Monday, May 19, 2008

BRUSHY MOUNTAIN WINERY WINS MULTIPLE MEDALS at

BACK TO BACK INTERNATIONAL WINE COMPETITIONS

Brushy Mountain’s recent wins at bi-coastal competitions in California and New York

sharpens national focus on North Carolina Wines

Brushy Mountain Winery located in historic downtown Elkin in the Yadkin Valley Appellation garnered

five medals in recent international wine competitions. Going up against approximately 2000 wines entered from nearly 500 wineries, three dozen states and over 10 foreign countries, Brushy Mountain medaled in both The National Women’s Wine Competition in California and The Fingerlakes International Wine Competition in New York. 

Lea Pierce, Director of the National Women’s Wine Competition, stated, “Thirty-six professional women wine judges brought world-class palates to the task of judging over 1900 entries, and found that Brushy Mountain wines are winners.”  This is the first year the competition has accepted international entries, raising the difficulty of earning a medal.

Women make 60-70% of all wine buying decisions. The NWWC’s “Wines Women Love Shopping List” is a “Best Wines for Women, By Women” roadmap that will guide discriminating female consumers in their quest for quality wines at reasonable prices. “The list will assist retailers on how to harness the enormous buying power of their female customers,” added Ms. Pierce.

The NNWC judges awarded a Silver Medal to Brushy Mountain’s Raspberry Wine – a  wine worthy of sharing with friends at a restaurant or at home. True raspberry fragrances and the sensual taste of vine-ripened berries with a hint of tartness explains the popularity of this berry wine.

The NWWC judges awarded Bronze Medals to Brushy Mountain’s Blackberry Wine, an inspired choice for dessert, or enjoyable before dinner paired with a rich appetizer such as layered goat cheese and apricots; and the second Bronze went to Brushy Mountain’s signature Bugaboo Creek red blend of Cabernet Franc

Brushy Mountain Winery Wins Multiple Medals                                                                                                PAGE 2

and Cabernet Sauvignon. The versatile, food-friendly red is most often enjoyed at a casual home dinner with good friends. Bugaboo Creek is a steady performer, and regulars appreciate the wine’s moniker, derived from a local rural place name.

Bugaboo Creek also garnered a Bronze Medal from The Fingerlakes International Wine Competition.

The second Bronze Medal from the Fingerlakes Competition went to Brushy Mountain’s Boysenberry Wine. Dubbed a “sweet-tart” wine by tasting room customers, the sweetness of dark bramble berries is mellowed by the satisfying tartness exemplary of the boysenberry heritage. Boysenberry Wine provides an intriguing pairing with Stilton or white cheddar cheese or can be enjoyed solo as an aperitif.  

Rounding out the national roadmap of recognition for NC wines, the low-country recently noted Brushy Mountain wines’ natural affinity for Southern cuisine. Popular southern lifestyle journalist Doc Lawrence (www.docsnews.com) writes in his monthly column “Sips Along the Way” in The Charleston Review and The Atlanta Review, (one of the oldest wine review publications in the south), “Brushy Mountain’s Booger Swamp, named after a local rural legend (a semi-sweet white blend, showcased on the Jay Leno Show last October) stands out as a nice fit with catfish and is a delightful wine to enjoy on the front porch while the sun is setting….and a visit to Brushy Mountain Winery, the fulfillment of Matthew and Ann Mayberry’s dream, makes a tour of North Carolina wineries even more enlightening.”

 In Summary

Silver Medal, NWWC                                Raspberry Wine  $13 

Bronze Medal, NWWC                           Blackberry Wine $13

Bronze Medal, NWWC and FLIC         Bugaboo Creek   $15 

Bronze Medal, FLIC                                  Boysenberry Wine $13

Brushy Mountain’s vinifera and berry wines are crafted by notable NC winemaker Sean McRitchie. All wines can be purchased at Brushy Mountain Winery’s urban tasting room in downtown Elkin or through the website www.brushymountainwine.com.  Supplies are limited.

Brushy Mountain Winery   125 W. Main Street   Elkin, NC     ph: 336-835-1313

2 email photos attached -

 .jpg file of  1/3 of all wine entries housed at NWWC warehouse in Santa Rosa, California

.jpg file of Brushy Mountain wine bottles

For further information on NWWC, contact Lea Pierce, info@nwwc.info