An NC rosé wins Best in Show at national wine competition (yes, you read that right)
A North Carolina winemaker knows the secret to creating an award-winning rosé — and has beat out varieties from more prominent wine making regions to prove it.
Judges determined that 2022 JOLO Pink from JOLO Winery & Vineyards, based in Pilot Mountain, North Carolina, was their “Best of Show” at this year’s THE Rosé Competition.
THE Rosé Competition 2023 announced the winners of its 10th annual competition, which was held at the Ft. Lauderdale Woman’s Club in Florida in mid-May. Three “Best of Show Dry Rosé” runner-ups included two Virginia-based wineries and one from Napa Valley, California.
“I am thrilled that the wine from a generally ‘non-wine known’ oenophile region can produce a winner and it did,” said Bob Ecker, founder of THE Rose Competition.
It was the “delightfully crisp, balanced, dry” rosé that captivated the judges.
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JOLO Winery & Vineyards: JW and Kristen Ray opened JOLO in 2013, naming it after their children Joey and Logan. This year marks its 10th harvest.
The winery, located 97 miles from Charlotte, has a restaurant on the property and offers numerous wine tastings. It captures a view of Pilot Mountain and features outdoor seating.
The winery offers dry red wines, dry white wines and dry rosés. Most of JW’s focus is on the European style of wine. He said that this particular style is well-balanced, and has dry drinkability and age ability.
“I use a different style or process to make the rosé,” JW said about making his award-winning wine. He harvests the red grapes earlier than the white grapes so that the rose can get a “super vibrant” acidity with low alcohol and lots of bright fruit.
“It’s a really well-balanced refreshing line because of that process,” JW said. Three weeks before the competition, the winery won the “Best of Class” category at the Los Angeles Invitational Wine and Spirits Challenge.
“This year did not disappoint as the winner came from a non-traditional wine-making region using unique varietals,” one of THE Rose Competition judge Daisy Penzo said.
ABOUT THE COMPETITION: Bob Ecker, Northern California-based wine writer and recurrent wine judge, founded THE Rosé Competition in 2013. In 2018, Ecker partnered with Shari Gherman, president of the American Fine Wine Competition & Gala, and brought it to the East Coast.
“It’s a celebration of a very, very good type of wine — there are many, many excellent roses being produced all around the world, and also in the United States,” Ecker said.
THE Rosé Competition 2023 received a total of 160 entries. The wine judges awarded 23 Double Gold Medals, 34 Gold Medals and 66 Silver Medals.
“When a wine from North Carolina is the Best in Show, it is reminiscent of a Judgment of Paris moment,” said Sunny Fraser, one of THE Rosé Competition judges.
JOLO Winery & Vineyards
Location: 219 Jolo Winery Ln, Pilot Mountain, NC
Instagram: @jolovineyards
