Award Winners of 2019
Honors bestowed throughout the year
Oregon Wine Symposium
Oregon Wine Leadership Award > Rep. Paul Holvey and Sen. Arnie Roblan. Industry Leadership Award > Alison Sokol Blosser, Sokol Blosser Winery. Industry Partner Award > Dan Jarman, Crosswater Strategies. Vineyard Excellence Award > Meliton Martinez, King Estate. Founders Award > Ken and Grace Evenstad, Domaine Serene. Board Service Awards > Steve Thomson, Cristom Vineyards; and JP Valot, Silvan Ridge. Lifetime Achievement Award > Jesús Guillén, Guillén Family Wines (posthumously).
Oregon Wine Experience
Best of Show Red > Valcan 2015 Syrah. Best of Show White > Trium Wines 2018 Viognier. Best of Show Specialty > Maison Jussiaume 2016 Blanc de Blancs.
Greatest of the Grape
Professional Awards: Platinum Medal (one given) > Delfino 2015 Forza Tempranillo. Food Winner > True Kitchen & Bar. Best Restaurant/Winery Presentation Winner > Condon’s Culinary Creations. People’s Choice Awards: Greatest of the Grape > (tie) Becker 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon; and Cooper Ridge 2015 Merlot. Favorite Red > Delfino 2015 Forza Tempranillo. Favorite White > Abacela 2018 Albariño. Favorite Wine and Food Pairing > Becker 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon and Firehouse Fudge Company’s simple, creamy milk chocolate fudge. Favorite Food > Steamboat Inn’s smoked bacon conserva in gourgeres. Professional gold, silver and bronze medals, and runners-up can be found online: umpquavalleywineries.org.
¡Salud! Oregon Pinot Noir Auction
Legacy Winemaker > Lynn Penner-Ash, Penner-Ash Wine Cellars.
McMinnville Wine & Food Classic
Best of Show, Best Red, Best Pinot Noir > Cardwell Hill Cellars 2014 Estate Pinot Noir Dijon Blocks. Best Chardonnay > Cardwell Hill Cellars 2017 “The Bard” Chard. Best White > Chris James Cellars 2017 Cuvée Blanc. Best Dessert Wine > Apolloni 2015 Muscat Lacrima D’Oro.
Classic Wines Auction
VINI Award > Greg and Michele Goodwin. ORVI Award > Véronique Drouhin, Domaine Drouhin Oregon. Koerner Rombauer Award > George Hosfield.
Portland Seafood & Wine Festival
Best in Show Red > Capitello Wines 2016 Croft Vineyard Cherry Wood Label Pinot Noir. Best in Show White > Bluebird Hill Cellars 2016 Reserve Chardonnay.
Astoria Warrenton Crab, Seafood & Wine Festival
Best of Show Red > (tie) King’s Raven Winery 2014 Marechal Foch; and Territorial Vineyards 2016 “Stone’s Throw” Pinot Noir. Best of Show White > Trella Vineyards 2016 Gewürztraminer. People’s Choice Award > August Cellars 2017 Gamay Noir.
Newport Seafood & Wine Festival
Best of Show > Merrill Cellars 2016 Garnacha.
iNDY International Wine Competition
2019 Winemaker of the Year > Richard Batchelor of Maryhill Winery.
Wine Enthusiast
Top 10 Wine Clubs in U.S. > Cellar 503.
USA Today
Top 10 Specialty Food Events in the U.S. > Oregon Truffle Festival.
Rogue Creamery Rogue River Blue wins “World’s Best Cheese”
On October 19, 2019, in Northern Italy, Rogue Creamery’s Rogue River Blue was pronounced the best cheese in the world at the 2019/2020 World Cheese Awards. No American cheese had ever taken gold. Of the sixteen finalists in this year’s competition, Rogue Creamery was the only domestic one. Out of 3,804 entries from more than 40 countries, the pride of Central Point prevailed.
