Surry Cellars, Surry Community College’s campus winery, won a silver medal in the white hybrid category for its 2008 Chardonel at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition held the week of January 4, 2010. This is the largest and one of the most prestigious wine competitions in the United States. 
The wine judging took place at the Cloverdale Citrus Fair by professional wine judges. Over five days, 63 professional wine experts within the media, restaurant and hospitality, education, winemaking and retail wine industries tasted and evaluated a world-record breaking 4,913 entries—a number that maintains the competition's status as the largest competition of American wines in the world.
Surry’s award-winning 2008 Chardonel has aromas of honey, apricot, and pineapple. It is off-dry, medium bodied, with hints of almond and essence of stone fruits on the finish. It would pair well with barbeque chicken or grilled shrimp.
This award follows last year’s double gold award for SCC’s Red Dirt Rose.
“The consistent success at this level of international, professional competition is continuing proof of the high commitment and training provided to students in the viticulture and enology program at Surry Community College,” states Gill Giese, viticulture instructor.
The 2008 Chardonel wine is available for purchase at Lowe’s Foods in Mount Airy and Dobson and at the Uptown Wine & Gallery in Yadkinville.
For a full listing of award winners, please visit http://www.winejudging.com/medal_winners.htm.
Pictured: Mary Simmons (left), Winery Technician, and Molly Kelly (right), Enology Instructor, with the award-winning Chardonel.
Contact
Gill Giese
Viticulture Instructor
Surry Community College
gieseg@surry.edu
(336) 386-3461
