Cazenovia’s sole winery, Owera Vineyards, added recently to its ever-growing list of awards and accolades by bringing home five medals from the 2015 Finger Lakes International Wine Competition.
Owera, which started wine production in 2010 and opened the doors to its tasting room and wine facility on East lake Road in 2013, received silver medals for its 2012 Cabernet Franc, 2013 Dry Riesling, 2013 Frontenac Gris and non-vintage Owahgena White; it also received a bronze medal for its 2013 Solo Chardonnay.
“We were most proud of our Cabernet Franc being recognized at this specific competition. It’s always encouraging when our reds receive international attention. Our Solo Chardonnay (unaoked) has recently been getting a lot of attention locally — specifically in liquor stores — so we were thrilled with that award as well,” said Owera winemaker Amy Heidrich. “New York state was recently recognized as ‘Wine Region of the Year’ at the 2015 Wine Enthusiast’s Wine Star awards. As the New York region continues to be recognized, we are thankful to be a part of it. Our successes are only possible because of the many people involved in the wine making process.”
According to the FLIWC website, wines entered in the competition are judged based on merit — presence, balance and varietal character — not by how they compare with other wines in the category. Each wine is blind judged based on how it is at the time of the competition, not for what it might become in the future through aging.
The 15th Annual 2014 Finger Lakes International Wine Competition, held March 21 to 22 in Rochester, is recognized as North and South America’s largest charitable wine competition, with its proceeds going to benefit Camp Good Days and Special Times, Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for children, adults and families whose lives have been touched by cancer and other life challenges, according to its website. Seventy-three of the world’s top judges blind judged 3,708 entries from across the United States and around the globe.
Award-winning wines will be featured at several public events following the competition, including a charitable gala on May 2 at the Rochester Plaza Hotel to benefit Camp Good Days and Special Times.
Owera wines are currently available in restaurants and wine shops across the Central New York region.
For more information about Owera Vineyards and its wines, visit oweravineyards.com.
Jason Emerson is editor of the Cazenovia Republican. He can be reached at [email protected].
