FRANKFORT, Ky. — Three Kentucky wineries brought home 12 medals, including four golds, from the 2010 Mid-American Wine Competition in Ankeny, Iowa.

Harkness Edwards Vineyards in Winchester won two gold medals – one for its Vat 32 Viognier wine and one for the wine’s label in the Most Unique category. Harkness Edwards also received a silver medal for the label on its Taste the Sun bottle.

Wight-Meyer Vineyard and Winery in Shepherdsville won five medals, the most among Kentucky wineries. Its Diamond wine won gold, its Vignoles wine received silver, and its Dry Chardonnay, Chambourcin and Norton Reserve each got bronzes.

Elk Creek Vineyard and Winery in Owenton won a gold medal for the Best Series label on its Orchard Creek Series. The series also received three bronze medals for its Sweet Blueberry, Sweet Pomegranate and Sweet Strawberry wines.

The fourth annual Mid-American Wine Competition on July 9-11 was open only to commercial wineries in Kentucky and 15 other states across the Midwest – Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee and Wisconsin.

The Mid-American is the first competition in the nation in which wines are judged with carefully selected, food-friendly dishes, allowing the wines to be evaluated based on their synergism with food. Wine labels were also judged in seven categories: Best Label, Best Imaging, Best Series, Most Humorous, Most Humorous Series, Most Sophisticated and Most Unique.

Proceeds from the competition support the Enology International Internship program at Des Moines Area Community College, which hosted the event.

Congratulations Acres of Land Winery, Purple Toad Winery, and StoneBrook Winery for bringing home medals from the 22nd Annual International Wine and Grape Juice Competition held February 4-6, 2010. 

 Acres of Land Winery, Richmond KY, brought home a silver medal for Willie Maes Blackberry Wine, a bronze for Concord, a bronze for Vidal Blanc, and Maggie Adams Blush earned a bronze as well. 

Purple Toad Winery, Paducah KY, earned silver for the 2008 Kentucky Cabernet Franc, a silver medal for Laurens Blackberry, and bronze medal was received for the Paducah Blue Wine. 

StoneBrook Winery, Melbourne KY, was awarded two gold medals.  Gold medals were earned for the Pomegranate and 2008 Estate Bottled Cabernet Franc.   A bronze medal was awarded for Strawberry Wine and a bronze for Raspberry Wine.

Shake off the winter blues by attending one of the many special events taking place at Kentucky’s wineries.  Take your sweetheart to Lovers Leap Winery on Saturday February 13, 2010 for a Valentine’s Day Dinner.  Enjoy food and wine pairings at StoneBrook Winery the second and fourth Saturday of each month.  Please visit our events calendar for detailed listings of all exciting events taking place this month.

Many of our wineries hold special events to celebrate the holiday season. Browse our event calendar or individual wineries’ Web sites and start a new holiday tradition.

Kentucky Wine is also a great addition to your holiday meals and makes a delicious and thoughtful “Kentucky Proud” gift!

“Vintage Kentucky:  The Vine to Wine Experience” tells the story of Kentucky’s wine industry from its status as a national leader in the 1800’s, to its demise as a result of Prohibition, to its current reemergence.  The 30-minute documentary, a project by the Kentucky Grape and Wine Council and the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, will be shown statewide on KET.

Upcoming Airdates:

• KET1:              Thursday, November 5 at 10:30 pm EST
• KET1:              Saturday, November 7 at 4:30 am EST
• KETKY:           Friday, November 13 at 9:30 pm EST
• KETKY:           Saturday, November 14 at 1:30 pm EST
• KETKY:           Monday, November 16 at 6:30 pm EST
• KET2:              Friday, November 27 at 9:30 am EST

“Vintage Kentucky:  The Vine to Wine Experience” is the culmination of a year’s worth of work.  After the Kentucky Grape and Wine Council and the Kentucky Department of Agriculture commissioned the production, filming began in August, 2008 and was completed by the end of July, 2009.  Ten of the state’s wineries are featured as are vineyard owners and winemakers.  Scientists and wine industry experts from the University of Kentucky, who have helped Kentucky farmers make the transition to growing grapes, also appear in the film.

