St. Francis Winery & Vineyards 2013 Sonoma County Old Vine Zinfandel wins Best of Show

Santa Rosa, Calif. – Vineyard & Winery Management has announced the results of the 2015 International Women’s Wine Competition (IWWC), including the competition’s top award winner – St. Francis Winery & Vineyards 2013 Sonoma County Old Vine Zinfandel.

There were just under 1100 wines entered in the completion.  Judges awarded a total of nine Best of Show awards, 42 Best of Class designations, 20 Double Gold and 120 Gold medals.

Best of Show winners include:

White Wine: VML 2014 Russian River Sauvignon Blanc

Rose′ Wine:  Nichelini Family Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Rose′ Napa Valley

Red Wine: St. Francis Winery & Vineyards 2013 Sonoma County Old Vine Zinfandel

Dessert Wine: Burgdorf’s Winery 2013 Vidal Blanc Ice Wine, Michigan

Sparkling Wine: Gloria Ferrer 2006 Royal Cuvee, Carneros

Mead Wine: Galena Cellars NV Mead

Cider: Bold Rock Hard Cider 2015 Carolina Draft, North Carolina

There was a tie for the “Best Women Winemaker” – Katie Madigan, winemaker for St. Francis Winery & Vineyards and Virginia Marie Lambrix of VML Winery.  Both winemakers will receive special accolades for Best Woman Winemaker and both are Sonoma County, Calif. winemakers.

Chief Judge Debra Del Fiorentino, Sommelier, CWP, CSW, stated, “This year’s competition was the best year yet.  Entries were up by 30 percent proving the world is watching this competition because of the buyer power women have within the industry.  The International Women’s Wine Competition is still judged by the best female judges within the wine industry.  The judges recognize not only the best wines submitted, but also the wines they feel would appeal most to women wine buyers and consumers.”  Top notch judges, included Jil E. Child – Partner of Wine Tours of the World & Wine Competition Coordinator, Vineyard & Winery Management, Sherrie Holzer – Assistant Winemaker, Castoro Cellars and Ellen Landis – Wine Writer, CS, CSW.

The judging was held in Sonoma County, Calif., on June 23-24 2015.  All medal winners are posted at winecompetitions.com, vwmmedia.com and EnofileOnline.com

Sponsors for the competition included: Montgomery Village, Costeaux’s French Bakery, Lagunitas Brewing Company, Hilton Sonoma Wine Country Hotel, Alsco, Wine Country Shipping, Penta Water, Graber Olives, and Sonoma Cider.

About Vineyard & Winery Management

Based in Santa Rosa, Calif., Vineyard & Winery Management is an independently owned and operated multimedia company that produces an international wine trade publication, conferences, trade shows and wine competitions. The family-owned company publishes Vineyard & Winery Management magazine, which has the highest circulation of any North American wine trade publication. V&WM’s conferences and trade shows include Craft Beverages Unlimited East and Craft Beverages Unlimited Midwest. Its wine competitions include The Press Democrat North Coast Wine Challenge, Grand Harvest Awards, East Meets West (formerly International Eastern Wine Competition and West Coast Wine Competition), and the International Women’s Wine Competition. See vwmmedia.com for more information.