2,519 entries judged August 21-23 at Hildene, The Lincoln Family Home in Manchester, Vermont 2,519................................. entries hobby wines assembled annually under one roof. Over the course of three days, experienced judging panels worked through 619 619.............................. wine flights flights, examining each wine using the UC-Davis 20-point wine 631.....................total judging hours scale evaluating appearance, aroma, taste, aftertaste and overall impression. The wines were entered in 50 different categories 50.......................... American states and included an astonishing array of varietals and wine styles. Kit 5.......................Canadian provinces wines competed alongside fresh-grape entries in this blind tasting. Entries were awarded gold, silver, bronze and best of show medals 6.....................................Countries based on the average score given by the judging panel. The Gene Spaziani Grand Champion Wine award was the top overall scoring wine across all categories. The Club of the Year was given to the rom August 21 to 23, 2020, a total of 2,519 different club whose members won the most medals and the Retailer of the wines were judged at the Lincoln Family Summer Estate Year and U-Vint of the Year awards were given to the winemaking F at Hildene in Manchester, Vermont. This year’s judging supply stores whose customers outperformed other similar shops. was postponed three earlier times due to state pandemic man- Finally the Winemaker of the Year award was given to the individ- dates and was moved to an outdoor tented location in WineMaker ual entrant who has the highest average score across their top 5 Magazine’s hometown for safety reasons. Social distancing, mask scoring wines in the competition. wearing when not evaluating wine, and dozens of other precau- Congratulations to everyone who won a medal, and a sincere tions were put into place to make sure your wine was judged safe- thanks to our sponsors, Competition Director Ric Quental, Events ly and with the expert thoroughness of prior years. Manager Jannell Kristiansen, our judges, competition volunteers, This year’s competition was again the largest wine competition and of course everyone who took time to enter and showed great of its kind in the world. The 2,519 entries arrived from hobby patience as we waited until we could safely hold this judging winemakers living throughout North America in all 50 American event. We are already busy planning for the 2021 edition of this states and 5 Canadian provinces and as far away as Australia. It competition so get your wines ready for the Monday, March 16, continues to be the single largest and most diverse collection of 2021 entry deadline! Cheers and thanks for entering your wines! GENE SPAZIANI GRAND CHAMPION WINE Lee Moore SPONSOR: Atlantic Beach, North Carolina 100% Vintner’s Best Peach 2019 WINEMAKER OF THE YEAR BEST OF SHOW RED BEST OF SHOW WHITE Brian Cline Donald St. Claire Mark Pausch Monroe, Wisconsin Angels Camp, California Rocky Hill, New Jersey SPONSOR: 100% Barbera 2017 100% Estate Riesling 2019 SPONSOR: SPONSOR: BEST OF SHOW DESSERT BEST OF SHOW COUNTRY FRUIT BEST OF SHOW ESTATE GROWN Joe Pauline Brian Cline Steve and Sylvia Kott Franklinville, New Jersey Monroe, Wisconsin Auburn, New York 97% Winexpert Selection Port, 100% Winexpert Island Mist Strawberry 100% Estate Marechal Foch 2018 3% Ground Coffee and Coffee Beans 2015 Watermelon Shiraz 2019 SPONSOR: SPONSOR: SPONSOR: BEST OF SHOW SPARKLING BEST OF SHOW MEAD BEST OF SHOW KIT/CONCENTRATE Timothy M. Valdez Anthony Scardaville Lucie Doyon Colorado Springs, Colorado Jackson, New Jersey Gatineau, Quebec 100% Willamette Valley 50% Wildflower Honey, 50% Bochet, 100% RJS Craft Winemaking Gewürztraminer 2018 Bourbon barrel-aged 2019 Cru Specialty Pomme Tatin 2011 SPONSOR: SPONSOR: SPONSOR: RETAILER OF THE YEAR CLUB OF THE YEAR U-VINT OF THE YEAR Valley Vintner • Livermore, California Contra Costa Wine Group • California Curds & Wine • San Diego, California SPONSOR: SPONSOR: SPONSOR: 2 2020 Medal Winners White Native Blush/Rosé Red French-American American Varietal Native American Hybrid Varietal Sponsor: LOGIC, Inc. 2 Entries 66 Entries 17 Entries SILVER GOLD SILVER Thomas Ruff, Jr. • Aliquippa, PA Ron Mensink • Madison, WI Debby Burton • Fayetteville, AR 50% • Concord, 50% Niagara 2016 100% Petite Pearl 2018 100% Muscadine Carlos 2018 Rich Torquemada • Stevensville, MT John and Rowena Fox • Cherry Tree, PA 81% Estate Frontenac, 100% Niagara 2018 Red or White 10% Estate Marquette, 7% Estate Noiret, Brian Thompson • Parma, OH Native American Late 2% Estate Zweigelt 2018 100% Niagara 2019 Harvest and Ice Wine 1 Entry SILVER BRONZE No Medals Awarded Michael Gibbs • Monroe, NC Devin Cagnolatti • Zachary, LA 100% Yadkin