Purdue News

July 31, 1998 Indy International wine competition still growing WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- The 1998 Indiana State Fair Wine Competition, also known as the "Indy International," retained its title as the third-largest wine competition in the country, with a record 2,147 entries from 19 countries. That's up from 1,852 last year, with 1,518 wines entered in the national competition, 181 entered in the state competition and 448 amateur wines. "We're the international wine competition with the small-town heart," said Richard Vine, a world-renowned enologist and Purdue food science professor who directs the competition. Charged with helping grow the Indiana wine and grape industry, he sees the competition as a great way to highlight Indiana wineries. "This has been the largest medal count ever for the Hoosier vintners, going from 108 medals to 130," Vine said. The Indiana contest also has grown in the seven years since Vine took it over. The judges are wine professionals from coast to coast -- wine makers, writers, marketers, educators and researchers -- who evaluate the tens of thousands of dollars worth of wines competing for gold medals and a coveted Best of Show trophy from American Airlines. Vine is the wine consultant for the airline. The wine competition winners will be announced at a food and wine tasting event Thursday, Aug. 6. "A Taste of Indiana Agriculture" features Hoosier wines and foods made from the diverse agricultural commodities raised across the state. Tickets are $10 from the Indiana State Fair Box Office, Ticket Master or at the door of the Farm Bureau Building at the Fairgrounds in Indianapolis. The event runs from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Vine himself was honored today (Friday, July 31) by Gary Ramona, president of Forest Glen Winery, Ceres, Calif. Ramona donated $150,000 to create the Richard P. Vine Enology Library in the new Purdue Food Science Building. CONTACT: Vine, (765) 494-6500; e-mail, vined@foodsci.purdue.edu Compiled by Chris Sigurdson, (765) 494-8415; E-mail, sig@ecn.purdue.edu Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; e-mail, purduenews@purdue.edu To the Purdue News and Photos Page