Purdue News

August 6, 1999 Indy International recognizes top wines WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. ‹ The Indiana State Fair Wine Competition, often referred to as the Indy International, judged another record number of entries this past week. This year's entries climbed to 2,309 ‹ an increase of 7 percent over the 1998 competition. Entries flowed in from 14 different countries, making the Indy International one of the five largest competitions in the nation. In addition to the United States and European entries, New Zealand, Hungary, Chile and Australia all entered wines this year, further broadening the field. Overall, 1,778 wines earned Indy International medals, with judges awarding 248 gold, 718 silver, and 812 bronze medals. Top honors and the American Airlines best of show trophy were awarded to Barwang Winery from New South Wales, Australia, for its 1996 Winemakers Reserve Shiraz. Best commercial red wine honors went to Quatro Winery of Oakville, Calif., for its Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon 1997. Venezia Chardonnay 1997, produced by Geyser Peak in Geyserville, Calif., took home best commercial white wine honors. Huber Orchard & Winery of Borden, Ind., won the Indiana's Governor's Cup, the highest award for an Indiana winery, for the fourth consecutive year. Huber's winemaker, Ted Huber, was also honored with the Commercial Fruit Wine National Champion award for his Indiana-grown blackberry hard apple cider. The Indiana State Fair wine competition is chaired by Richard Vine, a Purdue University enologist and the man who helped take the state fair wine competition from a regional event of 484 wines to the international extravaganza it is today. Entries have increased fourfold since Vine became involved, and the competition is recognized worldwide for its professional reputation and quality judging. It took 45 judges on nine tasting panels two and a half days to evaluate the 2,309 entries glass by glass. CONTACTS: Vine, (765) 494-6500; Sally Peart, Indiana Wine Grape Council marketing specialist, (765) 496-3842, home (765) 463-5206, pearts@foodsci.purdue.edu; and Ellen Harkness, Purdue microbiologist who advises vintners, (765) 494-6704. Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu To the Purdue News and Photos Page