Press Release

Tasters Guild International Awards Algoma Winemaker Two Gold Medals

Von Stiehl Winery’s most recently produced wines, Oktoberfest and Syrah, were both highly honored with gold medals in one of the world’s most prestigious contests: Tasters Guild International Wine Judging.

It was common for Algoma’s von Stiehl Winery to be remembered as the “cherry wine winery”, as that was the most unique wine available at one time. However, times have changed for all of us in the past 30 years, as they have at the von Stiehl Winery. Schooled at UW-Green Bay and Michigan State in the art of winemaking and chemistry, von Stiehl winemaker Aric Schmiling has exceeded the “A” mark again with two gold medals and a myriad of silver and bronze medals from Tasters Guild International.

In addition to the gold medals, von Stiehl Winery took home eight silver medals and two bronzes: Private Reserve Cherry-Silver, Wisconsin Cranberry-Silver, Raspberry Framboise-Silver, Johannisberg Riesling-Silver, Ducks Unlimited Chenin Blanc-Silver, Fume Blanc-Bronze, Late Harvest Riesling-Silver, Ducks Unlimited Lakeshore Red-Silver, Robust Red-Silver, and Cabernet Sauvignon-Bronze.

Over 1,950 wines from 16 countries and 32 states/provinces were evaluated by 40 judges from around the country on April 30-May 3, 2003. The judging panels were comprised of a combination of retailers, winemakers, wine writers, restaurateurs and experienced consumers/collectors. Of special interest was the variety of state wineries which led Tasters Guild Executive Director and Judging Coordinator, Joe Borrello, to comment, “Each year we see a continued growth in American regional wines… The growth in regional production and overall excellence should give the U.S. wine industry confidence in consumers’ growing interest in wine”.

Von Stiehl Winemaker, Aric Schmiling, commented that it is a very accomplished feeling to win a gold medal for each of his new wines in their very first competition entered.