Typing this while enjoying a glass of Le Subereux aux Pinot De Corton….While celebrating our best ever showing at the Indy International Wine Competition! This wine was one of our “X” factor wines we entered – barrel fermented Vignoles. I just don’t know of any wineries who have ever barrel fermented or barrel aged Vignoles. So what would the judges think? And since Indy International has a Vignoles category, I couldn’t “hide” it in another category. For instance, The Consumer Choice Wine Competition in Sacramento doesn’t have a Vignoles category as the grape is not grown in California, so we had to find a non-variety category to have it judged. We entered it in Indy because it medaled out there, so why not here? But after sending it on its way, I thought to myself, “You dummy. Barrel fermented Vignoles doesn’t really taste like Vignoles. How is it going to medal?” I entered it because as I type this, I’m enjoying a glass. The oak has a lovely balance to it. The fruit. The acids. The finish. It’s all there…for me! So cheers! This wine has now won two medals at two different competitions!
2015 Indy International Wine Competition
So here’s the breakdown.
Favorite Medals of all time: Best in Class! Meaning we had the best wine in that category. Slip My Mind won Niagara and Lost My Mind won Blended American!!!
Second Favorite Medal: Double Gold! This means that 100% of two sets of judges gave it a gold medal. Blue My Mind and Lost My Mind
Third Favorite Medal; Gold Medal! Slip My Mind and Joe’s Jammin’ Red
Fourth Favorite Medal: Silver Medal! Red My Mind, Crossed My Mind, Traminette, White Chambourcin, Chardonnay, Le Subereux Aux Pinot De Corton, Max’s Small Batch Red #43.
Skin of our Teeth Medal: Bronze Medal! Chardonel and The Mammatus.
No Glory Wines: Entered but no medal. Serendipity (which won Best in Class at California’s Consumer Choice Wine Competition), Catherine’s Blend (medal winner at California’s Consumer Choice Wine Competition), and Forever More
Notes: This is the first time we have entered our no sugar added sweet wines. You love the clean refreshing finish, I love the clean, refreshing finish, and the judges do too! We simply didn’t enter many dry reds, categories we have traditionally done well with. We were already over budget on entries, so something had to stay home. Forever More – I should not have entered it. It’s too unique of a wine and when you can’t find a category in which it fits, find something else. We are not sure what happened with Catherine’s Blend or Serendipity, both winners in California. Oh well. We wanted to see what the My Mind wines would do, and voila!
Picking the wines outside of the My Mind wines: Thank you Christine and Hunter for your valuable insights!
Joe’s Jammin Red: First wine in after the My Minds. I thought this would be a gold medal winner and it won.
Traminette: Second wine in. In Indiana if you have a traminette and you are entering wines, it’s just something you do.
White Chambourcin: Third wine in. This new bottling is sensational to me!
Serendipity: Fourth wine in. Sure fire gold medal winner as it was a best in class in California. Oh well….
Chardonel: I love the complexity in ours. I thought it would score. We’ll take the Bronze.
Chardonnay: This was Hunter’s wine entry. He convinced me it would win, and sure enough!!!
The Mammatus: This was Christine’s wine entry. She said it would absolutely win. And sure enough!!!
Max’s Small Batch Red #43: Per Hunter and Christine. “Aren’t we entering dry reds?” “Oh crap!”
Forever More: Jim’s entry. Hunter – “The color is too um..not blush.” Christine – “I don’t see a category.” Jim – It’s either going to win the whole show or not medal.” Hunter –“So Enter Cabernet Franc!” Christine – “Enter another red, like Cabernet Franc….or Syrah.” Hunter – “Sub out Forever More and Chardonel for Franc and Syrah” Christine – “Yeah, do that. And enter Sangiovese.” Hunter – “Sub out Mammatus for Syrah.” Christine—“Yeah, what do we do with Sangiovese?” Jim—“Um….budget folks!” “What about ‘Suby’?” Christine – “We need more dry reds. That’s our calling card. That’s our reputation.” Hunter – “We got good dry reds.” Jim – “I know, we always win with reds. Heck we won a major trophy last year with dry reds. And that’s what we always enter. Why don’t we see what our other wines do? Let’s try something that is not a safe, sure bet.”
Do you see how these conversations go? I thought Forever More would flop or bring fortune. I shouldn’t have taken that chance –barrel aged off dry blend whose own unique color is Christine and Hunter were right. We had some great reds left “On Deck”, and I was gambling greatly with Forever More. Then again, we gambled with “Suby” as I call the wine, and it garnered a silver medal.
Overall, Laura, the staff, and I are very excited about this success. We thank you for your support too, for without you purchasing the wine, and “pimpin’ the turtle” by promoting our wines to your friends, we couldn’t keep doing what we are passionate about – as our motto says “Making Exceptional Quality Wine that goes with Food and Friends.”