Cedar Ridge Vineyards Wins “Best Iowa Grown Wine” and 24 other Medals at Mid-American Wine Competition

Swisher, Iowa—July 13, 2011– Cedar Ridge Vineyards, Winery and Distillery received top honors for “Best Iowa Grown Wine” for its La Crescent wine, as part of 25 total awards for the winery, at the Fifth Annual Mid-American Wine Competition.  Cedar Ridge Vineyards’ awards include two sweepstakes awards, two additional gold medals, 12 silver medals and 10 bronze medals at the three-day competition—the highest number of awards granted to any Iowa winery.

The event,  judged by professional wine judges from all over the United States,  included wines from 14 Midwestern states. Over 530 wines were entered by 82 different wineries.  A broad array of Cedar Ridge Vineyards’ products received awards, including many produced solely from grapes grown in Iowa. 

“The Mid-American Wine Competition shines the light on the great products being made in our region. We are humbled by the quality and quantity of our awards,” noted Cedar Ridge Vineyards founder Jeff Quint.  “We chose the site for our vines for the silty, loam soil and steep hills. We don’t irrigate, and the terrain is difficult to cultivate. But this land produces superior fruit, allowing us to create unique, handcrafted wines. These awards support this vision.”

Cedar Ridge Vineyards began cultivating vines on Swisher, Iowa hillsides nine years ago. The first wines were released in 2005. “We continue to learn, grow and perfect our wines every year. My goal is to create local wines that drink as well as, some would say better than, nationally-branded wines. I hope everyone will give us a try,” shares Kolin Brighton, Winemaker.

Cedar Ridge Vineyards’ wines received these prestigious awards:

Wine

Category

Award

La Crescent

Best Iowa Grown Wine

GOLD

Reserve

Best Food Pairing Wine

GOLD

Edelweiss

Edelweiss

GOLD

Cedar Ridge Line

Best Series Label Design

GOLD

Marechal Foch

Foch

SILVER

Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernet Sauvignon

SILVER

White Cross Knights Red

Blends in which the primary grape is red vinifera

SILVER

St Pepin

Late Harvest White – Varietal Hybrid

SILVER

Port Lot #9

Port Hybrid

SILVER

White Cross Stormy Night

Port Hybrid

SILVER

White Cross Mittler Kabinett

Cayuga White

SILVER

Brianna

Briana

SILVER

LaCrescent

Sauteed Shrimp

SILVER

Candlelight

Poached Sole

SILVER

La Crosse

Pizza Margherita

SILVER

White Cross Oktoberfest

Riesling

SILVER

White Cross Monks Red

Blends, primary grape is a red hybrid

BRONZE

Reserve

Blends in which the primary grape is red vinifera

BRONZE

Harvest Blush

Any other fruit wines

BRONZE

White Cross Cranberry Bog

Any other fruit wines

BRONZE

St Croix

Smoked Pork Ribs

BRONZE

LaCrosse

LaCrosse

BRONZE

Candlelight

Chardonnay

BRONZE

Demi-Sac

Riesling

BRONZE

White Cross Chateau Blanc

All other white vinifera

BRONZE

White Cross Ebenezer Lieblich

All other white vinifera

BRONZE

To learn more about the Mid-American Wine Competition go to www.midamericanwine.org.

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