Cold Climate Wine Competition Winners

After much swishing and spitting, winners have been confirmed at the 2015 International Cold Climate Wine Competition (ICCWC), held today at the University of Minnesota’s Continuing Education Conference Center in St. Paul, MN.  The trophy for the best Minnesota grape wine known as the Minnesota Governor’s Cup, was won by Three Oak Wines of Albert Lea, MN, for their single varietal 2014 Frontenac Gris.  The Minnesota Governor’s Cup, a silver ice bucket, recognizes the ‘Best of Show” or top prize of all Minnesota gold-winning wines.  This is the 7th year the traveling trophy has been awarded.

The Three Oak Wines 2014 Frontenac Gris also won the Best of Show or top prize in the white wine category.

Lincoln Peak Vineyard of New Haven, VT, took Best of Show in the red wine category for their 2013 Marquette.  The Best of Show award for rosé wines, awarded this year for the first time, was won by  Shelburne Vineyard of Shelburne, VT, for their 2014 ‘Whimsey Meadow Rosé,” a Marquette-based blend from cold-climate grapes .  The specialty/fortified wine category Best of Show winner was Millner Heritage of Kimball,MN, for their 2012 ‘Müllner Nice” Frontenac Gris Dessert Wine. 

Mark Ganchiff

Mark Ganchiff is the publisher of Midwest Wine Press, the leading source of news on the growing wine industry in the central United States. Mark has been a wine judge at the 2012 and 2014 INDY International Wine Competition, the 2014 Cold Climate Wine Competition, the 2013 Mid-American Wine Competition, the 2012 Illinois State Fair Wine Competition and the 2013 Michigan Wine Competition. He also enjoys speaking at wine events including the Cold Climate Wine Conference, the Illinois Grape Growers and Vintners Association Annual Meeting, the Midwest Grape and Wine Conference and the Wisconsin Fruit and Vegetable Conference. Mark's articles about regional wine have appeared in Vineyard & Winery Management, WineMaker and several regional magazines. Mark is a Level One Sommelier in the Court of Master Sommeliers. He lives in Louisville, but also has a residence in Chicago.

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