The Jefferson Cup Invitational Wine Competition
Doug Frost MS, MW
The Jefferson Cup Invitational
(913) 385-7376
NOVEMBER 25, 2009 PRESS RELEASE
Kansas City, Missouri – The Jefferson Cup Invitational has celebrated its tenth year as the only competition
that honors the best of the best among wineries from all of America’s wine regions. Each year we select
great wines from across America; the 2009 competition included wines from twenty-three states. At the end
of the second day of this year's tasting, November 20th, wines from SIX different states had captured top
honors. Just as the event’s namesake would have it, democracy reigned at this year’s Jefferson Cup Wine
Competition.
The two-day competition culminated with the awarding of FIFTEEN Jefferson Cup Awards.
Jefferson Cups were awarded to wines made from both vinifera vines (a European species responsible for
most famous wines such as Chardonnay and Cabernet) and non-vinifera vines, which flourish in the more
extreme climates in the center portion of the U.S.
These fifteen prestigious Jefferson Cups were awarded this year to six white wines, eight red wines
and one dessert wine. “While many competitions insist upon selecting a pre-ordained number of
sweepstakes winners, our judges are allowed to find the top wines, whether there are only one, two or three,
or even NO winners in some categories, as happened this year,” says Jefferson Cup Invitational founder
Doug Frost. “Indeed this year, there was no rose' or sparkling wine winner, though a number of those wines
won awards. Best of all, there were once again great examples of wine, both from vinifera and non-vinifera
grapes." Together with sixty-three other wines nominated for (but not awarded) the Jefferson Cup, these
fifteen wines represent some of the most compelling wines made in America.
This year’s Jefferson Cup competition saw some very notable developments and successes. Two
wineries, St. James Winery (Missouri) and Imagine Moore (New York) won TWO Jefferson Cups each, the
first time this has happened in a single year. And although many expect California to dominate the awards,
multiple Jefferson Cups were won by four states: Washington, Missouri, New York and California each won
multiple Jefferson Cups for their wineries. And Nebraska and Colorado each have their first Jefferson Cup.
Nebraska's James Arthur Vineyards won the state's first Jefferson Cup for its Edelweiss, and Boulder Creek
won Colorado's first Jefferson Cup for its Bordeaux-styled blend, VIP Reserve 2006.
As in years past, the West Coast was well represented. Four reds from California won; two
Washington State wineries won a cup as well. In another remarkable victory, Mitch Cosentino won a
Jefferson Cup again this year; last year he won an astounding three Jefferson Cups. And Missouri had a very
successful year: Stone Hill and Augusta Winery each won a Jefferson Cup while St. James Winery won two
Cups. Other notable winners included Cakebread Cellars' beautiful Dancing Bear Ranch Cabernet
Sauvignon 2006 and Amavi Cellars Syrah from the famous les Collines Vineyard in Walla Walla Valley.
“In the past years, the Jefferson Cup seems to have focused upon Syrah or Cabernet,” says Frost,
“But this year, there was greater diversity of wines, though vinifera grapes dominated among the red wines. I
am very pleased with the way the Jefferson Cup Invitational competition has developed,” Mr. Frost said.
“We had a representation of the best of what every quality wine producing region in the country is offering
right now, including improved representation from Washington, Michigan, Virginia and Texas as well as
some standout wines from California, New York and Oregon. Michigan and Colorado wines rose to the top
of the pack this year and New York State wineries leaped ahead too."
The Jefferson Cup Invitational is a ten-year-old competition founded by Doug Frost, one of only
three individuals in the world to have achieved the titles of Master Sommelier and Master of Wine. “In most
other competitions there is ‘open’ seating,” says Frost, ”and California represents 90% of the entries. As a
result it usually captures 90% of the honors,” he said. “I can now foresee a time when that will not happen.
What we are doing is following Mr. Jefferson’s example and allowing every quality wine-producing region
in America a place at our table. We look forward to continuing to grow our competition as the rest of the
country continues to grow the quality of their products.”
“While many may know him from his well-chronicled statesman role, most Americans have no idea
just how influential Jefferson was in the way we eat and drink and live today”, Mr. Frost said. “To call Mr.
