BRIDGEWATER, VA (Rocktown Now) — Bluestone Vineyard’s 2023 Pinot Meunier has been crowned the Best of the Best for the final East Meets West Competition at the 2024 International Eastern Wine Competition in Windsor, California.⁠

This two-pronged East vs. West contest first chooses winners in the separate International Eastern Wine Competition and West Coast Wine Competition before the top wines from each are pitted against each other in an East Meets West Taste Off. Eligible wines can come from all over the United States and the world. Each competition is judged independently by experts familiar with the styles and varieties specific to each geographic region. Wines are judged on flavor, smell, color, and overall quality.

Scoring an impressive 99 points, Bluestone’s Pinot Meunier wowed judges, who described it as “seductive,” with “rich, lush, wild cherry,” and added “impeccable winemaking.” With under 100 cases produced, Pinot Meunier is a one-time bottling that is the first of its kind in Virginia. Winemaker, Lee Hartman aged this wine in third-use barrels for 9 months.

In addition to this year’s top winner, five other Bluestone entries earned gold awards or better.

Beau, a Vidal Blanc-Traminette blend sweetened to 3% residual sugar, earns the title of best white wine with a score of 97. One of Bluestone’s signature wines, it is a sweet golden white named after a sweet golden retriever who is featured on the label.

2022 Moscato wins the best wine in the Dessert/Late Harvest category earning a double gold with 96 points. From one of the most vigorous vines on the property, this wine has big flavors of peaches, honey, and sour apple. Bluestone Vineyard is one of the few wineries to make Moscato in the state.

2023 Vidal Blanc, 2023 Petit Manseng and 2021 Merlot round out the gold medal wines. 2023 Vidal Blanc, earning best of class with a 98, is an estate-grown vintage aged in stainless steel, giving it a light, clean, crisp taste. 2023 Petit Manseng also was awarded a best of class with a score of 97. This wine is currently an unreleased vintage that will be released once previous vintages are sold out. 2021 Merlot continues to earn more praise after a raving review in the Washington Post calling it a “stylish merlot with plum and tobacco aromas and a sweet-tart berry note.” It was also named one of the top seven wines in the 2023 Shenandoah Cup, a wine competition hosted to highlight the quality of wines produced in the Shenandoah Valley wine region.

For more information specific to the East Meets West wine competition, visit https://www.winecompetitions.com/2024-east-meets-west-results.