Wines

 by Simone Zarmati Diament

Here are the results of this year's American Fine Wine Competition held this past January at the Lincoln (formerly Florida) Culinary Institute:

The Best wines of the show were:  WHITE  2008 Ferrante Winery Signature Series Grand River Valley, and RED:  2007 Turnbull Wine Cellars Oakville; among the Best of Class (double Gold Medal):  2006 Mi Sueño Napa Valley and  2007 Castello di Amorosa Bien Nacido.

However, according to organizers Monty and Sara Preizer, and Shari Gherman, all the wines were winners. For a full list of the Award Medals : http://www.americanfinewinecompetition.com/uploads/AFWC_Results2010.pdf

This is a Competition limited to invited wines with a threshold retail cost, the only Competition where entries must be approved for quality by an acquisitions panel, and the only Competition that allows no conflicts of jobs by judges - all the while maintaining one of the finest judging panels in the country (see list of judges and their biographies on www.americanfinewinecompetition.com )  The results are on the website, too.

The competing  wines are not normally in the mainstream, yet are outstanding in the bottle, and are sought for inclusion after an acquisitions panel has discovered them.

And because this is a blind tasting,  results are often surprising  due to the panel's independence and expertise.   

In order to earn a medal, 75% of the judges must agree on the award, the highest possible majority. This means that a medal - any medal - from the American Fine Wine Competition is hard earned and well deserved. Note: In order to be eligible for a Best of Class or Best of Show award, a wine must have earned a double gold, meaning a unanimous panel must have voted in that manner.

The public is invited to taste those outstanding wines at The Third Annual American Fine Wine Competition Gala Dinner on Saturday, March 13.  Guests will sip and swirl the finest American produced wines from the competition and a five-course dinner prepared by South Florida’s top chefs: Johnny V, Cindy Hutson, Michael Wagner, Oliver Saucy and Master Pastry Chef Chris Northmore. With live entertainment by jazz singer Nicole Henry and famed performance artist Michael Israel  who will create original works of art for the live auction:  more than 100 mixed wine lots - all wines from the competition - signed by the winemakers themselves.

It’s all for a great cause: to date, the AFWC has raised more than $240,000 for local non-profits.

Tickets for the Gala Dinner are $195 per person and can be purchased via e-mail  Shari@americanfinewinecompetition.com   or by calling Shari Gherman at 561-504-VINE (8463).  Proceeds from the event will benefit the Quantum House at St. Mary's Hospital, the American Red Cross and the Florida Culinary Institute Scholarship Program. 

Weekend packages for the event are available at Spring Hill Suites and Homewood Suites on Metrocentre Blvd., both walking distance from the Lincoln Culinary Institute.