2021 Iowa State Fair Commercial Wine Competition Results
The four “Best of Show” Iowa wines were selected to be featured in Grandfather’s Barn at the Iowa Wine Experience throughout the duration of the 2021 Iowa State Fair.
Oscar Carl Vineyard won Best of Show Red with Aunt Billie, a dry Petite Pearl wine. Tassel Ridge Winery won Best of Show Other with their Oskyfizzante Iowa White, a sparkling Edelweiss wine. Eagles Landing Winery won Best of Show Fruit with Bluesfest, their sweet blueberry wine. Fireside Winery won Best of Show White with Storyteller, a semi-sweet white blend of Vignoles and St. Pepin grapes.
Held in July each year, the Iowa State Fair Commercial Wine Competition utilized eight qualified wine judges selecting medal winners through a blind sensory and tasting evaluation. This year, 113 wines from 21 Iowa wineries were entered. In total, 75 wines earned awards, one Double Gold, six Gold, 33 Silver and 35 Bronze. Following the medaling round of the competition, 12 outstanding wines were nominated for the “Best of Show” sweepstakes round, which judges reevaluated and selected the top wine in each of the four divisions of the competition: white, red, fruit and other.
Following that, the four top winners were then narrowed down to determine the overall competition winner, the Governor’s Cup Trophy Award. Tassel Ridge Winery’s Oskyfizzante Iowa White was selected as the 2021 Governor’s Cup Trophy Award winner. The Iowa Wine Growers Association sponsors the Governor’s Cup Trophy award, which is the “best of the best” wine selected from the four Best of Show winners, determined by the judging panel at the end of the competition. Iowa’s Governor, Kim Reynolds, presents the trophy in a ceremony each year during the Iowa State Fair. The trophy has been on display at Fireside Winery for their Storyteller wine from the 2020 Iowa Wine Growers Competition and will travel to Tassel Ridge Winery to be on display for the next year following the conclusion of the Iowa State Fair. This year’s ceremony will take place on the stage outside Grandfather’s Barn, date and time yet to be determined.
The Iowa Wine Growers Association also sponsors a People’s Choice Trophy award. Fairgoers purchasing a tasting tray can cast their vote to determine which “Best of Show” wine takes home the trophy each year. The People’s Choice Trophy announcement takes place the last Sunday of the Fair at 3 p.m. at Grandfather’s Barn.
All four of the Best of Show award-winning wines, in addition to the commemorative Iowa State Fair Red and White wines, will be available at Grandfather’s Barn each day of the Fair from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tastings are $1 each or six for $5. Bottles of State Fair White and State Fair Red wines will also be available for $15.
View a spreadsheet of the award winners here.
Additional results included:
Double Gold
Storyteller - Fireside Winery, Marengo BEST OF SHOW WHITE
Gold
Loesscato - Oscar Carl Vineyard, Sioux City NOMINEE FOR BOS
Volga Lake Blush - Eagles Landing Winery, Marquette NOMINEE FOR BOS
Bluesfest - Eagles Landing Winery, Marquette BEST OF SHOW FRUIT
Oskyfizzante Iowa White - Tassel Ridge Winery, Oskaloosa BEST OF SHOW OTHER & GOVERNOR’S CUP
Aunt Billie - Oscar Carl Vineyard, Sioux City BEST OF SHOW RED
