Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/628173
january-february 2016 / the tasting panel / 123 "This Double Gold medal is especially significant because of the challenging, rainy harvest of 2013," says Mia Dimeo, Communications and Marketing Manager for Van Duzer Vineyards (seen here with Van Duzer Sales Representative Tyler Kincaid). "Our talented winemaker, Flo Merlier, a Burgundy native, took it in stride, and created this exceptional Pinot Noir," she adds, referring to their 2013 Estate Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley. Van Duzer Vineyards is located in the foothills of the Van Duzer Corridor and is the first vineyard in the Willamette Valley to benefit from the cool Pacific breezes that flow nightly through the Corridor to the interior of the valley, mak- ing this the ideal site in Oregon for producing Pinot Noirs that rival their Burgundian counterparts. Wisconsin-based Wollersheim Winery is no stranger to the Double Gold Tour, having par- ticipated in the Chicago leg for three consecutive years. "We really appreciate being part of the Tour. It's a great oppor- tunity to share our Double Gold–winning wines with the trade who might not already be familiar with them," quips Colin Walsh, Sales Manager for Wollersheim Winery. "It's always nice to see the positive reactions from people when they realize our wines are made just three hours away," adds Walsh. Wollersheim Winery's 2014 Prairie Fumé Seyval Blanc is a unique wine. By stopping fermentation before completion, winemaker Philippe Coquard manages to harness the grape's potential for creating a semi-dry wine that emphasizes bright fruit flavors without making sweetness the main focus. It's no wonder that it was also awarded Best Seyval Blanc and Best Hybrid Wine. PHOTO: MONA SHIELD PAYNE PHOTO: REBECCA PEPLINSKI PHOTO TAKEN AT SEPIA IN CHICAGO. PHOTO: REBECCA PEPLINSKI. PHOTO TAKEN AT SEPIA IN CHICAGO. PHOTO TAKEN AT SEPIA IN CHICAGO. PHOTO TAKEN AT BAZAAR MEAT BY JOSÉ ANDRÉS IN THE SLS LAS VEGAS.