2019 Wine Press Northwest Platinum Judging Announces Winners
Information and photos released by Tsillan Cellars
Tsillan Cellars Winery and their award- winning estate vineyards on the south shore of Lake Chelan continue to set new standards for Lake Chelan AVA viticulture. The 20th Wine Press Northwest Platinum Best of the Best Competition invited all 2019 Gold medal winning Northwest wines to be judged against each other. Only the Best of the Best are awarded the coveted Platinum medal.
Recently it was announced that Tsillan Cellars won six Platinum and Double Platinum awards. Tsillan Cellars 2018 Estate Reserve Chardonnay, 2016 Estate Syrah and 2018 Estate Pinot Grigio won a rare Double Platinum indicating all judges felt those wines worthy of Platinum. The 2016 Estate Reserve Malbec, 2016 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon and the 2016 Estate Bellissima Rossa won Platinum awards. Seven other Tsillan Cellars wines were awarded Double Gold medals in the 2019 competition.
The Winter edition of Wine Press Northwest praised Tsillan Cellars pioneering viticulture. “Here marks the first time in the 20 year history of this judging that a Cabernet Sauvignon from the young Lake Chelan American Viticulture Area has delivered a Platinum.” Further attention to the Lake Chelan AVA focused upon Tsillan Cellars award winning Syrah: “The versatility of this picturesque vineyard overlooking the south shore of Lake Chelan is on display with this Syrah, which marks the fifth career Platinum for Syrah by Tsillan Cellars.”
The iconic reputation of Tsillan Cellars Malbec also did not go un-noticed. “While many may not yet consider Lake Chelan as a source for red Bordeaux wines, Dr. Bob Jankelson’s vision and the years of vineyard work by Bal Flores have led to four Platinums for Malbec in the past four years for Tsillan Cellars.”
With 23 Platinum awards, Tsillan Cellars is the fifth most awarded Washington winery in the Best of the Best Competition the past ten years. With over 1000 wineries in Washington State, Tsillan Cellars pioneering viticulture is putting the Lake Chelan AVA on the Northwest wine map.
