St. Julian recently earned 13 new medals at the Harvest “Terroir” Challenge wine competition. Notably, this event remains the only competition that judges wines by American Viticultural Area (AVA). At the forefront, St. Julian’s sweet sparkling wine, Sweet Nancie, received Best of Class, Best of Lake Michigan Shore AVA, and Double Gold honors. Beyond those wins, the winery also earned three additional Double Gold medals, one Gold, and six Silver medals. A complete list appears below.
Named after Head Winemaker Nancie Oxley, Sweet Nancie delivers vibrant flavors of peach, pineapple, and lemon zest. At the same time, crisp acidity balances the wine. Meanwhile, exotic aromas of mango, melon, and pear rise from the glass. Together, these elements create a long, satisfying finish. In addition to its Harvest Challenge honors, Sweet Nancie continues to gain national recognition. Earlier this season, the wine earned Best of Class at the International Eastern Wine Competition and Double Gold at the Indy International Wine Competition.
“At St. Julian, we approach each harvest with the goal of creating wines that can compete on a world stage,” says Nancie Oxley. “Because of our talented winemaking team and strong relationships with exceptional grape growers, we continue to achieve that goal.”
This year, the Harvest Challenge attracted a record number of entries. Specifically, wines arrived from Chile, Argentina, France, Virginia, Oregon, Washington, and Australia. Currently, the United States recognizes 260 AVAs across 34 states. Of those, 142 AVAs are located in California.
Here in Michigan, five federally recognized AVAs define the state’s wine regions. These include Fennville, Leelanau Peninsula, Lake Michigan Shore, Old Mission, and Tip of the Mitt. To qualify, wineries must source at least 85 percent of the grapes from the listed AVA to include the designation on a label.
Additionally, Wine Competition Management & Productions owns and operates the Harvest Challenge. Each year, leading wine industry professionals judge the competition and evaluate wines based on terroir. After initial scoring, Best of Class and Best of Region wines advance to the Sweepstakes round. At that stage, judges determine Best Red, Best White, Best Rosé, Best Dessert, and Best of Show awards. The St. Julian 2021 Harvest “Terroir” Challenge medals, include:
Best of Class
- Sweet Nancie
Best of Lake Michigan Shore AVA
- Sweet Nancie
Double Gold
- Sweet Nancie
- 2020 Braganini Reserve Traminette
- 2020 Braganini Reserve Mountain Road Estate Riesling
- 2020 Braganini Reserve Sauvignon Blanc
Gold
- 2019 St. Julian Winemaker’s Series Double Barrel Petite Pearl
Silver
- 2020 Braganini Reserve Pinot Noir
- 2020 Braganini Reserve Mountain Road White
- 2020 Braganini Reserve Lake Harvest Vignoles
- 2020 Braganini Reserve Grüner Veltliner
- 2020 Braganini Reserve Albariño
- 2019 St. Julian Winemaker Series Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot
Finally, founded in 1921, St. Julian Winery stands as Michigan’s largest and longest-operating winery. At its core, the family-owned winery produces award-winning wines, sparkling juices, spirits, and hard cider in downtown Paw Paw. Beyond Paw Paw, St. Julian operates tasting rooms in Paw Paw, Dundee, Frankenmuth, Rockford, Troy, and Union Pier. In addition, the winery distributes its products throughout the Midwest.
