Rooster Hill Has Some Rieslings to Celebrate

The 10th annual Finger Lakes International Wine Competition gave Rooster Hill Vineyards some Rieslings to celebrate two, to be exact.Rooster Hill¹s 2008 Estate Semi Dry Riesling won a Gold Medal at the recent inger Lakes competition in Rochester, and the Keuka Lake winery¹s 2008 DryRiesling received a Silver Medal.The Finger Lakes contest is one of the nation¹s largest wine competitions, and this year it had a record number of entries 3010 wines from all overthe world that were tasted and judged. The competition was also the first in history to include wines from all 50 states in the United States,officials said.A total of 666 wineries had entries in the competition, which was held March27 and 28 at the Rochester Plaza Hotel. Of those, 105 were New York State wineries, 15 were from other countries and nine were from provinces inCanada, according to the competition¹s Web site.³The Finger Lakes competition is a big deal, and we are glad to be part of it,² said Rooster Hill co-owner Amy Hoffman. ³Riesling is the signature wineof the Finger Lakes region and it is very satisfying to see two of our Rieslings receive this recognition.²³This is the fourth consecutive Gold Medal for the Estate Semi Dry Riesling since we started entering it in competitions,² Hoffman noted. The wine hasearned Gold Medals at major competitions for four vintages in a row 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008.The estate-grown wine¹s repeated medals speak to Rooster Hill¹s intense focus on vine balance and fruit quality in its own vineyards, she said.All proceeds from the Finger Lakes competition benefit Camp Good Days and Special Times, a non-profit organization that provides a camping experience and other activities for children, adults and families whose lives have been touched by cancer and other challenges. Last summer, more than 1,500 children, including children from several foreign countries, participated in Camp Good Days activities at its recreational facility on Keuka Lake.The Finger Lakes competition¹s fund-raising Wine Auction Dinner will be May 1 at the Rochester Plaza Hotel. Award-winning wines and other items will beauctioned during the event. For information about tickets, call (585) 624-555 or visit www.fliwc.com or www.campgooddays.org.Rooster Hill Vineyards is at 489 Route 54, on the east side of Keuka Lake. For more information about the winery, call (315) 536-4773, [email protected] or visit www.roosterhill.com .Rooster Hill is in the heart of Finger Lakes Wine Country in upstate New York. Finger Lakes Wine Country is the largest concentration of winerieseast of California, boasting more than 100 wineries producing world-class wine. For more information about the region, go to this Web site:www.fingerlakeswinecountry.com.