Midwest Wine Press

St. James Winery “Grand Champion” at Pacific Rim Competition

by · May 5, 2014

Midwest wineries have been winning medals at California wine competitions with such regularity that it’s hardly surprising any longer. However, the way St. James Winery in Missouri dominated the recent Pacific Rim competition in Southern California is truly remarkable.

The Pacific Rim judges selected St. James Winery’s Friendship School White wine as its Grand Champion, besting approximately 1,200 other wines entered to be named top wine at the 29th annual competition, a two day event held April 23-24 in San Bernardino, California.

Friendship White is a blend of Cayuga and Vidal with about 4% residual sugar. Cayuga is a hybrid grape developed by Cornell University and Vidal blanc is a French hybrid developed during the ‘30’s.

In addition to Grand Champion, St. James Winery won four other Gold / Best of Class awards at Pacific Rim for Moscato, Riesling, Friendship School Red, and Strawberry. St. James Winery Peach wine also received a gold medal, and six other wines received silver or bronze medals.

Also taking Grand Champion honors was Ohio’s DeBonne Vineyards for their 2013 vidal Blanc Ice Wine.

According the Michigan Grape and Wine Industry Council, the following Michigan wineries won Best of Class awards at the Pacific Rim Competition:

Blustone Vineyards 2013 Pinot Blanc, Boathouse Vineyards 2012 Pinot Noir, Bowers Harbor Vineyards 2012 Block II Riesling, Brys Estate 2012 Cabernet Franc and 2012 Gewurztraminer, Forty-five North 2013 Unoaked Chardonnay,Leelanau Cellars 2012 Baco Noir, St. Julian Sweet Nancie, Tabor Hill 2011 Cabernet Franc and 2012 Gewurztraminer, and Verterra 2013 Pinot Noir Rose.

 

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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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