Amateur winemakers receive two awards from Indy International Wine Competition

Sept. 13, 2012 - PRLog -- Amateur winemakers Josué Batista and Hollis Batista are pleased to announce that two of their wines were awarded medals at the 2012 Indy International Wine Competition:

Silver: 2011 Chilean Carménère
Silver: 2011 Fredonia

The 2011 Chilean Carménère is 100% Carménère grape varietal.  This medium to full-bodied wine tempts you with cherries and strawberries on the nose followed with dates and chocolate on the palate. Fermented on Carménère grape skins and toasted oak, this wine can be consumed relatively young, although will benefit with age.  This wine is almost tailor made for the hardest food match of all: curry based dishes.  

The 2011 Fredonia is produced from 100% Fredonia grapes at vineyards overlooking Lake Erie in North East, Pennsylvania.  This wine is sweet and robust with hints of juicy apples and dark berries.  Low acidity and very gentle.  Plenty flavors of ripe grapes and jam.  A fine wine that pairs perfectly with your summer BBQ or after a filling meal.

About the 2012 Indy International Wine Competition
Hosted by Purdue University, the 2012 Indy International Wine Competition (INDY) was held August 1-3 in Indianapolis, Indiana.  The INDY is the largest scientifically organized and independent wine competition in the United States, the world's largest wine market. Nearly 3,000 entries from 15 countries and 40 US states were evaluated by more than 50 distinguished judges. Wine writers and winemakers, winegrowers and enologists, chefs and sommeliers, wine distributors, retailers and consumers meet every year in the heart of America, a truly central place for wines to be seen and recognized.   For more information, visit http://www.indyinternational.org

About Josué Batista and Hollis Batista
Josué and Hollis started making wines in the fall of 2010, motivated by a long tradition of wine making on both of their extended families.  “My father, Columbus R. Smith, was a wine and spirits master who grew up through the Great Depression and learned the trade from his Irish uncles,” said Hollis. To the enjoyment of family and friends, they have produced extraordinary wines that reflect the terroir of local vineyards.  Some of their favorite varietals are Fredonia, Vignoles, Diamond, Riesling, and Traminette. They also create superb wines from European varietals, such as Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Petit Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Barbera, Malbec, and Merlot.  Delightful and refreshing fruit wines are also part of their repertoire: Mango, Strawberry, Peach, Banana, Plum, and Pear.

Winemakers Josué and Hollis work with several well-known local growers to select the best grapes possible each year.  Most grapes come from the south shore of Lake Erie in the states of Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York. “Our small lots allow us to meticulously control quality, nurturing our wines to perfection at every step in the process,” said Josué.    

Josué holds dual masters degrees from Duquesne University (MBA and MS-ISM). Hollis has graduate and doctoral degrees in Educational Leadership from Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA.
http://batistawines.com