USA: Phillips Brothers Take Home the Gold At International Wine Competition
When not busy with their farm-grown fruit and vegetable stand, bakery and cafe, Mike and David Phillips make wine, one of which - their 1999 Roussanne - won the Gold medal, Best of Class award and was named Best Rhone Wine of the World last week at the Los Angeles County Fair Wine Competition. In fact, Phillips Vineyards, the small family-run winery here in Lodi, took home twelve awards on eight different wines in this internationally recognized competition, topping more than 200 wines entered from seven different countries. "My brother and I are excited that the wine world is starting to honor the high quality of wines from the Lodi region," Mike Phillips said. Roussanne, a lesser-known white winegrape variety, with a little over 200 acres planted in the entire state, has been receiving more attention recently as wine consumers begin to broaden their horizons and search for new styles of wines to enjoy. The Phillips' Roussanne is grown in a vineyard owned by Richard and Nancy Ripken, and is located just West of Lodi on the Delta. Phillips vineyards also received honors in the Rhone Wines of the World division with the 1999 Viognier (Silver Medal) and the 1998 Old Vine Carignan (Bronze). In the overall wine competition, Phillips Vineyards wines also received an array of awards. The 1998 Syrah (Silver Medal); 1999 Vioginier (Silver Medal); 1999 Roussanne (Silver Medal); 1999 Symphony (Bronze Medal); 1999 Late Harvest Symphony (Bronze Medal); 1999 Zinphony -- a blend of White Zinfandel and Symphony (Bronze Medal); and the 1998 Old Vine Zinfandel (Bronze Medal). Phillips Vineyards is accessible on the Internet at phillipsvineyards.com Media Opportunities: Photos of wine -- red and white with variety of medals. Photos of Phillips family with wines, at tasting bar, pouring wines, in vineyard. Interviews with Mike and David Phillips, winemakers and owners.
May 31, 2000