Valley Chamnbourcin 2018 100% Estate Muscadine 2019 Vincent Ionata • Lafayette Hill, PA Joseph Hulbert • Adams, NY White French-American 100% RJS Craft Winemaking Cru Select 100% Finger Lakes Diamond 2017 Hybrid Varietal International Baco Noir 2019 46 Entries Myron Kirksey • Mulberry, AR GOLD 100% Chambourcin 2018 White Native Lisa Nordmann • Fenton, MO Kathleen P. Ondrus • Fruita, CO American Blend 100% Vignoles 2019 100% Crimson Cabernet 2019 3 Entries Bob and Paula Sawitski • Ypsilanti Mark Pausch • Rocky Hill, NJ No Medals Awarded Township, MI 84% Estate Chambourcin, 16% Estate 75% Estate Brianna, 20% Estate Seyval Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 Blanc, 5% Estate Traminette 2018 Greg Rose • Gardnerville, NV Red Native SILVER 100% Estate Frontenac, French Oak 2019 American Varietal Thomas J. DeLong • Concord, OH Brian Thompson • Parma, OH 32 Entries 100% New York Vignoles 2019 100% Chambourcin 2019 GOLD Bob and Paula Sawitski • Ypsilanti Debby Burton • Fayetteville, AR Township, MI BRONZE 100% Ives Noir 2019 100% Estate La Crescent 2018 Dominick and Laura Leigh Agnese • Bethpage, NY BRONZE BRONZE 100% Foch 2018 John and Rowena Fox • Cherry Tree, PA Jim Bresnan • Leraysville, PA Michael Donabedian • Vancouver, WA 100% Fredonia 2018 100% Estate Valvin Muscat 2019 100% Estate Marechal Foch 2015 John R. Giles • Succasunna, NJ Jim Bresnan • Leraysville, PA Terry Doub • Baton Rouge, LA 100% Concord 2018 100% Estate St. Pepin 2019 100% RJS Craft Winemaking Cru Ed Hisscock • Ann Arbor, MI Stephen Brunkhorst • Chesterfield, MO International Niagara Baco Noir 2017 100% Muscadine 2019 95% Chardonal, 5% Vignoles 2018 Kathleen P. Ondrus • Fruita, CO Liza Munion • Melbourne, FL Terence Chrzan • Rochester, NY 100% Marechal Foch 2019 100% Noble Muscadine 2019 100% New York Cayuga 2018 Kim Reckermann • Orangeville, ON Greg Ross • Gardenville, NV Dave Flegle • Indiana, PA 100% RJS Craft Winemaking Cru 75% Estate Cynthiana, 25% Estate 100% Traminette 2018 International Niagara Baco Noir 2019 Gewürztraminer 2019 Jeremy Fuelling • Marshall, WI Mike Tomell • Frenchtown, MT Robert M. Rosser • Boaz, AL 100% Estate Edelweiss 2018 96% Estate Marquette, 4% Merlot 2016 100% Estate Ison Muscadine 2018 Steve and Sylvia Kott • Auburn, NY Tessie Wesley • Austell, GA 100% Estate Villard 2018 Red French-American 100% Muscadine 2019 Larry Liberatore • Auburn, NY Hybrid Blend Mike Willman, Sr. • Simpsonville, KY 100% Fulkerson Winery New York 17 Entries 100% Niagara 2016 Seyval Blanc 2019 SILVER Mike Nall • Louisville, KY Bob and Paula Sawitski • Ypsilanti 100% Villard Blanc 2017 Township, MI Red Native Kathleen P. Ondrus • Fruita, CO 50% Estate Marquette, American Blend 100% Traminette 2019 50% Estate Seyvall Blanc 2017 4 Entries John Phillips • Kinsman, OH Bob and Paula Sawitski • Ypsilanti SILVER 75% Estate Cayuga, Township, MI James Wisniewski • Harborcreek, PA 25% Estate Niagara 2019 50% Estate Marquette, 67% • Concord, 33% Niagara 2018 Bob Zinkel • Madison, WI 50% Estate Foch 2017 100% Delaware 2018 BRONZE BRONZE Angie Hebert • Port Neches, TX Ross Farrugia • Sterling, CT 70% Estate Ison Muscadine, White French-American 66% Estate Marquette, 20% Estate 30% Estate Noble Muscadine 2018 Hybrid Blend Frontenac, 13% Estate Sabrevois 2016 Robert M. Rosser • Boaz, AL 8 Entries Edward Rollins • Johnson City, TN 50% Muscadine, 50% Norton 2019 SILVER 25% Estate Norton, 25% Estate Brian Thompson • Parma, OH James Abate • Red Bank, NJ Chambourcin, 25% Estate Marquette, 60% • Concord, 40% Vincent 2019 40% Estate Vidal Blanc, 20% Estate 25% Estate Noiret 2017 Traminette, 20% Estate Chardonnay, Robert St. Jean • Cantley, QC 20% Estate Viognier 2018 44% Estate Frontenac, 31% Estate St. Croix, 25% Estate Marquette 2018 BRONZE Greg Stricker • St Charles, MO 60% Vignoles, 40% Vidal 2018 2020 Medal Winners 3 Blush/Rosé Matt Ferraro, Carrie Vonderhaar, SILVER French-American Hybrid and Stan Ferraro • Carmel Valley, CA James Scott and Eileen Flores • 13 Entries 100% Chardonnay 2019 Washington, NJ BRONZE Earl Greaser • Uniontown, OH 100% Gewürztraminer 2019 Greg Ross • Gardenville, NV 100% RJS Craft Winemaking Chris and Jillian Vachon • Stoddard, NH 100% Frontenac 2019 French Chardonnay 2018 100% California Gewürztraminer 2018 Scott Lidah • Whitmore Lake, MI 100% Winexpert Australian BRONZE Red or White Chardonnay 2018 Stephen Fields • Gansevoort, NY French-American Late Richard A. Merkosky • Painesville, OH 100% Winexpert Vintner’s Reserve Harvest and Ice Wine 100% Grand Rver Valley Ohio Gewürztraminer 2019 4 Entries Chardonnay 2019 Chenlong Wang • Scarborough, ON BRONZE Stefano Milito • Plano, TX 100% RJS Craft Winemaking Cru Select Vincent Ionata • Lafayette Hill, PA 100% Chardonnay 2018 German Gewürztraminer 2019 100% RJS Craft Winemaking Specialty