Lexington, Kentucky, June 22, 2011 — The James Beard Foundation has long been recognized as the driving force in the discovery and promotion of top chefs and emerging food ways in the United States. Its mission is to celebrate, preserve, and nurture all of the many facets food plays in American culture. The Foundation maintains the historic James Beard House in New York City’s Greenwich Village as a “performance space” to showcase the country’s most talented chefs, wine makers, cookbook author, and teachers. It has been said that an invitation to cook at the prestigious James Beard House is the culinary equivalent of performing at Carnegie Hall.

The James Beard Foundation has invited Jean Farris Winery and Bistro with Executive Chef Justin Thompson to come to New York and showcase not only the food, but also the internationally awarded Kentucky wines that have made them a regional success. The dinner event headlined as “Kentucky Wine Estate” will be held at the James Beard House in New York City on August 11^th and will include the pairing of Jean Farris wines with the uniquely Kentucky dishes that are a staple of Jean Farris Winery and Bistro.

 Chef Thompson will be preparing hors d’oeuvres and a five-course dinner that, as always, starts in the estate garden. “We are taking Jean Farris on the road; we are not changing what we do for the James Beard House. We are offering their guests a seat at the Jean Farris table,” says Chef Thompson. In order to showcase the difference in flavors produced from the central Kentucky region, they will be carrying vegetables grown in their Lexington, Kentucky garden to New York City. When asked about this extreme measure, owner/vintner Ben O’Daniel simply answered, “The unequalled flavors that are in our food and wine start with the soil that is Kentucky.” Dishes for the event range from an heirloom tomato tasting, currently on the Jean Farris summer menu, to Kentucky milk-fed veal. Jean Farris will also be releasing a new sparkling wine, Constellations, at the event.

 Details on the Kentucky Wine Estate event at the James Beard House in New York City on August 11^th can be found on the events page at www.jamesbeard.org. If you are planning a trip to New York City and would like to attend the event at the James Beard House reservations can be made by calling 212-627-2308. In preparation for the event, Jean Farris will host a preview dinner at their Winery & Bistro in Lexington, KY on Thursday, July 28. The cost for the preview dinner at the winery is $80 and includes wine pairing. Advance reservation is required and available by calling 859-263-WINE (9463). 

 For further information on the James Beard Foundation, go to www.jamesbeard.org. For information on Jean Farris, their wines, current menu, events and to make reservations go to www.jeanfarris.com or call 859-263-9463.

FRANKFORT, Ky. — Kentucky wineries brought home 32 medals, including two double gold’s, five golds, 12 silver and 12 bronze medals at the Indy International Wine Competition Aug. 4-6 in West Lafayette, Ind.

 “Throughout the country, wine lovers are discovering what we already know: Kentucky’s wine industry is back,” Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer said.

Acres of Land Winery of Richmond earned double gold and Best of Class for its Concord wine along with a silver medal for the Vidal Blanc.  This is the second year in a row Acres of Land Winery won a Best of Class for its Concord wine.  Jean Farris Winery of Lexington picked up gold medals for its Petite Syrah (which also was Best of Class) and Cabernet Sauvignon as well as three bronze medals for Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Tempest.

 Wight-Meyer Vineyard and Winery won double gold in the French-American Blush/Rose class for its Diamond/Concord wine. The Diamond wine earned a gold medal and Best of Class in two categories: the Diamond category and the American Late Harvest Category.  Wight-Meyer Vineyard and winery also won gold for its Concord wine.  The Shepherdsville winery also brought home four silver medals for Diamond Winter Solstice, Norton Reserve, Vignoles, and Chardonnay. 

Purple Toad Winery of Paducah won five medals total: gold for Peach Chardonnay, gold for Concord 2008, silver for the Merlot and Lauren’s Blackberry and a bronze for Paducah Blue.    

Other Kentucky wineries that won medals at Indy International was Black Barn Winery of Lexington, a silver was awarded for its Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc V blend and a bronze for its VI blend.  Chrisman Mill Vineyards and Winery of Nicholasville earned a silver medal for Traminette while Equus Run Vineyards of Midway also won silver for Pinot Noir and bronze for Cabernet Sauvignon. 

Lovers Leap Vineyards and Winery of Lawrenceburg was awarded a bronze for Riesling and River Valley Winery of Carrollton brought home two bronze medals for their Loretto and Bobby’s.  A silver medal was awarded to StoneBrook Winery of Camp Springs for the Chambourcin wine and Talon Winery and Vineyard of Lexington also was honored with silver for their Cabernet Sauvignon.  Wildside Winery of Versailles and Horseshoe Bend Vineyards and Winery of Willisburg were both awarded a bronze medal for their Cynthiana/ Norton wines.  Horseshoe Bend was also awarded a bronze for Cabernet Sauvignon.  Black Oak Vineyard of Princeton was received a bronze for its Chardonnel

More than 50 judges evaluated commercial wines from 39 states and 12 countries at the Indy International competition, the largest scientifically organized and independent competition in the United States.

In July, three Kentucky wineries brought home 12 medals, including four golds, from the 2010 Mid-American Wine Competition in Ankeny, Iowa.

Harkness Edwards Vineyards of Winchester won three medals, including gold medals for its Vat 32 Viognier wine and for the wine’s label in the Most Unique category. Wight-Meyer won gold for its Diamond wine and earned five medals in all, the most among Kentucky wineries. Elk Creek Vineyards of Owenton won a gold medal for the Best Series label on its Orchard Creek Series and three bronze medals.

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

            For additional information about Kentucky wine visit www.kentuckywine.com.

FRANKFORT, Ky. — A documentary about Kentucky’s growing wine industry has won three national awards for excellence.

“Vintage Kentucky: The Vine to Wine Experience” was honored by the 31st annual Telly Awards with two Silver Telly awards, the organization’s highest award, in the Cultural and History/Biography categories and a Bronze Telly in the Travel/Tourism category. The Telly Awards honor the best local, regional and cable television commercials and programs, video and film productions, and work created for the Web.

“This documentary very effectively told the story of our wine industry’s rich history and its bright future,” Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer. “These awards will bring new attention to Kentucky’s outstanding wines and some of the talented, hard-working people who produce them.”

A judging panel of 350 accomplished industry professionals, each a past winner of a Silver Telly and a member of the Silver Telly Council, judged more than 13,000 entries from all 50 states and around the world. Fewer than 10 percent of entries are chosen for the Silver Telly.

“Vintage Kentucky: The Vine to Wine Experience,” a project of the Kentucky Grape and Wine Council and the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, is a 30-minute documentary that tells the story of Kentucky’s wine industry from its status as a national leader in the 1800s to its demise as a result of Prohibition to its current re-emergence. The documentary was co-produced by New West LLC of Louisville.

KET, which first aired the documentary in November 2009, has added more showings to its upcoming schedule. “Vintage Kentucky: The Vine to Wine Experience” may be purchased on DVD.