Early this summer, Cross Keys Vineyards participated in the 2023 Finger Lakes International Wine & Spirits Competition, in Rochester, New York.
This is one of the largest charitable wine and spirits competitions in the United States, with some 3,000 entries, judged over three days by fifty industry professionals including: masters of wine, sommeliers (CMS), journalists, winemakers, and other top internally certified judges.
Each wine is tasted in blind flights by class, with only non-specific information such as: varietal, residual sugar, and alcohol percentage. They are then judged by the wine’s presence, balance, and varietal character.
The medals are given out as follows:
Bronze – Commercially Sound
Silver – Meritoriously Representative
Gold – Exceptional in its Class
Double Gold – Unanimously Exceptional and Remarkably Distinctive
Platinum – Holds Extraordinary Distinction During the Best in Class Evaluation
Cross keys clearly stood out in the competition. They brought home the bacon with these awards.
Best in Class:
2021 Cabernet Franc
2022 Joy White
Platinum:
2022 Fiore
Silver:
2021 Joy Red
2021 Petit Verdot
Bronze:
2021 Meritage
The award-winning Cross Keys Vineyard is located at 6011 E. Timber Ridge Rd. in Mt. Crawford, VA. Contact them at 540-234-0505 or info@crosskeyskeysvineyards.com.
Congratulations, Cross Keys. You have represented the Virginia Wine Industry quite well.