Finger Lakes Wine

New York wines' gold medals started flowing in for 2009 with this week's results from the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, where Long Island's Sparkling Pointe Winery 2000 Brut Selection won the Sweepstakes in the sparkling wine category (as well as Best of Class on the way to the top prize).

Other Best of Class winners (meaning they also got Double Gold or Gold first) included Goose Watch Pinot Noir Brut Rosé, 2007 Diamond, and 2005 Chambourcin; and Swedish Hill 2007 Cayuga White.

Penguin Bay 2007 Rosé of Chambourcin took a Double Gold, with Gold medals going to Dr. Konstantin Frank 2007 Gewurztraminer Reserve, 2007 Gewurztraminer, and 2007 Semi-Dry Riesling; Goose Watch Golden Spumante, 2007 Melody, and 2007 Traminette; Imagine Moore 2007 Riesling; Penguin Pay 2007 Valvin Muscat; Rooster Hill 2007 Semi-Dry Estate Riesling; Sparkling Point 2004 Brut; Swedish Hill 2007 Riesling; and White Springs 2007 Gewurztraminer.

The next major competition is the great Florida State Fair International, where New York wines always make a strong showing. The New York Wine & Grape Foundation sponsors a "wine competitions" program which encourages New York wineries to enter major competitions via a reduced entry fee as a way to showcase the ever-increasing quality of New York wines. Last year, well over 500 Gold medals from major competitions ended up in New York tasting rooms.