Wagner Vineyards 2012 Single Vineyard Riesling Wins Best of Class

By Chilled Magazine

Photo Jun 13, 5 52 50 PMWagner Vineyards, one of the first wineries in the Finger Lakes Region, received the “Best of Class” award in the dry category of the Finger Lakes AVA Riesling Challenge for their estate bottled 2012 Caywood East Vineyard Dry Riesling. The Caywood East Vineyard Dry Riesling is the first ever released single vineyard designated wine from Wagner Vineyards.

“We knew we had something special when we saw the quality of the fruit from the 2012 vintage,” said John Wagner, Owner and Vineyard Manager at Wagner Vineyards. “The fruit from our Caywood East Vineyard is always exceptional and has the citrus and mineral driven characters that we look for in a dry Riesling. This award couldn’t have come at a better time, as we celebrate our 35th anniversary this year. Our passion comes from our intimate connection with the land and it’s clearly showing in the 2012 Dry Riesling from Caywood East Vineyard.”

Wagner Caywood East Riesling 2012The Finger Lakes AVA Riesling Challenge, a component of the Wine Symposium of the Finger Lakes, took place on April 4, 2014 with 47 of the region’s top wineries entering 121 Riesling wines. Best of Class winners were announced at the Grand Tasting on Friday, June 13, 2014, at the Geneva Visitor and Events Center. Only wineries who received gold medals in the Finger Lakes AVA Riesling Challenge poured at the Grand Tasting. Five “Best of Class” designations were awarded for the following categories: Dry, Medium Dry, Medium Sweet, Sweet, Dessert. Categories were based on specifications using the International Riesling Foundation Riesling Taste Profile.

Wagner Vineyards, located in Lodi, NY, was established in 1979 and was the first winery to open its doors on the east side of Seneca Lake. A family owned and operated business, the Wagner family has been growing grapes for more than 100 years and is now in their fifth generation of grape growers. Over the last 10 years, Wagner has transitioned its focus to vinifera plantings that do well in the cool-climate growing conditions. Riesling, a grape that thrives in the cool-climate growing conditions of the Finger Lakes region, has been embraced as our signature grape. Approximately 50 acres of our vines at Wagner Vineyards are dedicated to Riesling. Other vinifera varieties include Gewürztraminer, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Pinot Noir.

The Wine Symposium of the Finger Lakes is an exquisite wine and food experience held in Geneva, NY. A celebration of the excellence of the region’s grape growers and winemakers, the Wine Symposium of the Finger Lakes includes the Finger Lakes AVA Riesling Challenge. The Grand Tasting Event showcases the wines of the gold medalists, and trophies are awarded to the competition winners.

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