Wine Enthusiast's Wine Star Awards Nominees Announced!

Wine Enthusiast Magazine, celebrating the 10th anniversary of its Wine Star Awards, takes great pleasure in announcing the 50 nominees for its wine and spirits awards. The awards recognize excellence on all levels of the industry, from producing premium wines and spirits to marketing and distributing them. Brief descriptions of these nominees will appear in the November issue of the magazine, published on October 5th, while the winners of each category will be announced and presented in-depth in the December 15 issue, published the beginning of November.

This year’s award dinner will also feature a special tribute to the “Pioneers of Distribution,” honoring the companies that helped build awareness and appreciation of wine in America over the past 76 years.

All award recipients will be honored at the annual Wine Star Awards gala dinner on Monday, January 25, 2010 at the New York Public Library in New York City.

Person of the Year
Ted Baseler (Ste. Michelle Wine Estates)
Mariann Fischer Boel (European Commissioner for Agriculture & Rural Development)
Nicolas Catena (Catena Zapata, Argentina)
Bill Foley II (Foley Estates)
Christian Moueix (Etablissements Jean-Pierre Moueix, France; Dominus, Napa)

American Winery of the Year
Dr. Frank's Vinifera Wine Cellars and
Chateau Frank (Finger Lakes, NY)
Leonetti Cellar (Walla Walla, Washington)
Ponzi Vineyards
(Willamette Valley, Oregon)
Rodney Strong Vineyards
(Sonoma, California)
Trinchero Family Estates
(Napa, California)

Winemaker of the Year
João Nicolau de Almeida, Ramos Pinto (Portugal)
Roberto de la Mota (Argentina)
Ben Glaetzer, Glaetzer Wines (Australia)
Ernst Loosen, Dr. Loosen (Germany)
Scott McLeod, Rubicon (California)

European Winery of the Year
Bouchard Pére et Fils (France)
Livio Felluga (Italy)
Mezzacorona (Italy)
The Royal Tokaji Wine Company (Hungary)
Sierra Cantabria (Spain)

Wine Region of the Year
Champagne (France)
Rhône Valley (France)
Russian River Valley (California)
Stellenbosch (South Africa)
Valpolicella (Italy)

New World Winery of the Year
Bodega Catena Zapata (Argentina)
d'Arenberg (Australia)
Jackson-Triggs Vintners (Canada)
VSPT (Chile)
Yalumba (Australia)

Distiller of the Year
St. Germain (Robert Cooper) / Domaine de Canton (John Cooper)
Hangar One
Hendrick's Gin
Martell Cognac
Partida Tequila

Importer of the Year
Dalla Terra
Frederick Wildman
Jorge Ordoñez/Fine Estates From Spain
Kermit Lynch
Winebow

Retailer of the Year
Andronico's Markets (Northern California)
Best Cellars at A&P (Eastern US)
Bottlerocket Wine & Spirit (New York)
Trader Joe's (throughout US)
Wine Exchange (Southern California)

Innovator of the Year
Jim Koch, Samuel Adams (Boston)
José Manuel Ortega, O. Fournier (Spain, Chile, Argentina)
Audrey Saunders, Pegu Club (New York)
Gary Vaynerchuk, Wine Library (New Jersey)
The Wine Group (Boston)

Special Lifetime Achievement Award
To be announced!

Adam Strum, Editor & Publisher of Wine Enthusiast Magazine, remarked on this year’s stellar list:

"Our 10th year awards ceremony may very well be the most exciting of all, with nominees from all corners of the globe who show that innovation and tradition can indeed be paired. We take special pride also in honoring the leading distributors in the country at this event. These are people whose tireless efforts to spread the word about the value of wine as a part of everyday life have led to increased understanding and appreciation of wine in restaurants and retail shops, which in turn have helped America become a great wine-drinking nation."

For additional information about the
2009 Wine Star Awards contact:
Aileen Robbins, 212/929-7700
arobbins@wineenthusiast.net 

About Wine Enthusiast Magazine
Founded in 1988,Wine Enthusiast Magazine’s mission is to educate and entertain readers about wine and the wine lifestyle in an accessible and user-friendly way. Wine Enthusiast Magazine has grown to become one of the world’s most respected and quoted publications in the field of wine and spirits. The magazine is an important source of ratings and reviews of both wine and spirits currently available in the marketplace, vital to both consumers and trade. With a readership of 685,000 per issue, Wine Enthusiast Magazine is available in fine wine shops, tasting rooms and major bookstores nationwide. In addition, Wine Enthusiast Magazine develops signature events for both consumers and trade. The magazine and "Buying Guide" are also available online at winemag.com.

About Wine Enthusiast Companies
For over 25 years, Wine Enthusiast Companies has been helping people experience and enjoy the wine lifestyle. The Wine Enthusiast Companies is the established leader in wine education, wine accessories, wine refrigeration and custom-built cellars. Wine Enthusiast products are available through catalog, online and various retailers nationwide. To find out more about The Wine Enthusiast, visit www.wineenthusiast.com or call the company's offices: 800-356-8466.