The Oregon wine industry made its mark among preeminent wine influencers this year at the TEXSOM International Wine Awards (TEXSOM IWA). The producers of the annual TEXSOM conference, considered by many to be the most influential wine trade education conference in the U.S., are the force behind TEXSOM IWA. In 2018, the TEXSOM IWA received the most diverse selection of wines in the history of the competition, with more than 3,200 entries representing 30 countries and 21 U.S. states.
Entries were blind-tasted and judged by 63 internationally renowned tastemakers from six countries, including 20 Master Sommeliers, 18 Masters of Wine and other category experts. Of these entries, the judges awarded 2,223 medals: 285 Gold medals (9% of total entries), 760 Silver medals (24%), and 1,178 Bronze medals (37%). Suggested retail pricing of medal-winning entries ranged from US $2.99 to more than US $700. Submitted vintages spanned eight decades, with the oldest being 1957.
Oregon saw an impressive increase in winery participation and award-winning wines in 2018. Some highlights include:
- Award-winning Oregon wines increased 20% from 128 in 2017 to 153 in 2018
- The rare gold medal was awarded to 13 Oregon wines (only 285 total given out)
- 12 Oregon AVAs were represented by awarded wines
- Awards were given to wines made from Pinot noir and 21 other varieties
AVAs represented: Eola-Amity Hills, Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley, Yamhill-Carlton, Ribbon Ridge, McMinnville, Chehalem Mountains, Applegate Valley, Umpqua Valley, Rogue Valley, Southern Oregon, Oregon
Varieties Represented: Pinot gris, Pinot noir, Chardonnay, Syrah, Grüner Veltliner, Gouges, Grenache, Riesling, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Gewurztraminer, Blaufränkisch, Albariño, Touriga Nacional, Pinot blanc, Tempranillo, Malbec, Barbera, Sangiovese, Muscat, Viognier, Montepulciano
There was a particularly large increase in award-winning Southern Oregon wines this year which prompted TEXSOM to add a master class about the region to its curriculum for the 2018 TEXSOM conference in August. Check the TEXSOM website in the coming weeks for a published schedule of master classes and conference tickets.
View all TEXSOM International Wine Awards results here.