“Kentucky’s history as being among the world leaders in growing grapes and producing quality wines is a fascinating story,” said Dennis Walter, President of the Kentucky Grape and Wine Council.  “We want to let people know about that history, but more importantly we want them to know what’s happening now as we re-claim that history.  More and more vineyards are springing up across the commonwealth and wonderful wines are being made and enjoyed right here.”

Have you seen the film?

If so, please be sure to provide us with your feedback by leaving your comments below!

Kentucky wineries pocketed 72 medals, including four gold medals, at the Kentucky State Fair wine competition Aug. 15 in Louisville.

“I want to congratulate the 13 Kentucky wineries that earned medals at the state fair competition,” Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer said. “The medal-winning wineries ranged from Fayette County to the east to McCracken County to the west, from Campbell County to the north to Warren County to the south. We have many other fine wineries beyond those bounds. The resurgence of Kentucky’s grape and wine industry is generating jobs and income throughout the Commonwealth.”

Four wineries each earned a gold medal: Chrisman Mill Vineyards and Winery in Nicholasville for its Traminette; Lover’s Leap Vineyards and Winery in Lawrenceburg for its Cynthiana; Purple Toad Winery in Paducah for its Cabernet Franc, and Wight-Meyer Vineyard and Winery in Shepherdsville for its Chambourcin.

A total of 28 silver medals and 40 bronze medals also were awarded.

Wight-Meyer Winery was awarded the gold medal for Chambourcin, silver medals for their Traminette, Vignoles, Diamond/Concord, Concord, and Winter Solstice. Diamond and Norton were also awarded bronze medals.

Reid’s Livery Winery in Alvaton received a silver for their Peachy Keen Wine and bronze medals for Boyce Choyce, Very Berry Cherry, Black Raspberry, Drake Social, Blue Moon of KY, Cranberry Pleasure, and Cranberry Blush.

Stone Brook Winery in Melbourne earned silver medals with Sunset Blush, Peach, Raspberry, Strawberry and bronze medals for the Vidal Blanc, Pear, Blackberry, and Elderberry.

Wildside Vines Winery and Vineyard in Versailles won silver medals with Sonata and Duet. Bronze medals were awarded to Wildside Winery for Wild Rose, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chambourcin, Cynthiana (Norton), Blackberry, and Blueberry.

Springhill Winery in Bloomfield earned a silver medal with their Vidal Blanc and Harvest Mead. Bronze medals were won with Riesling, Magnolia Mist, Springhill Boardeaux, Trappist Red, and Federal Hill Red.

Talon Winery near Lexington took home six medals. A silver medal was received for Monarch and bronze medals for Chardonnay, Traminette, Moondance, Sweet Evening Breeze, and Coyote Red.

In addition to the gold medal received for the Traminette, Chrisman Mill Winery also received silver medals for Ensemble, Sweet Jessamine Rose, Norton, and a bronze medal for Riverbend Red.

Elk Creek Winery in Owenton was awarded a silver medal for Concord and bronze medals for Vidal Blanc, Rose, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Sweet Owen Red.

Horseshoe Bend Vineyards in Willisburg won five silver medals for their Chardonnay, Golden Sun, Rose of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon/ Cabernet Franc, and Red Jester Chambourcin.

Purple Toad received two silver medals for Chardonnay and Paducah Blue and a bronze medal for Lauren’s Blackberry with the addition of a gold medal for Cabernet Franc.

Acres of Land Winery in Richmond was awarded two silver medals for Kentucky Chardonnay and A.I. Wiseman Vidal Blanc and two bronze medals for Maggie Adams Blush and Kentucky Chambourcin.

Lover’s Leap received two bronze medals for Premiera and Cabernet Sauvignon in addition to the Gold for Cynthiana.

Black Oak Vineyards and Winery in Princeton earned a bronze medal for Chambourcin.

Judges assessed 109 wines, more than double the number entered in the inaugural Kentucky State Fair wine competition in 2008.

The 72 medalled wines will be on display during the Kentucky State Fair Aug. 20-30 in the Commercial Wine Department in the South Wing of the Kentucky Exposition Center.

Kentucky was one of the nation’s leading wine-producing states until Prohibition was enacted in 1920. Grape and wine production has made a comeback in recent years, and today the Commonwealth has 52 wineries and hundreds of acres in grape production.