Horizon Cellars - Our Wines

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Vinifera Wine Growers Association
In Cooperation with the U.S. Congressional Wine Caucus
2005 Atlantic Seaboard Vinifera Wine Competition
Wine Awards and Tasting Reception
October 26^th, 2005
Room 1300, House Committee on Agriculture
Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C.

With the echo of urgent chamber discussions stilled for the day in Room 1300, Longworth House Committee on Agriculture, an array of colorfully labeled wine bottles began to materialize on cloth-draped table tops, surrounded by appetizing hors d’oeuvres and enormous wheels of cheese. As a centerpiece, a bronze knight, the mascot of the Nation’s Capital Chapter of the Brotherhood of the Knights of the Vine, stood guard with his own personal glass of red wine in one gloved hand and his protective shield in the other.

A culmination of the first of its kind, the Atlantic Seaboard Vinifera Wine Competition awards presentation gradually took shape in the dignified, wood-paneled conference room on Capitol Hill.

Under the coordinated auspices of the Vinifera Wine Growers Association and the U.S. Congressional Wine Caucus, of which there are some 250 Congressional members, a trophy and seven certificates were presented to the winners of the Best of Show and Best of Category designations from the wine competition, sponsored by the VWGA which is based in Virginia. The Atlantic Seaboard Vinifera Wine Competition took place in July of this year at Lansdowne Resort near Leesburg, Virginia. The respective Congressional Representatives in each of the districts of the winning states’ wineries were asked to present the appropriate awards

Attending the function were approximately 150 guests, including members of the Congressional Wine Caucus, Chiefs of Staff, Legislative Assistants, VWGA members, robe-regaled knights of the Brotherhood of the Knights of the Vine, and other state and national wine industry personnel, all of whom were offered and enjoyed wine tastings of the Best of Show, Best of Category, gold and silver medal winning wines from the competition.

The Best of Category Certificate for Viognier wine was awarded to Horizon Cellars of Siler City, North Carolina, for its 2003 Viognier. North Carolina Congressman Bob Etheridge made the presentation to Mr. and Mrs. Guy Loeffler, owners of Horizon Cellars. Since the winery was established in January of 2003, the Loefflers could be considered comparative newcomers to the wine industry, and, thus, deserve considerable praise for producing such high quality wines in such a short period of time. All four of Horizon’s inaugural wines took home a medal, stated Guy Loeffler in expressing his appreciation to winemaker, Chris Pearmund, of Pearmund Cellars in Virginia. “I’m really pleased with what Chris has done for us! I can’t wait to call him and thank him,” stated Loeffler after hearing the results of the Atlantic Seaboard Vinifera Wine Competition.

Sponsored and conducted by the Vinifera Wine Growers Association, the Atlantic Seaboard Vinifera Wine Competition is the only current wine competition that focuses on evaluating and promoting wines of the east. The competition will continue in 2006 to promote national public recognition of and appreciation for eastern wines by presenting awards, in cooperation with the U.S. Congressional Wine Caucus, to the winning state wineries of the competition. The VWGA looks for-ward to greater participation in the number of wine entries and eastern state wineries in the 2006 competition!