The gang from Leelanau Peninsula celebrates their trophies. Front: Alan Eaker, owner, Longview; Charlie Edson, owner / winemaker, Bel Lago. Rear: Ryan and Kris Sterkenburg, owners, Gill's Pier; Steve Grossnickle, owner, Forty-Five North; Shawn Walters, winemaker, Forty-Five North and Longview; Lee Lutes, winemaker, Black Star Farms

Fourteen powerful reds from the atypically ripe 2007 vintage grabbed gold medals at the 2009 Michigan Wine and Spirits Competiton on August 4 in East Lansing.

Fifty wines took double gold (14) or gold (36) medals. This included seventeen dry reds, all but three from 2007. Among them: two Pinot Noir, four Cabernet Franc, one each Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, and a surprising six Meritage-style blends. Six dry and nine semi-dry whites struck gold.

Leelanau Peninsula's tiny Longview Winery walked away with the most gold in the state: two double gold and three gold medals, including a Best of Class for its Reserve Cherry -- the fourth straight year that Longview's team of owner Alan Eaker and consulting winemaker Shawn Walters have grabbed a top trophy. 

Almost overshadowed by the reds' tide:

• Record-setting numbers of wineries participating (42) and wines entered (395) 
• A near-sweep of trophies and double gold medals by northern wineries
• Michigan's first-ever trophy for Best Rosé, won by Forty-Five North
• Two trophies apiece for perennial-winner winemakers Bryan Ulbrich and Shawn Walters; the tenth straight year a wine made by Ulbrich has taken at least one Best of Class
• For the second year, no sparkling wine trophy and no gold medals for semi-dry reds

Overall medal numbers dropped to 67% of entries from last year's 73%, after some rule tweaks and a pre-judging admonition by competition superintendent Chris Cook. A total of 267 wines received medals, of the 395 wines entered.

Gill's Pier co-owner Kris Sterkenburg, whose Cab Franc / Merlot blend earned the winery its third Best of Class trophy since 2003, said, "We've had an amazing relationship with (winemaker) Bryan Ulbrich from the get-go. But we're also very proud that the fruit for this wine came from our own vineyard and our next door neighbor's."

2009 TROPHY WINNERS:

DRY WHITE: 2008 Left Foot Charley Pinot Blanc, Island View Vineyard
SEMI-DRY WHITE: 2008 Bel Lago Gewurztraminer
ROSÉ: 2008 Forty-Five North Pinot Noir Rosé
DRY RED: 2007 Gill's Pier Cabernet Franc / Merlot
DESSERT: 2008 Fenn Valley "42" Vidal Blanc Ice Wine
FRUIT: Longview Reserve Cherry Wine
JUDGES' MERIT AWARD: 2008 Black Star Farms Arcturos Dry Riesling
SPARKLING: No Best of Class, by vote of the judges
SEMI-DRY RED: No Best of Class, due to no gold medals awarded
(Sharp eyes will notice Longview's Cherry missing from the photo.)

View or download the complete list of medal winners here.

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