Texas Wineries Win Big at Houston Rodeo Uncorked
Texas Wineries earn 588 Medals at the recent Blind Judging of the Houston Rodeo Uncorked International Wine Competition. There were 3,071 entries from 18 countries with Texas representing 18% of those entries that were judged blindly by multiple panels of judges during the weekend of November 11th-13th, 2022 in closed rooms in the NRG Center. Wines are poured in one room in numbered glasses placed on carts which are taken by a different person to the Judges in various rooms so nobody knows what they are tasting. The Judges tally their scores individually which are then provided to an independent auditing firm to tally the results. The results were then converted from numbers to the names of the wineries and the respective wine so complete anonymity is provided in establishing the result. The Reserve Grand Champion Wine for the judging is Bernhardt Winery Antiquity Chardonnay Reserve, Danube Plain, 2020 and will be feature during the Houston Rodeo in 2023. “This is a dream come true,” said Jerry Bernhardt. Obviously, the staff at Bernhardt Winery, especially Helena Van Orden who is that wine’s “brand rep,” was elated about this accomplishment. The Top All-Around Winery was Becker Vineyard which earned four Double Gold Medals, four Gold Medals and 17 Silver Medals along with a Bronze Medal and totaled 26 Medals in all making it the winery with the greatest levels of medal wins. The Top Texas Wine was awarded to Becker Vineyards for its Barbera 2019 from Tallent Vineyards in the Texas Hill Country. The Top All-Around Texas Winery went to Messina Hof Winery with a total of 24 medals (one Double Gold, four Gold, 15 Silver, and four Bronze Medals).Out of the 98 Texas Wineries receiving medals, there were 18 wineries receiving Double Gold Medals for a total of 28 Double Gold Medals. That equates to 16% of the total number of Double Gold Medals awarded in the wine competition held in November 2022 and featured during the rodeo in February-March 2023. By the way, Texas Wineries earned a total of 84 Gold Medals, 337 Silver Medals, and 139 Bronze Medals. The Double Gold and Gold Medals constituted 19% of the total medal wins with Silver Medals being 57% of total medals earned. The judged quality of Texas wines is definitely improving as the Texas Wine Industry ages, becoming more knowledgeable and quality oriented. A rundown on wins by Texas wineries is provided below:
WINERY DOUBLE GOLD GOLD SILVER BRONZE TOTAL
1836 WINERY 1 1 2
AB ASTRIS WINERY 4 7 1 12
ADEGA WINERY 2 5 2 9
ADELPHOS CELLARS 4 2 6
ARCH RAY WINERY 5 2 7
ARCHE WINERY 1 1 2
AUGUSTA VIN 2 1 1 4
AWI WINERY 1 5 6
B. E. WINERY 6 6
BARONS CREEK VINEYARDS 2 3 2 7
BECKER VINEYARDS 4 4 17 1 26
BENDING BRANCH WINERY 1 4 6 2 13
BENT OAK WINERY 1 5 6 12
BERNHARDT WINERY 1 4 5 10
BINGHAM FAMILY VINEYARDS 1 8 1 10
BLUE LOTUS WINERY 1 1
BLUE OSTRICH WINERY 3 1 4
BRENNAN VINEYARDS 2 1 1 4
BUSTED OAK CELLARS 1 2 3 6
CASSARO WINERY 4 1 5
CAST IRON WINERY 2 2
CHATEAU WRIGHT WINERY 2 3 5
DECANT URBAN WINERY 1 1 2
DRY COMAL CREEK VINEYARDS 4 4
DUCHMAN FAMILY WINERY 2 1 3
EDEN HILL VINEYARD 3 3 6
EDGE OF THE LAKE WINERY 1 1
ENGLISH NEWSOM WINERY 1 8 6 15
FALL CREEK VINEYARDS 1 2 2 5
FERNS AND FLETCH WINERY 2 2 4
FIESTA WINERY 3 5 4 12
GAMBINI FAMILY ESTATE 1 5 6
GEORGETOWN WINERY 2 1 3
GRAVEYARD VINEYARDS 1 5 6
HAAK VINEYARDS AND WINERY 1 4 5
HIDDEN HANGAR VINEYARDS 3 5 8
HILMY CELLARS 1 6 1 8
H-WINES 3 3
HYE MEADOW WINERY 1 3 4 1 9
KAI-SIMONE WINERY 3 4 7
KERRVILLE HILLS WINERY 1 1 2
KIEPERSOL WINERY 2 8 2 12
LAVACA BLUFFS VINEYARD 3 1 4
LEGATOR WINERY 2 1 3
LIMESTONE TERRACE VINEYARDS 2 1 3
LLANO CELLARS WINERY 2 3 8 2 15
LOCATIONS WINERY 1 1
LONGHORN CELLARS 2 8 3 13
LOS PINOS RANCH VINEYARDS 3 3
LOST DRAW CELLARS 1 1 2
MCPHERSON CELLARS 2 2 4
MEIERSTONE VINEYARDS 1 1 2 4
MESSINA HOF WINERY 1 4 15 4 24
MIDDLE OAK WINES 1 4 3 8
NICE WINERY 3 5 18 26
PEBBLE ROCK CELLARS 4 4
PEDERNALES CELLARS 1 7 8
PERISSOS VINEYARDS 5 1 6
PETERS PRAIRIE VINEYARD 3 3
PONTOTOC VINEYARD 1 3 2 6
PUR NOIR URBAN WINERIES 5 1 6
RED 55 VINEYARD 1 1 2
RED ROAD VINEYARD 2 4 6
REDDY VINEYARDS 1 1 3 5
RIVENBURGH WINE 1 1
RLV RANCHO LOMA VINEYARDS 1 5 6
RON YATES VINEYARDS 2 3 6 1 12
ROSINI VINEYARDS 1 1 2
ROWDY CREEK RANCH 2 3 3 8
SABLE GATE WINERY 1 1 3 5
SALT LICK CELLARS 1 1
SANDY ROAD VINEYARDS 3 1 4
SAUVIGNON JOHN WINERY 2 2 4
SERCA WINES 7 7
SIGNOR VINEYARDS 2 2
SILVER SPUR WINERY 1 1
SLATE THEORY WINERY 2 3 1 6
SPICEWOOD VINEYARDS 2 6 2 10
STONE HOUSE VINEYARD 1 2 1 4
TEXAS HERITAGE VINEYARD 1 6 2 9
TEXAS HILLS VINEYARD 1 3 4
THE CAUSE URBAN WINERY 3 1 4
THIRSTY MULE WINERY 3 3
THRESHOLD VINEYARDS 1 1
TORR NA LOCHS ESTATES 3 2 5
TRIPLE CREEK RANCH 2 2
TURTLE CREEK VINEYARDS 3 1 4
WATSON VINEYARD 1 2 3
WEDDING OAK WINERY 10 2 12
WHISKEY ROAD WINERY 2 2
WHISPER PATH CELLARS 1 2 3
WHISTLING DUCK VINEYARDS 2 1 3
WHITLEY VINEYARDS 2 5 1 8
WILD STALLION VINEYARDS 1 5 1 7
WILDSEED VINEYARDS 2 4 6
WILLIAM CHRIS VINEYARDS 2 2
WINES OF DOTSON-CERVANTES 1 1
TOTALS 28 84 337 139 588