Medal Winners
Since 2018, we’ve seen some amazing wine styles and look forward to the coming year’s Competition. Past competitors submitted wines in six different categories from red, rosé, white, fruit, mead and sweet wines. The wine(s) exhibited complex styles and aromas that impressed our Judges and stirred their imagination.
2023 Emerging Winemaker Medal Winners
Best in Show
Eric Fenske – 2021 Grenache & Syrah Rosé Blend: Dry
Red Wine Category
Double Gold: Benjamin McLoughlin – 2021 Sangiovese: Dry
Gold: Louis Maconi – 2021 Merlot: Dry
Silver: Eric Fenske – 2020 Syrah, Merlot, & Cabernet Blend: Dry
Rosé Wine Category
Double Gold: Eric Fenske – 2021 Grenache & Syrah Rosé Blend: Dry
Gold: Christine & David Eckels – 2022 Tannat Rosé: Dry
White Wine Category
Double Gold: Bob LaPlante – 20122 Australian Chardonnay: Dry
Gold: Greg Sticker – 2020 Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, & Vignoles Blend: Dry
Silver: Greg Sticker – 2021 Chardonel & Seyval Blend: Dry
Fruit Wine Dry Category
Double Gold: Louis Maconi – 2021 Saskatoon Berry
Silver: Michael Baldwin – 2021 Blackberry
Fruit Wine Sweet Category
Double Gold: Trevor Meyer – 2022 Pomegranite Zinfandel
Mead Category
Double Gold: Tyler Stout – 2021 Moscato Pyment
2022 Emerging Winemaker Medal Winners
BEST IN SHOW WINNER & DOUBLE GOLD
Category: Red Wine
Variety: Mingus High School Vineyard’s Cabernet Sauvignon
Christine Eckels (not shown but there in spirit), Sharon Sullivan Mattern & Nancy Boschetto
