Doug Frost MS, MW
The Jefferson Cup Invitational
(913) 385-7376
DECEMBER 3, 2007 PRESS RELEASE
Kansas City, Missouri – The Jefferson Cup Invitational, now in its eighth year, is the only competition that honors the best of the best among US wineries from all of America’s wine regions. Each year we select great wines from across America. This year, at the end of the second day of tasting, November 30th, 2007, 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 THIRTEEN 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 thirteen prestigious Jefferson Cups were awarded this year to one sparkling wine, three white wines, seven red wines and two dessert wines. “The judges were torn between very worthy and delicious wines,” says Jefferson Cup Invitational founder Doug Frost, “and in the end decided that they weren’t going to choose between them, but allow a number of great wines to share the cups.” Together with thirty-eight other wines nominated for (but not awarded) the Jefferson Cup, these thirteen wines represent some of the most compelling wines made in America.
This year’s Jefferson Cup competition saw some very notable developments and successes. For one, Michigan’s St. Julian Wine Company, for the second year in a row, won a Jefferson Cup for one of its wines. And among those wineries nominated for Jefferson Cups, wineries such as Stone Hill Winery (Missouri), Michael David Wines (California), White Hall Vineyards (Virginia), St, James Winery (Missouri) continued to dominate, if not among the Jefferson Cup winners this year. Those notable nominees also included Ridge Vineyards Montebello 2004 and Rubicon Cask Cabernet Sauvignon 2004.
As in years past, the West Coast was well represented. Six reds from California won; one Washington State winery won a cup as well. And Ohio won its second Jefferson Cup with Chalet Debonne’ Ice Wine 2005 Vidal Blanc. Last year that same winery, Chalet Debonne’, collected the state’s first Jefferson Cup for their off-dry Vidal Blanc 2005.
“In the last few years, the Jefferson Cup seems to have focused upon Syrah or Cabernet,” says Frost, “But this year, there has been a greater diversity of wines, though non-vinifera wines ruled among the dessert wines, and 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 and Texas as well as some standout wines from California, New York and Oregon. A Michigan and Ohio wines rose to the top of the pack this year and New York State Riesling leaped ahead too.
The Jefferson Cup Invitational is an eight-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 third 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 $70,000 for Angel Flight.
About the Jefferson Cup Invitational
The Eighth Annual Jefferson Cup Invitational took place on November 29 and November 30, 2007 in Kansas City, Missouri. The Jefferson Cup is a different sort of wine competition, in that it is an invitational in which approximately 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 six hundred fifty chosen wines, the judges chose just over three hundred twenty-five wines to receive the “Certificate of American Merit”, which respects wines exemplary of their regions and varieties. Next the judges chose one hundred thirteen wines (there was no pre-ordained number or percentage) that they believed were truly great examples. Those will receive medallions announcing them as “American Examples of Greatness”.
This year, fifty-one wines were selected as Jefferson Cup honorees; these wines were nominated by the four judging committees to receive Jefferson Cups. Out of those fifty-one honored wines, the judges picked thirteen wines to be awarded these Jefferson Cups. 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), 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), Keith Goldston MS (a California restaurateur and creator of Charlie Palmer’s American wine only wine list), 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 Walsh (a Missouri wholesaler and industry veteran of twenty 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 2007 JEFFERSON CUP winners are:
For Sparkling Wine:
Gloria Ferrer Blanc de Noirs nv Sonoma
For White Vinifera Wine:
Fox Run Vineyards Riesling Reserve 2006 Seneca Lake
Clos du Bois Chardonnay Calcaire 2005 Russian River Valley
For White Non-Vinifera Wine:
Adam Puchta Vignoles nv Missouri
For Red Vinifera Wine:
Eagle’s Trace Vineyards Pinot Noir Valhalla Vineyards 2005 Napa Valley
Wild Horse Winery Pinot Noir Cheval Sauvage 2005 Santa Maria Valley
Seghesio Family Vineyards Venom 2004 Alexander Valley
Bridlewood Estate Winery Reserve Syrah 2004 Central Coast
DeLille Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Ciel Vineyard 2004 Red Mountain
Rodney Strong Vineyards Symmetry 2004 Alexander Valley
Dry Creek Vineyard Zinfandel Old Vine 2005 Dry Creek Valley
For Dessert Wine:
Chalet Debonné Ice Wine Vidal Blanc 2005 Grand River Valley, Ohio
St. Julian Wine Company Solera Cream Sherry nv Lake Michigan Shore
See The Jefferson Cup complete listing of all wines and years