2012 Great Lakes Great Wine Competition results

As wine competitions go, most are held in California and are international in flavor. States hold wine competitions for their own wines if the industry is big enough.

So it’s rare when a small community college puts on its own competition, such as the Great Lakes Great Wine Competition by the Orchard Ridge Campus of Oakland Community  College. Their 16th annual competition and evening public event drew many entries for the daytime judging and the biggest crowd yet at night.

The competition is unique because it features only the wines of states and Canadian provinces that border the Great Lakes. This year, however, to increase the lineup, other Midwest states were invited to participate.

The judging was Thursday, May 17. You’ll notice below that the St. Julian Late Harvest Reserve Riesling 2011 pulled down a Double Gold. Also this week, it was named Best Sweet Riesling at the Riverside International Wine Competition in Riverside, Calif.

Here are the Double Gold winners starting with Michigan:

Black Star Farms Arcturos Pinot Gris 2011 (Michigan)

Brys Estate Naked Chardonnay 2011 (Michigan)

St. Julian Late Harvest Reserve Riesling 2011 (Michigan)

St. Julian Solera Cream Sherry (Michigan)

21 Brix Winery Noiret 2010 (New York)

Breitenbach Red Raspberry (Ohio)

Britenback Solera Sherry (Ohio)

Debonne Vidal Ice Wine 2010 (Ohio)

Huber Knobstone Port (Indiana)

Hunt Country Valvin Muscat (New York)

Mount Nittany Vignoles 2011 (Pennsylvania)

Presque Isle Blushing Heron (Pennsylvania)

Wagner Vineyards Riesling Ice Wine 2011