ALBERTA WINE TAKES GOLD AND ‘BEST OF TYPE’ AT PRESTIGIOUS INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION.

STRATHMORE, ALBERTA – June 2, 2010

Alberta-based berry and fruit wine company Field Stone Fruit Wines is celebrating its first “Best of Type” Award in the Fortified Wine Category for its recently released “Black Currant Dessert Wine” at the 2010 Northwest Wine Summit competition in Oregon, USA.

The NorthWest Wine Summit is one of the region’s oldest and most popular contests, with 24 judges from around the world judging 1,200 wines over three days.

This new Top of Category Award puts the Strathmore Winery on the same notable list as the venerable Okanagan-based Mission Hill Family Estate Riesling Icewine, and vineyards from Washington, British Columbia, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Alaska.

“Black currants have been used in winemaking for centuries, and now for the first time Alberta-grown black currants have been recognized on the world’s stage,” says Marvin Gill, Partner at Field Stone Fruit Wines. “We couldn’t be happier.”

Field Stone also went on to win a Gold Medal for the same Black Currant Dessert Wine, Silver Medals for its rare Strawberry-Rhubarb Wine and its delicate Raspberry Dessert Wine, and an additional “Best of Region Award” for representing Alberta.

News of the “Black Currant Awards” for Field Stone’s fortified wine arrived just as the winery launched its newest table wine for summer 2010 — “Black Currant Fruit Wine.” This expands the five-year-old company’s product line to 10 farm fresh varieties.

“This exciting new fruit wine is our driest offering to date. Slightly oaked, creating an earthy but refined flavour with a hint of berry on the finish,” explains Gill. “Perfect for patio sipping when you want something a bit different.”

To date, both Black Currant wines have proven to be popular at the Calgary Farmers Market, with sales stronger than usual since the season opened.

“It’s certainly seems to be the summer of the Black Currant,” says Gill.

In addition to Black Currant, Field Stone’s four other fruit wine varieties include: Bumbleberry, Cherry, Raspberry, and Strawberry-Rhubarb. Its four other dessert wines include: Saskatoon Berry, Raspberry, Strawberry, and Wild Black Cherry.

Field Stone wines are available at the Calgary Farmers Market, Bearspaw Farmers Market, Grassroots (Northlands) Farmers Market, Kingsland Farmers Market, Sylvan Lake Farmers Market, Lethbridge Farmers Market, and Brooks Farmers Market, as well as directly from the Field Stone winery in Strathmore from May through September.

May/June hours at the winery: Thursday through Sunday, 12 noon to 6pm. July/August hours, Thursday through Sunday, 10 am to 6pm. The winery is open all holiday Mondays.

Visit www.fieldstonefruitwines.com for information, recipes, and pairing suggestions.

ABOUT FIELD STONE FRUIT WINES

In 2005 Field Stone Fruit Wines was the first business to be granted a license under the Government of Alberta’s new cottage winery regulations, allowing fruit growers to manufacture and sell fruit wines. Since July 1st, 2005, Field Stone has been a popular destination drawing visitors and customers from around Alberta, Canada, and beyond.

All Field Stone wines are vinified from 100-percent Alberta-grown fruit, 90-percent of which is grown on the Gill family’s Bumbleberry Farm. Field Stone’s winemaker is Dominic Rivard, a noted world expert in fruit wines. Since 2006, the winery has been distinguished with 15 awards and medals across its 10 varieties of fruit and dessert wines. Field Stone wines are available from May to September at selected farmers markets, direct from the winery, and year round at selected retailers across Alberta.

ABOUT NORTHWEST WINE SUMMIT

The NorthWest Wine Summit held in Oregon, USA, is one of the region’s oldest and most popular contests. Six panels, including 24 judges from all over the world, gathered this spring at the Columbia Gorge Hotel in Hood River to judge 1,200 wines from the Northwest, including Oregon, Washington, Idaho, British Columbia, Alberta and Montana.

Judges included winery owners, wholesale buyers and sellers, restaurant and wine shop owners and others connected to wine drinking, serving, making and selling. Judged on a 13-point scale, the only requirement of each entry is that it be made from fruit grown in the Northwest and commercially available for purchase.

 

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