2016 Jefferson Cup Invitational Results – Texas Wineries

The Jefferson Cup Invitational celebrated its 17th year as the only competition that honors the best of the best among wineries from all of America’s wine regions. Each year the competition selects great wines from across America; the 2016 competition included wines from 27 states. At the end of the second day of this year’s tasting, November 18, 2016 wines from nine different states had captured top honors.

The two-day competition awarded 24 Jefferson Cup Trophies. Jefferson Cups were awarded to wines made from both vinifera vines and non-vinifera vines.

These 24 prestigious Jefferson Cups, the Sweepstakes Awards for the competition, were awarded to two sparkling wines, 10 white wines, nine red wines, one fruit wine and two dessert wines. “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,” said Jefferson Cup Invitational founder Doug Frost. “This year for the first time ever, we had a fruit wine and a muscadine based wine as winners, and there were once again great examples of wine, both from vinifera and non-vinifera grapes.” Together with 31 other Jefferson Cup nominated wines, these 24 wines represent some of the most compelling wines made in America.

Although many expect California to dominate the awards, Jefferson Cups were won by eight other states as well: Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, New York, and Washington State. The Jefferson Cup nominees, all Double Gold recipients, included wines from 15 different states. And while there is no quota for non-vinifera wines in the Jefferson Cup finals, with both red wines and white wines, the number of vinifera and non-vinifera wines among the nominees was virtually identical.

While in years past, the Jefferson Cup utilized unique nomenclature for its awards, this year the competition adopted Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Double Gold medals as its standards, responding to requests of many participating wineries. Out of 720 participating wines, the judges selected just 190 wines to receive the Bronze Medals, honoring wines exemplary of their regions and varieties, 345 wines received Silver Medals, and the judges found 66 wines to be worthy of Gold Medals, and 31 being granted Double Gold Medals.

Following the Jefferson Cup competition, the remaining wines were donated for an annual event that benefits children and adults in need. This year the Jefferson Cup raised more than $100,000 for Angel Flight Central. See the competition’s website for more information on the competition.

No Texas winery won a Jefferson Cup this year. These are all the results of the Texas wineries:

