Colorado wineries earn two prestigious Jefferson Cup awards (yet again...)

For the sixth year in a row, a Colorado wine earned a Jefferson Cup. The Jefferson Cup Invitational competition honors the best of the best among wineries from all of America’s wine regions. Each year Doug Frost, one of only four people on the planet to hold both the Master Sommelier and Master of Wine credentials, invites wines from across America to enter, whereas most other wine competitions are dominated by entries from California. Jefferson Cups were awarded to wines made from both Vitis vinifera grapes (a European species responsible for most famous wines such as Chardonnay and Cabernet) and non-vinifera varieties, which flourish in the more extreme climates in the center portion of the U.S. I am hopeful that the frontenac and vignoles (non-vinifera hybrids) vines in my backyard survive the record cold temperatures we experienced, yet again, a few weeks ago along the Front Range of Colorado! I actually had a crop of frontenac this past fall, but waited one day too long to harvest because the birds got to them before I did.

This year, seven Colorado wineries earned a total of 28 medals from the fifteenth annual competition. Bookcliff Vineyards took home their fourth Jefferson Cup for their 2013 Malbec and repeated the honor they earned the previous two years! The Winery at Holy Cross Abbey's 2012 Merlot Reserve was also a Jefferson Cup Winner for the first time. Other Colorado wineries that were invited and garnered awards in 2014 were Anemoi Wines, Boulder Creek Winery, Canyon Wind Cellars, and Grande River Vineyards. Colorado's past Jefferson Cup winning wines include Boulder Creek Winery's VIP Reserve (2010), Bookcliff Vineyards' 2009 Petite Sirah (2010), Canyon Wind Cellars' 2009 Petit Verdot (2011), Bookcliff Vineyards' 2010 Ensemble (2012), and Bookcliff Vineyards' 2011 Cabernet Franc Reserve (2013).

In total, thirty-eight prestigious Jefferson Cups were awarded. The competition had representation of the best of what every quality wine producing region in the country is offering right now, including representation from California, Michigan, New York, Oregon, Texas, Virginia and Washington. States that won Jefferson Cups included Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota (yes, North Dakota makes wine...), Ohio, Oregon, Texas, and Washington.


The results of Colorado's winners are:

Anemoi Wines
Excellence, 2013 Zephyrus, Red Blend
Merit, 2012 Boreas, Red Blend

Bookcliff Vineyards
JEFFERSON CUP WINNER, 2013 Malbec
Excellence, 2012 Cabernet Franc Reserve
Merit, 2012 Ensemble
Merit, 2012 Syrah Reserve

Boulder Creek Winery
Jefferson Cup Nominee, 2012 Cabernet Franc
Merit, 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon
Merit, NV Consensus IV, Red Blend
Merit, 2012 Tempranillo

Canyon Wind Cellars
Jefferson Cup Nominee, 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon
Merit, 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon, Clone 4

Grande River Vineyards
Excellence, 2012 Cabernet Franc
Excellence, 2012 Malbec
Excellence, 2012 Syrah

Whitewater Hill Vineyards
Excellence, 2012 Ethereal, Red Blend
Merit, 2013 Riesling

The Winery at Holy Cross Abbey
JEFFERSON CUP WINNER, 2012 Merlot Reserve

Excellence, 2012 Cabernet Franc

Excellence, 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon

Excellence, NV Sangre de Cristo Noveau, Red Blend

Excellence, NV Vineyard Sunset, Rosé

Merit, 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve
Merit, 2012 Divinity Merlot, Dessert
Merit, 2013 Chardonnay
Merit, 2011 Revelation, Red Blend
Merit, 2013 Sauvignon Blanc
Merit, 2012 Syrah