At the beginning of January the OWB issued a call for wines on behalf of the TEXSOM International Wine Awards (TIWA) in hopes of increasing Oregon’s representation and the results were staggering. The 2017 results were announced on Monday, Mar. 20 and, thanks to your efforts, the number of award-winning wines from Oregon more than doubled compared to 2016.
Entries in the TEXSOM International Wine Awards were blind-tasted and judged by 71 internationally renowned industry influencers from five countries. Of these entries, the judges awarded 2,480 medals: 310 Gold medals, 901 Silver medals, and 1269 Bronze medals. Suggested retail pricing of medal-winning entries ranged from 2.99 to over $700. Vintages spanned 40 years, with the oldest being 1977.
2017 Oregon TIWA Awards (vs. 2016):
Once again Oregon earned more than its “fair share” of awards, continuing to affirm the recognition of quality of the wines made here. While Oregon produces only about 1% of the total wine in the United States, 10% of the domestic TIWA award-winning wines were from Oregon.
- 128 award-winning wines (61)
- 58 producers (36)
- 5 gold medals (6)
- 37 silver medals (24)
- 86 bronze medals (31)
- AVAs represented: 9 – Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills, Eola- Amity Hills, McMinnville, Chehalem Mountains, Yamhill-Carlton, Applegate Valley, Rogue Valley (6 – Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills, Eola-Amity Hills, Applegate Valley, Rogue Valley)
- Varieties represented: 11- Merlot, Pinot noir, Chardonnay, Grenache (rosé), Gruner Veltliner, Malbec, Pinot blanc, Pinot gris, Riesling, Tempranillo, Viognier (5 – Pinot noir, Pinot gris, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah)
The OWB has been building a relationship with the TEXSOM community since attending the conference last August. Although there is not yet a specific opportunity to get involved through the Oregon Wine Board, if your winery is interested in learning more about TEXSOM or potentially interested in participating next year please contact Christina DeArment, who will keep you informed should an opportunity arise. Note: per conference guidelines, wines poured at TEXSOM conference must be available through a distributor in Texas.
Congratulations to all the award-winners and thank you for coming together (yet again) to work towards the advancement of our industry on the world stage.
