Idol Ridge Winery wins Best Riesling at International Competition

Lodi, New York -- The 20^th Annual Finger Lakes International Wine & Spirits Competition (FLIWC) was held July 14-16 and 20-21, 2020. All proceeds from the competition benefit the children and families affected by cancer and sickle cell anemia served by Camp Good Days & Special Times.

Started 20 years ago, The Finger Lakes International Wine & Spirits Competition has become one of the largest wine competitions in the world to benefit a charitable organization.

Significant changes were made to the competition to make sure that the health and safety of all involved was at the forefront during the COVID-19 pandemic. Over 2,000 wines and spirits were entered and then blind judged by a distinguished group of judges composed of sommeliers, wine makers, wine writers, and experienced spirits judges. They awarded bronze, silver and gold medals, and where it was unanimous, double gold. The wine portion of the competition was held down at the Camp Good Days recreational facility on Keuka Lake on July 14-16, 2020 and the spirits portion of the competition was held at the headquarters office in Mendon, NY on July 20 and 21, 2020.

All wines and spirits were presented blind to the panel of judges with only the varietal or blend identified. No indication of geography, vintage, or price point is shared, ensuring total unbiased evaluation given to each wine and spirit.  The judges award them unanimous Double Gold, Gold, Silver, or Bronze medals.

Best Riesling was awarded to Idol Ridge Winery's 2018 Riesling, which has fresh aromas of guava, melon, and pineapple that play over bright acidity and balanced sweetness. Idol Ridge also brought home a Double Gold for the String of Pearls, a naturally sparkling Riesling and a silver medal for the 2019 Reserve Riesling from Smith Brother's Farm. Idol Ridge Winery is home to multiple award winning wines, it sits on the East side of Seneca Lake. Idol Ridge Winery is open daily 10:00-5:00pm.

The event was a success thanks to the many volunteers, the wonderful judges, and the key people who helped make the competition possible.

Due to COVID-19 concerns, the FLIWC, usually held in April, was rescheduled to July, and the following Camp Good Days Wine Auction Dinner, usually held in November, will potentially be rescheduled to an online auction. The Camp Good Days Wine Auction will feature only medal winning wines and spirits from the competition.

For more information about the winning entries and the Camp Good Days Wine Auction, please visit the FLIWC website at www.fliwc-cdg.com.

The wines that won the “Best of Categories” are:

The spirits that won the “Best of Categories” are: