The 22nd Annual Finger Lakes International Wine & Spirits Competition was wildly successful, all thanks to our wonderful volunteers, judges, and staff! We also want to give a special thank you to the wineries, distilleries and cideries that submitted entries to the competition as well. We certainly would not be able to become one of the largest wine & spirits competitions in the world to benefit a charitable organization without your help & support.

The wine portion of the competition was held at the Camp Good Days Recreational Facility in Branchport, NY, right on the shores of beautiful Keuka Lake. We were able to loosen some of the COVID-19 restrictions since all our judges were vaccinated, and all volunteers were asked to wear masks. Over the course of the 3 days, judges were evaluating hundreds of flights of wine. They were able to deliberate with each other regarding awards, and it was wonderful to see the constant chatter from around the room.
This year’s panel of judges was richly diverse with sommeliers, wine makers, wine writers, and wine educators. They awarded bronze, silver, and gold medals, and where it was unanimous, double gold. This year, a platinum medal was introduced and awarded to the wine that holds extraordinary distinction during the “Best in Class” evaluation. This was the same for the spirits judging.

Our spirits judging was held in our Camp Good Days Headquarters in Mendon, NY. The panel consisted of distillery owners, experienced judges, etc. It was great to see comradery from everyone through wine & spirits for the benefit of Camp Good Days. We were able to get through all the entries, and we can now begin preparations for the Wine & Spirits Auction Dinner Gala on November 5, 2022.
This occasion is the biggest fundraiser for Camp Good Days. It ensures that no child with cancer or sickle cell anemia will be charged for any program that is offered. Wineries and distilleries donate their gold medal entries to be auctioned off in our silent auction during the event. We are so excited that 2022 will be our first year back in person after our auction was online for the last few years due to the pandemic.
And now, for the results.
The wines that wone the “Best in Class” categories are:
Medal | Winery | Brand | Vintage | Website | State | Country |
Best Vinifera Red Blend | Ragtag Wine Co. | Meritage | 2017 | slocoastwine.com | California | United States |
Best Tempranillo | Spicewood Vineyards | Black Label Tempranillo | 2019 | spicewoodvineyards.com | Texas | United States |
Best Sparkling | E. & J. Gallo Winery | Barefoot Bubbly Peach | NV | gallo.com | California | United States |
Best Rosé | Suhru Wines | Rose | 2021 | suhruwines.com | New York | United States |
Best Fruit & Non-Grape | Door Peninsula Winery | Sweet Cherry | NV | store.dcwine.com | Wisconsin | United States |
Best Chardonnay | Chateau Fontaine | Chardonnay | 2020 | chateaufontaine.com | Michigan | United States |
Best Hybrid White | Bluejacket Crossing Winery | Vignoles | 2021 | bluejacketwinery.com | Kansas | United States |
Best Ice Wine | Chalet Debonne Vineyards | Vidal Blanc Ice Wine | 2021 | debonne.com | Ohio | Canada |
Best Cabernet Sauvignon | Pollak Vineyards | Cabernet Savignon | 2019 | pollakvineyards.com | Virginia | United States |
Best Riesling (Dry) | Red Newt Cellars | The Knoll Lahoma Vineyards Riesling | 2016 | rednewt.com | New York | United States |
Best Cabernet Franc | Yori Wine Cellars, LLC | Cabernet Franc | 2018 | yoriwinecellars.com | Pennsylvania | United States |
The spirits that won “Best in Class” categories are:
Medal | Winery/Distillery | Brand | Vintage | Website | State | Country |
Best Brandy | Wölffer Estate Vineyard | Wölffer Estate Brandy | 3 years | wolffer.com | New York | United States |
Best Whiskey | Gervasi Vineyard | Wine Barrel Bourbon | 6 vintages | gervasivineyard.com | Wisconsin | United States |
Best Liqueur | Von Seiehl Winery Ltd. | Cherry Bounce | NV | vonstiehl.com | Wisconsin | United States |
We are already excited about next year’s competition and thank you to all who helped make this year’s event so successful! For a full list of results, visit our website: www.fliwc-cgd.com.