Winery	Wine	Category	Award
Bar Z Winery	Cabernet Sauvignon Lil Hoss Newsom Vineyard 2011 Texas	Cabernet Sauvign	BRONZE
Becker Vineyards	Merlot Inverno 2014 Texas HIgh Plains La Quatro Stagione	Merlot	BRONZE
Becker Vineyards	Raven 2013 Texas Hill Country	Vinifera Red Blend	BRONZE
Becker Vineyards	Viogner Reserve 2014 Texas High Plains	Viognier	BRONZE
Becker Vineyards	Jolie 2014 Texas	Rose Vinifera	SILVER
Brennan Vineyards	Super Nero 2014 Texas	Nero d'Avola	BRONZE
Brennan Vineyards	Tempranillo 2014 Texas	Tempranillo	SILVER
Brennan Vineyards	Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 Texas	Vinifera Red Blend	BRONZE
Brennan Vineyards	Viogner Reserve 2015 Texas, Newburg Vineyard	Viognier	SILVER
Brennan Vineyards	Viognier 2015 Texas	Viognier	SILVER
Brennan Vineyards	Lily Reserve 2015 Texas	Muscat of Alexand	SILVER
Brennan Vineyards	Dry Rose 2015 Texas	Rose Vinifera	SILVER
Eden Hill Vineyard	Chambourcin Smith Estate 2015 Texas	Chambourcin	SILVER
Eden Hill Vineyard	Roussanne 2015 Texas High Plains	Roussanne	BRONZE
Eden Hill Vineyard	Albarino-Viognier 2015 Texas	Vinifera White Ble	DOUBLE GOLD
Flat Creek Estate	Tempranillo 2013 Texas	Tempranillo	SILVER
Flat Creek Estate	Cuvee Rouge 2014 American	Vinifera Red Blend	BRONZE
Flat Creek Estate	Viognier 2015 Texas High Plains Diamante Doble	Viognier	SILVER
Flat Creek Estate	Blanc du Bois 2015 Texas	Blanc du Bois	SILVER
Fredericksburg Winery	Main Street Christmas Red nv Texas	Flavored wine	BRONZE
Fredericksburg Winery	Zelebration nv Texas	Riesling	BRONZE
Fredericksburg Winery	Bluewinged Teal Dry Gewurztraminer nv Texas	Gewurztraminer	BRONZE
Fredericksburg Winery	Come and Take It nv Texas	Muscat Canelli	BRONZE
Fredericksburg Winery	Snow-on-the-Mountain Orange Muscat nv Texas	Muscat Orange M	BRONZE
Fredericksburg Winery	Main Street Christmas White nv Texas	Vinifera White Ble	BRONZE
McPherson Cellars	Les Copains Red 2014 Texas	Vinifera Red Blend	SILVER
McPherson Cellars	La Herencia 2014 Texas	Vinifera Red Blend	BRONZE
McPherson Cellars	Albarino 2015 Texas	Albarino	SILVER
McPherson Cellars	Chenin Blanc Old Vine 2015 Texas	Chenin Blanc	SILVER
Pedernales Cellars	Tempranillo 2014 Texas High Plains	Tempranillo	GOLD
Pedernales Cellars	Tempranillo Reserve 2014 Texas	Tempranillo	SILVER
Pedernales Cellars	Viognier 2015 Texas	Viognier	SILVER
Red Caboose Winery & Vineyards	Touriga Nacional 2012 Texas	Touriga Nacional	SILVER
Red Caboose Winery & Vineyards	Tempranillo La Reina 2013 Texas	Tempranillo	BRONZE
Red Caboose Winery & Vineyards	Malbec 2012 Texas	Malbec	SILVER
Red Caboose Winery & Vineyards	Quickdraw Syrah 2012 Texas	Syrah	SILVER
Red Caboose Winery & Vineyards	Rolling Red nv American	Vinifera Red Blend	BRONZE
Red Caboose Winery & Vineyards	Tempranillo Blend Range Rider nv Texas	Vinfera Red Blend	SILVER
Red Caboose Winery & Vineyards	Lenoir 2012 Texas	Lenoir	GOLD
Red Caboose Winery & Vineyards	Lenoir/Tempranillo 2012 Texas	Vinifera/Hybrid/Na	GOLD
Red Caboose Winery & Vineyards	Roussanne 2015 Texas	Roussanne	SILVER
Red Caboose Winery & Vineyards	Some of That Red nv Texas	Fortified vinifera	SILVER
Spicewood Vineyards	Mourvedre 2014 Texas High Plains	Mourvedre	BRONZE
Spicewood Vineyards	Tempranillo 2014 Texas High Plains	Tempranillo	BRONZE
Spicewood Vineyards	Tempranillo 2014 Texas Hill Country	Tempranillo	BRONZE
Spicewood Vineyards	Syrah 2013 Escondido Valley	Syrah	BRONZE
Spicewood Vineyards	Cabernet Claret 2015 Texas	Vinifera Red Blend	DOUBLE GOLD
Spicewood Vineyards	The Good Guy 2013 Texas Hill Country	Vinifera Red Blend	BRONZE
Spicewood Vineyards	Sauvignon Blanc 2015 Texas Hill Country	Sauvignon Blanc	SILVER
Spicewood Vineyards	Tempranillo Rose 2015 Texas High Plains	Rose Vinifera	SILVER
Texas Hills Vineyard	Sangiovese 2012 Texas High Plains	Sangiovese	SILVER
Texas Hills Vineyard	Syrah Estate 2012 Texas Hill Country	Syrah	SILVER
Texas Hills Vineyard	Kick Butt Cab 2013 Texas Hill Country	Cabernet Sauvign	oGOLD
Texas Hills Vineyard	Chardonnay Estate 2014 Texas Hill Country	Chardonnay	GOLD
Texas Hills Vineyard	Orange Moscato 2013 Texas High Plains	Dessert Wine	BRONZE
Vineyard at Florence (The)	Forte 2014 Texas	Lenoir	DOUBLE GOLD
Vineyard at Florence (The)	Aurelia 2014 Texas	Blanc du Bois	SILVER