognized.

Competition categories include commercial and amateur entries. Amateur winemakers and commercial fruit winemakers will find the Indy International appealing since the Indy International provides special trophies and recognition for both of these categories. Trophies for the commercial wine class include Wine of the Year, White Wine of the Year, Red Wine of the Year, and a Pacesetter Trophy, awarded to the winningest winery at the competition.

The competition will be held at the Purdue University Memorial Union in West Lafayette, Indiana. Judging will take place from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday and from 11:30am-1pm on Friday.

Cheers,

Prof. Christian Butzke, Chief Judge

Wines from 10 countries as far away as France, Australia and Spain were judged on appearance, aroma, taste, and aftertaste by 16 panels of judges. In all, 72 judges flew in from the United State and Canada to evaluate the wines.

Rancho Zabaco Winery of Healdsburg, California was awarded the Wine of the Year award for its 2007 Reserve Zinfandel. White Wine of the Year honors went to Stone Hill Winery of Hermann, Missouri for their 2008 Vignoles. Barrel Oak Winery of Delaplane, Virginia won Red Wine of the Year for their 2008 Norton. Rosé Wine of the Year was awarded to Butler Winery of Bloomington, Indiana for their 2008 Chambourcin Rosé.

The Sparkling Wine of the Year was awarded to Chateau Frank of Hammondsport, New York for their 2002 Brut and Gehringer Brothers Estate Winery of Canada took the Dessert Wine of the Year honors for their 2007 Minus Nine Icewine.

Ertel Cellars of Batesville, Indiana won Fruit Wine of the Year for their Strawberry. The last two categories, Honey Wine of the Year and Honey Wine Blend of the Year were awarded to Winehaven Winery & Vineyard of Minnesota and to Oliver Winery of Bloomington, Indiana, respectively.

E&J Gallo Winery of Modesto, California was awarded the Winery of the Year Trophy, sponsored by the Leisure Family. The Pacesetter Trophy honors the Best International Brand of the entire competition. E&J Gallo Winery won two double gold, 17 gold, 38 silver and 32 bronze medals.

Huber Orchard & Winery of Starlight, Indiana won the Winemaker of the Year Trophy, honoring the winery that wins the most gold medals by brand at the competition.

The Indiana State Fair Wine Competition began in 1973 as an Indiana-only event. The competition began admitting entries from across the world in 1992 under Richard Vine, PhD. Dr. Christian Butzke took over the leadership of the competition in 2006.

"It is gratifying to see the Indy International's continued success," says Butzke, Chief Judge. "Wineries from all over the world value the medals they receive from this competition."

Indiana was well represented in the competition, with 25 of the state's wineries entering. Hoosier wineries took home a total of 10 double gold, 36 gold, 108 silver, and 120 bronze medals.

"The Indiana wineries went head to head with wines from throughout the world and brought home 274 medals," said Jeanette Merritt, marketing director for the Indiana Wine Grape Council. "This shows that Indiana wines are of high quality and can be judged well against any wine in the world."

Huber Orchard & Winery also won the Indian a Winery of the Year, sponsored by the Indiana State Fair. Adding to their medal count, Huber's also took home Indiana Wine of the Year for their 2007 Knobstone Chambourcin.

The Indy International has a special award division for Indiana grown wines. A wine must be composed of more than 85% Indiana grown fruit to be eligible. Huber Orchard and Winery of Starlight won the Indiana-grown Fruit Wine of the Year for their Raspberry Dessert Wine. Butler Winery of Bloomington the French-American Wine category for their Chambourcin Rosé. Oliver Winery the Indiana-grown American Wine of the Year for their 2007 Creekbend Catawba. Huber Orchard & Winery won the Indiana-grown Vinifera Wine of the Year 2007 Knobstone Cabernet Franc.