Monticello AVA Nominated for USA Today's 2018 10Best Wine Regions

While California undoubtedly produces excellent wine, it's got stiff competition these days. The United States is as of 2016 home to 238 American Viticultural Areas, or AVAs–grape-growing regions designated by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. We asked a panel of wine industry experts to pick their favorite American wine regions. Vote for your favorite out of this pool of 20 nominees once per day until voting ends on Monday, August 20 at noon ET. 

The Challenges and Rewards of Making Petit Verdot

The Challenges and Rewards of Making Petit Verdot

Producers make the case for the variety, and show how to get customers excited about the grape.

By Jameson Fink for SevenFifty Daily

Of the red wine grapes that make up classic Bordeaux blends, Petit Verdot seems to have the fewest fans. It ripens late and can produce wines with overwhelming tannins. Petit Verdot has been judged to be a supporting actor, a component for boosting color and body. It rarely gets to be the star. But every grape has its champion—or at least a winemaker willing to work with one often relegated to a minor role.

Veritas Vineyard & Winery Wins 2018 Monticello Cup Wine Competition

The Monticello Cup Awards (MCA) was held on Monday, May 7, 2018 at the Jefferson Theater to celebrate the winning wines of the 28th Annual Monticello Cup Wine Competition. All wines were produced by members of the Monticello Wine Trail (MWT) and contained at least 85% fruit from the Monticello American Viticultural Area (AVA). There were 13 gold (including the Top 3 Red, Top 3 White, and the overall Monticello Cup winner), 27 silver and 15 bronze medals awarded. The Monticello Cup was presented to Veritas Vineyard & Winery for their 2015 Petit Verdot “Paul Shaffer’s 7th Edition”.