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