Annual Wine Competition

2026 French Broad Vignerons Wine Competition

2026 WINNERS ANNOUCED:

Commercial Best in Show and Gold Medal:
Gewurtztraminer – Penn Oaks Winery – Cooksville, MD
Amateur Best in Show and Gold Medal:
Camenere Syrah Blend – Tom Mincarelli

Silver Medal
Commercial:
Muller Thurgau – Penn Oaks Winery – MD
Riesling – Penn Oaks Winery – MD
Piesporter – Penn Oaks Winery – MD
Albarino – City Scape Winery – SC
Urban Red – City Scape Winery – SC
Pineapple Riesling – City Scape Winery – SC
Peach Chardonnay – Cat’s Paw Winery – SC
Petit Manseng – Golden Road Vineyards – NC

Amateur:
Merlot – Primitivo Blend – Tom Mincarelli
Syrah – Petite Sirah Blend – Tom Mincarelli
Cabernet Sauvignon – Malbec Bland – Tom Mincarelli
Chestnut – Chuck Blethen
Buffalo Berry – Chuck Blethen

Bronze Medal
Commercial:
Upstate Blush – City Scape Winery – SC
Pinot Noir – City Scape Winery – SC
Blueberry – Cat’s Paw Winery – SC
Pomegranate Zinfandel – Cat’s Paw Winery – SC
Regent – Penn Oaks Winery – MD
Rose – Penn Oaks Winery – MD

Amateur:
Tomato – Chuck Blethen
Persimmon Fig – Chuck Blethen
Kousa Dogwood Berry – Chuck Blethen
Katuah Muscadine – Chuck Blethen
Raspberry – Alan Staton
Bordeaux Blend – Joel Mazelis

Commercial and Amateur winemakers are invited to enter their wines in the French Broad Vignerons Regional Wine Competition, to be held Saturday, March 14, 2026 (Vinifera & Hybrid wines) and Sunday, March 15 (Muscadine, Meads, Ciders & Fruit wines). The deadline to enter wines in the competition is Monday March 9, 2026.

Judging will be conducted blind and managed by American Wine Society and WSET certified judges.

FBV members receive one (1) competition wine entry for free.

Commercial Entries
Each individual COMMERCIAL entry requires two (2) 750 ml or four (4) 375 ml bottles of wine. Cost for each entry in the Commercial competition: $35 per wine entry.

Amateur Entries

Each individual AMATEUR entry requires one (1) 750 ml or two (2) 375 ml bottles of wine. Cost for each entry in the Amateur competition: $15 first wine entry and $10 for each wine entry thereafter.

Ship bottles to:

Alan Station, 3005 Spartanburg Hwy, East Flat Rock, NC 28726.

or to Dennis Turner, 102 Scenic Cir, Boiling Springs, S.C. 29316

Bottles sent in early will be held in temperature controlled storage until the competition.

Please contact Dennis Turner with any questions by emailing FBVwinecomps@gmail.com or calling (864) 357-1435.

Wine Entry Codes for Vinifera/Hybrids

Wine Entry Codes for Muscadine/Meads/Ciders/Fruit Wines

Wine Competition Google Entry Form

PayPal Link to Pay Entry Fees by Credit Card

Ship bottles to: Alan Station, 3005 Spartanburg Hwy, East Flat Rock, NC 28726. Bottles sent in early will be held in refrigerated storage until the competition.

Please contact Alan Staton with any questions by emailing buildapool@gmail.com or calling (828) 243-3512.

Wine Codes for Vinifera/Hybrids

Wine Codes for Muscadine/Mead/Cider/Fruit Wines

Click Here to Pay by Credit Card

Click Here to go to Google Entry Form

2023 Wine Competition Results

We thank all of the wineries and individuals who submitted wines for our 2023 Annual Wine Competition. The list of medal winners is below:

Commercial Competition Gold Medals

JoLo Winery, Pilot Mountain, North Carolina

Pilot Fog, 2022
Pilot Shadow, 2021
Carolus XII, 2021
Jolotage Reserve, 2022
Crimson Creek, 2022

Commercial Competition Silver Medals

JoLo Winery, Pilot Mountain, North Carolina

Jolotage, 2022
Cuvee Selection, 2021
Beach Bubbles, 2022
Golden Hallows, 2022
Golden Hallows Reserve, 2022
Rosé, 2022
Cabernet Sauvignon, 2022
Devils Hill, 2022

Amateur Competition Silver Medals

Michael Dickson, Asheville, North Carolina

Zinfandel, 2022
Sauvignon Blanc, 2022

Commercial Competition Bronze Medals

River Dog Winery, Henrico, Virginia

River Breeze, NV

Amateur Competition Bronze Medals

Michael Dickson, Asheville, North Carolina

Chardonnay, 2021