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 |
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