You can invite a local (wine) luminary to your Thanksgiving table: The Winery at Black Star Farms just won Double Gold for its 2018 Black Star Farms Sparkling Riesling, with a score of 93 points, at the 2020 American Wine Society Commercial Wine Competition.

Developed as a special release for Wine Club Members, the 2018 Sparkling Riesling is the second vintage of Black Star Farms' first sparkling wine made from 100 percent Riesling grapes grown on the Leelanau Peninsula and Old Mission Peninsula. “This unique, very dry sparkling wine has been a new favorite among our wine club members, who were the first to receive the special release,” stated Managing Owner Sherri Campbell Fenton. This wine is available in the tasting rooms or online.

Bel Lago Winery’s Auxerrois Brut 2019 also won a Double Gold, with 93 points awarded, plus the additional Best of Class kudos for Best Sparkling Wine.

Bel Lago’s Pinot Noir 2017 won a Silver medal, and several additional wines submitted by the Winery at Black Star Farms won Silver medals from the 2017 vintage, including the 2017 Arcutoros Barrel Aged Chardonnay, 2017 Arcturos Sauvignon Blanc and the 2017 Arcturos Cabernet Franc.

American Wine Society judges are selected from a broad spectrum of wine industry professionals, including marketers, writers, and winemakers. 

For complete competition results, visit the American Wine Society's website.