NYS wines score major medals in Indy International

New York State wines took 102 medals in the prestigious 25th annual Indy International Wine Competition this week, with five of them earning Concordance Golds.

The competition, held at Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN, is the largest independent wine contest in the United States, with participants ranging from small private winemakers to large commercial wineries.

This year, more than 2,000 entries were grouped into 79 classes and each wine tasted by several of the 55 professional judges on the panel. A unanimous gold medal rating by a panel equals a Concordance, or Double Gold, award; a majority rating by a panel equals a Gold medal.

The Concordance Golds for New York entries were:

• Swedish Hill Winery (Finger Lakes) -- Riesling Cuvee and 2015 Pinot Grigio

• 21 Brix Winery (Lake Erie region) -- Thirsty Elephant

• Lakewood Winery (Seneca Lake) -- Long Stem White

• Wagner Vineyards (Finger Lakes) -- 2013 Semi-Dry Riesling

Gold medals for two or more New York wines:

Thirsty Owl Winery (3) -- 2015 Diamond, 2015 Snow Owl, and 2015 Traminette 21 Brix Winery (2) -- Ella's White and Ella's Red Barrington Cellars Winery -- 2015 Riesling and 2011 Dry Rose Hazlitt 1852 Wines -- 2013 Gewurztraminer and Solera Sherry Lakewood Winery -- Sparkling Catwaba and 2015 Valvin Muscat Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars -- 2014 Semi-Dry Riesling and Estate Red Cuvee Wagner Vineyards -- 2014 Riesling Caywood East Vineyard and 2013 Riesling Select Estate

Single Gold medals:

Demarest Hill Winery -- Spicy Apple Kaneb Orchards -- 2015 Apple Cranberry Hard Cider Silver Springs Winery -- Majestic Ice Swedish Hill Winery -- 2015 Blue Waters Riesling

The "Best of Category" winners (Sparkling, White, Rose, Red, and Dessert) were from California, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, and Virginia. The entuire list of medal winners is available here.

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