Horizon Cellars - VWGA 2005

Atlantic Seaboard Vinifera Wine Competition

PRESS RELEASE - MONDAY, JULY 18, 2005

A surprise early Monday morning phone call to Horizon Cellars informed owner Guy Loeffler of the "Four for Four" medal awards it received in a recent premier wine competition. Horizon's winemaker Chris Pearmund struck GOLD, SILVER, and BRONZE in the 1st Atlantic Seaboard Vinifera Wine Competition recently held at the Lansdowne Resort in Leesburg, Virginia.

All four inaugural wines from North Carolina's newest winery took home a medal, and its Viognier earned a "Best of Category" as the exclamation point. "I'm really please with what Chris has done for us! I can't wait to call him and thank him." Loeffler said after hearing the news.

The 1st Atlantic Seaboard Vinifera Wine Competition was Horizon's first entry attempt into the competitive world of judging its wines against its industry peers. This competition was exclusive to East Coast wineries using vinifera grapes grown in those states. Twenty judges tasted and ranked some 318 wines from 81 different East Coast wineries, awarding only 15 Gold Medals.

One of those medals went to Horizon's white variety Viognier, along with the title "Best in Category". Additional medals were awarded for Horizon's Cabernet Franc (Silver), Chardonnay (Silver), and Syrah (Bronze). "I can't wait until next year," said Loeffler, "We've got six more [wines] ready to be released."

More information about Horizon Cellars can be found at www.HorizonCellars.com or by calling (919) 742-1404.
Atlantic Seaboard Vinifera Wine Competition Press Release www.HorizonCellars.com/wines/awards/ASVWC2005.doc

VIOGNIER
Pronounced (VEE-OWN-YAY). Exotic honey and tropical fruit aromas
jump for the glass. Full-bodied, viscous mouth-feel.

GOLD medal awarded !!
"BEST IN CATEGORY" !!!

CABERNET FRANC
Warm cedar, cherry aromas and flavors with pleasing broad palate.

silver medal awarded !!

CHARDONNAY

100% fermented and aged in French oak. Tropical fruit aromas
lead to buttery toasty oak mid-palette and citrus finish.

silver medal awarded !!

SYRAH
Ripe and soft with fat, smoky flavors and a long spicy finish.

BRONZE medal awarded !!

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About the competition: The Vinifera Wine Growers Association sponsored the 1st Atlantic Seaboard Vinifera Wine Competition at the Lansdowne Resort in Leesburg, Virginia, on July 16 - 17, 2005. The competition is a regional event to highlight oenological advances in vinifera grape growing on the East Coast and gain greater consumer recognition of the quality wine produced in the East. Wineries from all states bordering the Atlantic, from Maine to Florida and including Vermont and West Virginia, were in invited to join the competition. Only vinifera grapes grown in these 17 states can be submitted.

Competition co-chairs were Carl G. Brandhorst, VWGA Vice-President, and Frederic D. Butcher, VWGA Board Member. There were four panels of five judges each, for a total of twenty judges. Judges were selected from a broad range of candidates aimed at maximum representation of the states involved in the competition.

It is planned to conduct the presentation of best of show, best of category, gold and silver medal awards on Capitol Hill following the competition. This will be under the auspices of the Congressional Wine Caucus. The winning wineries will be invited to receive their awards from their respective Congressional State representatives. A tasting of award winning wines will follow the award presentation. Given the Congressional calendar, the event on the Hill is projected for early October. However, media release of all winning wines will be made immediately following the competition.