JUDGES CHOICE WINNER
Category: Red Wine
Variety: Red Rock Zinfandel
Andrew Schauffler-Vircsik
Red Wine Category
GOLD MEDAL WINNER
2020 Sangiovese - Trevor Meyer
SILVER MEDAL WINNER
2020 Petite Sirah - Tim Russo
SILVER MEDAL WINNER
2021 Grenache - Cliff Laidlaw
White Wine Category
DOUBLE GOLD MEDAL WINNER
2021 Piquepoul Blanc - Brandon Lang
GOLD MEDAL WINNER
2021 Piquepoul Blanc - Chris + David
SILVER MEDAL WINNER
2020 Gewurztraminer - Eric Fenske
SILVER MEDAL WINNER
Pinot Gris - Jeni Davis
Semi Dry Wine Category
GOLD MEDAL WINNER
2020 Moscato - Trevor Meyer
Fruit Wine Category
GOLD MEDAL WINNER
2020 Pomegranate - Tom + Teresa Messier
GOLD MEDAL WINNER
Strawberry White Zinfandel - Trevor Meyer
SILVER MEDAL WINNER
2021 Asian Pear - Tom & Teresa Messier
SILVER MEDAL WINNER
2020 Pomegranate Zinfandel - Trevor Meyer!
2021 Emerging Winemaker Medal Winners
BEST IN SHOW WINNER
Category: Mead
Variety: 2019 Prickly Pear with Desert Blossom Wildflower
Aidan James
JUDGES CHOICE WINNER
Category: White
Variety: 2020 Colombard
Brian Borrelli
Red Wine Category
DOUBLE GOLD MEDAL WINNER
2018 Petite Sirah - Tom and Teresa Messier
GOLD MEDAL WINNER
2019 Teroldego - JoAnn & Doug Brown
SILVER MEDAL WINNER
2020 Cabernet Sauvignon - Timo Geis
White Wine Category
DOUBLE GOLD MEDAL WINNER
White Blend Variety: 2020 Malvasia 90% & 10% Picpoul Blanc - Christine Eckels, David Eckels, Sharon Mattern, Hal Mattern
GOLD MEDAL WINNER
2020 Colombard - Brian Borrelli
GOLD MEDAL WINNER
White Semi-DryVariety: 2020 Picpoul Blanc - David Quivey
SILVER MEDAL WINNER
2020 Picpoul Blanc - Christine Eckels
Rosé Wine Category
GOLD MEDAL WINNER
2020 Grenache, Tannat, Tempranillo, and Malvasia Bianca Blend - Todd Peterson
Fruit Wine Category
GOLD MEDAL WINNER
2020 Tomato Jalapeno Blend - Tom & Teresa Messier
SILVER MEDAL WINNER
2019 Tomato - Tom & Teresa Messier
Sparkling Wine Category
GOLD MEDAL WINNER
2020 Chardonnay - Gabriel Crowell & Frederique Vion
SILVER MEDAL WINNER
2020 Pinot Gris -Chardonnay - Gabriel Crowell & Frederique Vion
Fortified Wine Category
SILVER MEDAL WINNER
2020 Cranberry Port - Mitch Levy & Ted Ferring
Mead Category
DOUBLE GOLD MEDAL WINNER
2019 Prickly Pear with Desert Blossom Wildflower - Aidan James
GOLD MEDAL WINNER
2021 Snowberry - Shane Carey
SILVER MEDAL WINNER
2020 CE-4 Turkish Tea - Tim Godin & Steve Solomon
2020 Emerging Winemakers Competition
Our third annual 2020 Competition and Symposium was cancelled in light of the ongoing spread of COVID-19 throughout the nation.
2019 Emerging Winemaker Medal Winners
Best in Show
Steve & Linda Solomon – 2018 Turkish Tea Mead: Semi-Dry
Most Original
Tom & Teresa Messier – 2018 Pyracantha Wine: Dry
Most Original
Aidan James – 2015 Cherry Mead: Dry
Tom & Teresa Messier – 2018 Pyracantha Wine: Dry
Red Wine Category
Double Gold: Joey Estrada & Jim Stults – 2017 Petite Sirah: Dry
Gold: Chris Brinkmeyer – 2018 Sangiovese: Dry
Silver: John Franzosa & Lisa – 2014 Zinfandel: Dry
Rosé Wine Category
Double Gold: Allen Sanchez – 2017 Sangiovese Rosé: Dry
White Wine Category
Double Gold: Eric Rosenfeld – 2018 Chardonnay / Chenin Blanc: Semi-Dry
Gold: Bill Anderson, Ted Ferring, Mitch Levy & Lisa Russell – 2018 Gruner: Dry
Silver: Tom & Teresa Messier – 2015 Trebbino: Dry
Fruit Wine Category
Silver: John Brixen – 2018 Prickly Pear: Dry
Mead Category
Double Gold: Steve & Linda Solomon – 2018 Turkish Tea: Semi-Dry
Double Gold: Richard Schulman – 2019 California Honey: Sweet
Gold: Richard Schulman – 2019 Brazilian Honey: Dry
Gold: Steve & Linda Solomon – 2018 Plum: Sweet
Silver: Michael Wiley – Cyser: Sweet
2018 Emerging Winemaker Medal Winners
Best in Show
Ted Ferring & Joey Estrada – Petite Syrah
Red Wine Category
Double Gold: Ted Ferring & Joey Estrada – Petite Syrah
Gold: Alissa Kueker – Petite Syrah
Silver: Allan Sanchez – Barbera Rosé
White Wine Category
Double Gold: Bob Garber – White Blend
Gold: Eric Rosenfeld – Piesporter Riesling
Silver: Daniel Sharayko – White Zinfandel
Fruit Wine Category
Double Gold: Tom Messier – Spiced Tomato
Gold: John Brixen – Prickly Pear Dry
Silver: Tom Messier – Spiced Orange