2015 Jefferson Cup Invitational Results – Texas Wineries

The Jefferson Cup Invitational is has celebrated its sixteenth year as the only competition that honors the best of the best among wineries from all of America’s wine regions. Each year they select great wines from across America; the 2015 competition included wines from 24 states. At the end of the second day of this year’s tasting, November 20, 2015 wines from NINE different states had captured top honors. Just as the event’s namesake would have it, democracy reigned at this year’s Jefferson Cup Wine Competition.

The two-day competition culminated with the awarding of 27 Jefferson Cup Awards. Jefferson Cups were awarded to wines made from both vinifera vines (a European species responsible for more famous wines such as Chardonnay and Cabernet) and non-vinifera vines, which flourish in the more extreme climates in the U.S.

“While many competitions insist upon selecting a pre-ordained number of sweepstakes winners, our judges are allowed to find the top wines, whether there are only one, two or three, or even NO winners in some categories, as has happened in previous years,” says Jefferson Cup Invitational founder Doug Frost. “This year, for the first time in several years, we had both rosé and sparkling winners, and there were once again great examples of wine, both from vinifera and non-vinifera grapes.” Together with 55 other wines nominated for (but not awarded) the Jefferson Cup, these 27 wines represent some of the most compelling wines made in America.

The awards given out are different from other wine competitions too. The Medals of American Merit is comparable to a Silver Medal at most competitions. The next highest award is the Medals of American Excellence, which is comparable to a Gold Medal. The Jefferson Cup nominees are then nominated by the judging committees to be considered for Jefferson Cups. A nominee is equivalent to a Double Gold Medal at any other competition and a Sweepstakes Nominee. Out of those nominees, the judges collectively pick the wines to be awarded the Jefferson Cup.

This year, only one Texas winery won a Jefferson Cup, Eden Hill Vineyard, for their 2014 Aglianico Winemakers Reserve from Oswald Vineyard. Congratulations to Eden Hill Vineyard!

These are all the results of the Texas wineries:

Winery	Wine	Category	Award
Driftwood Estate Winery	Longhorn Red 2012, Texas	Vinifera Red Blend	Medal of Merit
Driftwood Estate Winery	Longhorn Red 2013, Texas	Vinifera Red Blend	Medal of Merit
Eden Hill Vineyard	Aglianico Winemakers Reserve 2014, Oswald Vineyard, Texas	Vinifera Red Varietal	Jefferson Cup
Eden Hill Vineyard	Divine Red 2014, Texas	Vinifera Red Blend	Medal of Merit
Eden Hill Vineyard	Charmant, Smith Estate Vineyard 2014, Texas	Rose	Medal of Excellence
Eden Hill Vineyard	Roussanne Winemakers Reserve 2014, Texas High Plains	Vinifera White Varietal	Medal of Excellence
Eden Hill Vineyard	Divine White 2014, Texas	Vinifera/Hybrid/Native Ble	Medal of Excellence
Fairhaven Vineyards	Nitodal NV	Hybrid Red Varietal	Medal of Excellence
Fairhaven Vineyards	Delicatessen NV	Hybrid Red Varietal	Medal of Excellence
Fairhaven Vineyards	Extra NV	Rose	Medal of Merit
Fairhaven Vineyards	Brilliant NV	Hybrid White Varietal	Medal of Excellence
Flat Creek Estate	Montepulciano Estate 2012, Texas Hill Country	Vinifera Red Varietal	Medal of Excellence
Flat Creek Estate	Super Texan Reserve 2012, Texas High Plains	Vinifera Red Blend	Medal of Merit
Flat Creek Estate	Blanc du Bois 2014, Texas	Hybrid White Varietal	Medal of Excellence
Fredericksburg Winery	Cuvee II 2014, Texas	Vinifera Red Varietal	Medal of Excellence
Fredericksburg Winery	Baron's Bach Burgundy NV, Texas	Vinifera Red Varietal	Medal of Merit
Fredericksburg Winery	Cuvee I 2014, Texas	Vinifera Red Varietal	Medal of Merit
Fredericksburg Winery	Cuvee IV 2014, Texas	Vinifera Red Blend	Medal of Excellence
Fredericksburg Winery	Texitage 2014, Texas	Zinfandel	Medal of Merit
Fredericksburg Winery	Enchanted Rock Red NV, Texas	Zinfandel	Medal of Merit
Fredericksburg Winery	Muscat Canelli Come and Take It, Diamante Doble Vineyards	Vinifera White Blend	Medal of Merit
Fredericksburg Winery	Gewurztraminer Indian Blanket NV, Texas	Gewurztraminer	Medal of Merit
Fredericksburg Winery	Gewürztraminer Gayfeather, Diamante Doble Vineyards NV, Texas	Gewurztraminer	Medal of Merit
McPherson Cellars	La Herencia 2013, Texas	Vinifera Red Blend	Medal of Excellence
McPherson Cellars	Les Copains Red, Lost Draw Vineyard 2013, Texas	Vinifera Red Blend	Medal of Excellence
McPherson Cellars	Les Copains White 2014, Texas	Vinifera White Blend	Medal of Merit
McPherson Cellars	Albarino 2014, Castano Prado Vineyards, Texas	Vinifera White Varietal	Medal of Excellence
Pedernales Cellars	Tempranillo Reserve 2013, Texas	Tempranillo	Medal of Excellence
Pedernales Cellars	Texas GSM 2013, Texas	Vinifera Red Blend	Medal of Excellence
Red Caboose Winery & Viney	Tempranillo The Cell Block 2012, American	Tempranillo	Medal of Merit
Red Caboose Winery & Viney	Range Rider 2011, Texas	Tempranillo	Medal of Merit
Red Caboose Winery & Viney	Touriga Nacional 2012, Texas	Touriga Nacional	Medal of Merit
Red Caboose Winery & Viney	Malbec 2012, Texas	Malbec	Medal of Merit
Red Caboose Winery & Viney	Lenoir 2012, Texas	Native Red Varietal	Medal of Excellence
Red Caboose Winery & Viney	Lenoir/Tempranillo 2012, Texas	Vinifera/Hybrid/Native Ble	Nominee
Red Caboose Winery & Viney	Some of That Red NV, Texas	Fortified	Medal of Excellence
Texas Hills Vineyard	Kick Butt Cab Estate 2012, Texas Hill Country	Cabernet Sauvignon	Medal of Merit
Texas Hills Vineyard	Chardonnay Estate 2014, Texas Hill Country	Chardonnay	Medal of Merit
Vineyard at Florence (The)	Aurelia 2012, Hill Country	Hybrid White Varietal	Medal of Merit