Bluemont Vineyard score Double Gold at the San Francisco International Wine Competition
Scott Spelbring, Director of Winemaking and Viticulture for Bluemont Vineyard, was awarded Double Gold for his 2021 Petit Manseng and Silver Awards for both the 2019 Petit Verdot and the 2021 Albariño Signature Series wines at the San Francisco International Wine Competition this past month. Founded in 1980, the SFIWC is one of the oldest competitions of it’s kind and recognizes the most renowned international wines to boutique wineries and is a testament to hard work and indicator of exceptional quality and craftsmanship.
In reflection of this global accomplishment, our marketing team at Bluemont took a moment to get to learn more about this win with Scott himself.
Congrats on the win! For you as winemaker, but also for Bluemont. What makes this win so sweet?
SFIWC and the broader association it is part of is a global indicator of success as a winemaker. To have not just one of our labels, but three recognized for their quality and the winemaking process is just an incredible accomplishment personally but also for Bluemont Vineyard as a brand.
I am so proud of Bluemont Vineyard and Loudoun County, VA to stand out against the 2600+ entries from around the world that include wines from Australia, Italy, France, South Africa, New Zealand, Spain and many more countries who produce incredible labels and have roots in winemaking that go back centuries. It is exciting to be recognized in this competition and validates what we already know - Virginia makes great wine!
What wine qualities stood out that made you select the Petit Manseng. We are glad you did, as it ultimately won Double Gold!
I feel that Petit Manseng has the potential to become a star! We've struggled a little with understanding Petit Manseng and how to work with its high acid, and high sugar content but have finally identified a style that we like and have been able to refine our vineyard and production approach to support this style and embrace this grape. The end result was a wine that we were very proud of and wanted to see how it fared on a larger stage.
You’ve proved these wines are a must-taste. How can guests enjoy a sip, or a glass, or a bottle?
The 2021 Albariño is already sold out, unfortunately. The 2021 Petit Manseng and 2019 Petit Verdot were just released to our wine club on New Year’s Day, and we plan to incorporate these two into our tasting lineup in the second half of January. So come on out for a tasting!
What are you looking forward to most in production for 2023? I’m excited about our new production space and expanded capabilities to keep improving our wine quality. I look forward to seeing the changes that we’ve been making in our vineyards come to fruition and positively impact fruit quality.
Get to know these award-winning wines!
2021 Petit Manseng
97% Petit Manseng, 3% Vidal Blanc
Double Gold - 2022 San Francisco International Wine competition.
With its origins in South West France (Languedoc), Petit Manseng is relatively new to Virginia vineyards. Our dry white 2021 Petit Manseng was hand-harvested and fermented in a variety of stainless steel, oak and acacia barrels. Slightly perfumed aromatics of honeysuckle, ripe stone fruits (nectarine and white peach) and green apple couple with a pleasantly balanced but lingering acidity. Apricot and a hint of graham cracker on the finish. Pairs well with spicy tuna rolls, ceviche, scallops, root vegetables, grilled chicken, peach cobbler
Alcohol 14.4%, PH 3.45, TA 6.92, Cases produced 319
Apricot | Honeysuckle | White Peach
2021 Albariño “Signature Series”
100% Albariño
A Spanish varietal with bright acidity and a dry finish. Crisp green apple gives way to notes of lemongrass and Thai basil with a hint of nectarine and beeswax (honey). This 100% Loudoun County wine was fermented at cooler temperatures in stainless steel for a crisp clean finish.
100% sourced from Loudoun County’s Bluemont estate and Windhorn vineyards
Pairs well with ceviche, grilled pork, sushi, grilled vegetables, risotto
Alcohol 13%, PH 3.41, TA 5.72, Cases produced 286
2019 Petit Verdot “Signature Series”
98% Petit Verdot, 2% Tannat
Originally prized for its blending power, Petit Verdot has found a niche here in Virginia as a standalone, single varietal wine. Slightly smokey with hints of sage, lavender, and loads of blueberry. Our 2019 Petit Verdot shows lingering, but soft tannin structure and a bright mouthwatering acidity that makes the wine accessible now but will also age well over the next 4-7 years. For best results decant for an hour prior to enjoying
Pairs well with duck ragout, gruyere cheese, stuffed green peppers, spicy pork
Alcohol 14%, PH 3.73, Cases produced 394
Sage | Lavender | Blueberry