Fox Run Vineyards scores again at Riesling du Monde

Fox Run Vineyards, Penn Yan, struck gold again at Riesling du Monde with its 2008 Reserve Riesling. The prestigious Riesling-only competition was held this year from April 9th to 11th at Congress Centre, Strasbourg, France. Joining Fox Run with gold medal awards were Anthony Road Wine Company, Penn Yan, for its 2009 Dry Riesling and Belhurst Estate Winery, Geneva, for its 2009 Semi-Dry Riesling.

This is the fourth time Fox Run has been awarded a gold medal at the competition. The list below indicates the years of the awards and the vintages of the wines that were entered, dating all the way back to the 1997 vintage entered in the 1999 competition.

 1999 for 1997 Riesling
 2007 for 2005 Reserve Riesling
 2008 for 2006 Reserve Riesling
 2011 for 2008 Reserve Riesling

Participation in this competition has grown significantly since its early days. You will find other Finger Lakes wineries that have been recognized over the years, especially in 2008 when five different Finger Lakes wineries were awarded gold medals.

The recent Riesling du Monde award adds to the number of medals that the winery’s 2008 Reserve Riesling has garnered. The wine was also awarded gold at the 2009 New York Wine & Food Classic. In addition, the 2008 Reserve Riesling has also garnered silver medals in seven competitions, including last year’s Riesling du Monde.  It is a testament to the ability of  Fox Run winemaker Peter Bell to make remarkable Riesling wines year after year. He  has been on board making those award-winning all the way back to the 1997 vintage that earned the first of four golds at Riesling du Monde in 1999.

 Most observers feel that because the Riesling du Monde competition is so challenging that being awarded a silver there is like winning a gold at most other places. I am not surpised that  the wine was awarded gold at the 2009 New York Wine and Food Classic or that it took until this year for it to be recognized as a gold winner at Riesling du Monde. The winery uses natural cork for its reserve wines, which should allow them to age gracefully and imrove in the bottle for years to come. Congratulations to Peter Bell and Fox Run Vineyards as they forge a tradition of producing great Riesling wines.