The Monticello Wine Trail held its first virtual Monticello Cup Wine Awards ceremony on Wednesday to celebrate the top wines from the 30th Annual Monticello Cup Wine Competition.
The competition took place at the beginning of March this year and winners were scheduled to be announced during the postponed Monticello AVA Wine Week.
“These are unprecedented times and we are so grateful for the support of our entire community. The members of the Monticello Wine Trail will continue to do what we do best and make great wine in order to prepare for the brighter days ahead when we reopen,” said MWT President George Hodson.
Twenty-six MWT wineries competed in the 2020 Monticello Cup Wine Competition, a friendly competition among wineries in the Monticello American Viticultural Area (AVA). This year’s competition was coordinated by Frank Morgan from Drink What You Like – A Wine Blog.
Morgan noted, “I’m honored to be part of the 2020 Monticello Cup Awards that recognize local winemakers and their world-class wines. The history, viticultural diversity, wines, and people make the Monticello region one of the most exciting wine regions in the U.S.”
This year there were 13 gold medals, 56 silver and 2 bronze medals awarded out of the 71 Monticello AVA wines that were entered. The Top 3 White Wines were the 2019 V2 from Keswick Vineyards, 2017 Petit Manseng from Michael Shaps Wineworks, and the 2012 Brut Reserve from Trump Winery. The Top 3 red wines were the 2017 Jefferson’s Own Estate Reserve from Jefferson Vineyards, the 2017 Cabernet Franc from Michael Shaps Wineworks, and the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon from Pollak Vineyards.
Of the Top 6 wines, Pollak Vineyards’ 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon was awarded the Monticello Cup for being the highest overall scoring wine of the competition.
“The combination of a great team supported by focused ownership in an exceptional vintage should lead to outstanding wine,” commented Pollak Vineyards’ Winemaker Benoit Pineau.
Share
Contributors
