Call for Entries 

The Fourth Annual Hudson Valley Wine Competition 

Under the auspices of The Hudson Valley Wine & Grape Association  with the participation and support of Cornell Cooperative Extension 

Deadline: Friday, April 18, 2008

How To Enter     Commercial Entry Form  (page 2, page 3)     Entry Categories & Descriptions     2008 Judges

Dear Hudson Valley Winemaker, 

We are proud to announce the Fourth Hudson Valley Wine Competition that focuses on your wines.  We continue to improve on our past years’ of success with articles in the New York Times, the Times Herald Record, The Hudson Valley Table, Hudson Valley Magazine and numerous other Hudson Valley media.   The wineries that have entered in the past received great reviews and far-reaching publicity.   I have heard it from the mouths of more than one judge that the quality of the wines entered has improved with each succeeding year, and I would say along with it the reputation of our wine region. This year’s competition should be more exciting than ever.  We have again fought inflation and kept the entry fee for wineries to $30 each for 1-3 wines and $25 each after the third. More judges have been added and from a wider range of the wine industry, including importers, wine writers, critics, educators and retailers.

We are staging this event to highlight the quality of our region’s wines and the public’s increasing interest in them. The wines will be judged by a panel of distinguished wine experts on Saturday April 26 at Brook in Waterland’s 17^th Century Dutch Homestead.

• Awards will be made at a semiformal dinner at the Culinary Institute of America’s St. Andrew's Cafe, Friday, May 30th.

• The top winning wines will be poured and matched with appetizers and a three course dinner cooked by CIA’a award-winning Chef Michael Garnero.

• Double Gold, Gold, Silver, and Bronze Medals will be presented.

• The highest scoring wine in each major category (White, Red, Fruit, Dessert, Sparkling, and Rosé) will be honored.

• The “Valerie Eldridge Bowl” will be awarded to the best wine of the competition.

• A special sponsor’s cup will be awarded to the best Hudson Valley AVA wine.

• The highest scoring wine in each major class (e.g., Chardonnay, Seyval, Red Blend) will receive special recognition.

• All winners will be posted at  http://www.HVWGA.com.

• A press release with the complete list of awards will be sent to local media and the wine press following the competition.

Please note that the deadline for entry forms and fees is Friday, April 18^th. If you enter before March 15, you can also qualify for the special dinner price of $65 complete. (This is below cost considering that most CIA wine dinners run to over $80.) For entry requirements, please see the following pages/links below.

      We are proud to continue what we hope to be a magnificent perennial event for Hudson Valley wineries and look forward to seeing you and your wines there.                                                                                                                         

                                                                        Fourth Annual Competition Committee

                                                                        (Colleen, Debbie, Marie-Claire, Monica and John)