Jefferson ahead of his time where food and wine are concerned is the ultimate understatement,” Mr. Frost
said. “Mr. Jefferson was growing grapes that did not really come into vogue in this country until 20 years
ago!”
Best of all, this year’s Jefferson Cup coincided with our fifth annual fundraiser for Angel Flight, a
great charity that gives support for private pilots offering travel to indigent and needy medical emergencies.
The Jefferson Cup fundraisers raised more than $90,000 for Angel Flight this year.
About the Jefferson Cup Invitational
The Ninth Annual Jefferson Cup Invitational took place on November 19 and November 20, 2009
in Kansas City, Missouri. The Jefferson Cup is a different sort of wine competition, in that it is an
invitational in which over six hundred wines are pre-selected which exemplify viticulture and
winemaking in America.
The Jefferson Cup Invitational does not award golds, silvers and the like. Rather, the invited wines
have all proven their excellence in competitions and tastings throughout the last year. We believe
and try to publicize our belief that these are wines that are extremely deserving of the nation’s
attention.
This year, out of over six hundred chosen wines, the judges selected just over three hundred fifty
wines to receive the “Certificate of American Merit”, which respects wines exemplary of their
regions and varieties, and is comparable to a Silver Medal. Next the judges chose one hundred
thirty-two wines (there was no pre-ordained number or percentage) that they believed were truly
great wines, roughly equivalent to Gold Medals in other competitions. Those will receive
medallions announcing them as “American Examples of Greatness”.
This year, seventy-eight wines were selected as Jefferson Cup honorees; these wines were
nominated by the five judging committees to receive Jefferson Cups. Out of those seventy-eight
honored wines, the judges collectively picked fifteen wines to be awarded the Jefferson Cup. By
selecting both vinifera and non-vinifera wines for the Jefferson Cup each year, the hope is to respect
the diversity of American viticulture and Jefferson's own acceptance of native varieties and hybrids.
This year’s judges included the following industry luminaries: Glen Bardgett, (a St. Louis
restaurateur and a founder of the Missouri State Fair judging), Wayne Belding MS (past Chairman
of the Court of Master Sommeliers and a Boulder, Colorado wine merchant), Laura dePasquale MS
(one of the world’s few female Master Sommeliers), Bob Foster (writer, The California Grapevine),
Doug Frost MS, MW (author and consultant), Patty Held-Uthlaut (former proprietor of Stone Hill
Winery and a lifelong Missouri wine veteran), Robert Noecker (a Midwestern wholesaler and thirty
year veteran of the wine industry), Jeff Miller (a Kansas distributor of two and a half decades
experience), and Joyce Angelos (a Missouri wholesaler and industry veteran of twenty-five years).
The Jefferson Cup is partially supported by the Missouri Grape and Wine Program, an extension of
the Department of Agriculture, State of Missouri.
Doug Frost MS, MW
Director, Jefferson Cup Invitational
THE JEFFERSON CUP INVITATIONAL
WINE COMPETITION
The 2009 JEFFERSON CUP winners are
For White Vinifera Wine
Chateau Ste Michelle Riesling Eroica 2008 Columbia Valley
Sheldrake Point Vineyards Gewurztraminer 2008 Finger Lakes
For White Non-Vinifera Wine
Imagine Moore Harmony 2008 Finger Lakes
James Arthur Vineyards Edelweiss 2008 Nebraska
St. James Winery Friendship School White nv
Stone Hill Winery Vignoles 2008 Missouri
For Red Vinifera Wine
Amavi Cellars Syrah 2007 Les Collines Vineyard
Boulder Creek VIP Reserve 2006 Colorado
Cakebread Cellars Dancing Bear Ranch 2006 Howell Mountain
Couples & Co. Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 Napa Valley
Michael – David Winery Earthquake Zin 2007 Lodi
Rodney Strong Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Estate 2006 Alexander Valley
For Red Non-Vinifera Wine
Augusta Winery Norton Estate Bottled 2007 Augusta
St. James Winery Velvet Red nv American
For Dessert Wine:
Imagine Moore Framboise 2009 New York
See The Jefferson Cup complete listing of all entered wines since 2005
Visit Doug Frost's web site |