Habanero Heat - Frisky Fox Vineyard & Winery, Riceville NOMINEE FOR BOS
Silver
Peach - Ackerman Winery, Marengo
Red 52 - Ardon Creek Vineyard And Winery, Letts
Red Tie Affair - Cedar Valley Winery, Batavia
Cedar Bridge - Covered Bridges Winery, Winterset
Edelweiss - Covered Bridges Winery, Winterset
Summer Crush - Eagles Landing Winery, Marquette
Mrs. Sippi - Eagles Landing Winery, Marquette
Honey N Berries - Eagles Landing Winery, Marquette
Blackberry - Eagles Landing Winery, Marquette
Campfire Hootch - Eagles Landing Winery, Marquette NOMINEE FOR BOS
Black Raspberry - Eagles Landing Winery, Marquette
Big Red - Eagles Landing Winery, Marquette NOMINEE FOR BOS
Serenity - Eagles Landing Winery, Marquette NOMINEE FOR BOS
Strawberry Fest - Eagles Landing Winery, Marquette
Vignoles - Fireside Winery, Marengo
Marquette Rosé - Fireside Winery, Marengo
Aurora Sky - Frisky Fox Vineyard & Winery, Riceville
Vortex Sky - Frisky Fox Vineyard & Winery, Riceville
LaCrescent - Frisky Fox Vineyard & Winery, Riceville
Burlington Blush - Lindon Wines, Burlington
Zuckervine - Nearwood Winery, Knoxville
Janice Louise - Oscar Carl Vineyard, Sioux City
Karel Sue - Oscar Carl Vineyard, Sioux City
Girls Night Out - Penoach Winery, Adel
Rivers Rainbow - Rustic River Winery And Vineyard, Lake View
Midnight Moon - Rustic River Winery And Vineyard, Lake View
Marquette - Soldier Creek Winery, Fort Dodge NOMINEE FOR BOS
St. Croix - Soldier Creek Winery, Fort Dodge
Goldenrod - Soldier Creek Winery, Fort Dodge
Frontenac Gris - Soldier Creek Winery, Fort Dodge
Petite Pearl - Soldier Creek Winery, Fort Dodge NOMINEE FOR BOS
Star Spangled White - Tassel Ridge Winery, Oskaloosa
Brother V - Wooden Wheel Vineyards, Keota
Bronze
Blackberry - Ackerman Winery, Marengo
Rhubarb - Ackerman Winery, Marengo
Strawberry - Ackerman Winery, Marengo
Holliwell Bridge - Covered Bridges Winery, Winterset
Rattlesnake Red - Covered Bridges Winery, Winterset
Hogback Bridge - Covered Bridges Winery, Winterset
Outstanding White - Eagles Landing Winery, Marquette
Volga Lake White - Eagles Landing Winery, Marquette
Just Peachy - Eagles Landing Winery, Marquette
Rohde Red - Eagles Landing Winery, Marquette
Outstanding Red - Eagles Landing Winery, Marquette
Caramel Apple - Eagles Landing Winery, Marquette
Brianna - Fireside Winery, Marengo
St Croix - Fireside Winery, Marengo
Chambourcin - Fireside Winery, Marengo
Brianna - Frisky Fox Vineyard & Winery, Riceville
Dirt Road Red - Frisky Fox Vineyard & Winery, Riceville
Marquette - Frisky Fox Vineyard & Winery, Riceville
Rhubarb Delight - Frisky Fox Vineyard & Winery, Riceville
Honeycrisp - Frisky Fox Vineyard & Winery, Riceville
Burlington Kiss - Lindon Wines, Burlington
Frontenac Dry - Lindon Wines, Burlington
Dallas County Apple - Penoach Winery, Adel
Coyote Call - Rustic River Winery And Vineyard, Lake View
Sultry Sunset - Rustic River Winery And Vineyard, Lake View
Seyval Blanc - Soldier Creek Winery, Fort Dodge
Primrose - Soldier Creek Winery, Fort Dodge
Paragon Pink - Soldier Creek Winery, Fort Dodge
Rubra - Soldier Creek Winery, Fort Dodge
Wink - Summerset Winery, Indianola
Harvest White - Summerset Winery, Indianola
St. Croix - Tycoga Vineyard & Winery, DeWitt
Petite Pearl - Tycoga Vineyard & Winery, DeWitt
Rhubarb - Tycoga Vineyard & Winery, DeWitt
George G - Wooden Wheel Vineyards, Keota