December 6th – The Board of Directors of the Atlantic Seaboard Wine Association is pleased to announce the 2022 recipients of its Monteith Wine Bowl Trophy, Wine Grape Productivity Tray, and Birchenall Award. These awards are presented annually for excellence in increasing the quality of wine produced on the East Coast and throughout the nation.
The Atlantic Seaboard Wine Association is proud to announce Sharon Horton, of Horton Vineyards as this year’s recipient of the 2022 Monteith Bowl Trophy. This trophy is awarded to individuals or organizations that performed exceptional contributions to the development and sustainability of the American Wine industry.
When you think of mavericks in the wine industry, among those has to be Horton Vineyards, and when you think of Horton, Sharon Horton should also come to mind. Although she’s behind the scenes (or maybe say, behind the vines?), her tireless efforts in the vineyards, specifically with Viognier, significantly assisted in sustaining and growing the variety. When ten acres of Viognier vines were planted at Horton, there were only 100 acres registered in the world. Sharon provided budwood from cuttings of those vines to vineyards and nurseries to help extend and spread the variety’s chance for sustainability.
Horton Vineyards has been widely recognized for planting a vast number of different varieties and Sharon is very often sought out for viticultural guidance on those varieties. She has provided free consultations to vineyards in Georgia and the Carolinas and shared experiences with staff at Virginia Tech.
When Horton Vineyards was presented the 2019 Governor’s Cup, Sharon Horton took the stage along with family and other staff including a number of vineyard workers. This was her tribute to the fact that great wine is started in the vineyards.
For her contributions to the development and sustainability of the American wine industry, the 2022 Monteith Bowl Trophy is hereby presented to Sharon Horton.
The 2022 Wine Grape Productivity Tray, which is presented annually by Atlantic Seaboard Wine Association to an individual or organization that has made major contributions to the sustainable growth and viability of the American wine industry, is hereby awarded to the Winemakers Research Exchange (WRE) in Virginia. The award will be presented to Dr. Joy Ting who has done an outstanding job as the Research Enologist and Exchange Coordinator of the WRE since 2018.
The WRE was established in 2014 via a grant from the Monticello Wine Trail and is currently funded through grants from both the Monticello Wine Trail and the Virginia Wine Board in addition to product and educational support from enological supply companies.
The research projects conducted under the umbrella of the WRE have encompassed just about every step in the winegrowing and winemaking process. The data and findings from the projects are available to the public and will help vineyards and winemakers not only in Virginia but also up and down the east coast. Information on research conducted by the WRE can be found at http://www.
For contributions to promoting innovation through experimentation and education in the wine industry, the ASWA presents the 2022 Wine Grape Productivity Tray to the Winemakers Research Exchange (WRE).
The 2022 Birchenall Award, which is presented by the Atlantic Seaboard Wine Association to members of the wine media, is hereby awarded to Carlo DeVito. DeVito is a lifelong publishing executive with over 20 years of experience in writing and editing. He was also the co-founder of Hudson-Chatham Winery, the Hudson Berkshire Beverage Trail, and is currently the interim winemaker at Unionville Vineyards. He is the editor of East Coast Wineries blog which has more than 1.3 million individual page views.
DeVito was the editor/publisher of three important books about east coast wine: Summer in a Glass by Evan Dawson, Jefferson’s Vines by Richard Leahy, and Behind the Bottle by Eileen Duffy. He wrote The Spirit of Rye which was just released in November 2021 and his book Drink New England will be released in March of 2022.
From 2020 into 2021, DeVito was the producer and host of, The Great American Stroopwaffle, a video blog of adventures up and down the east coast and out west seeking small, authentic, artisanal, and quality wineries with unique stories. His Stroopwaffle journey came amid the COVID crisis when publicity for small businesses was much welcomed.
For his contributions to promoting knowledge of the East Coast Wine Industry through his own writings, editing/publication of written works covering that industry, and his own video log covering wineries during the pandemic, the ASWA presents the 2022 Birchenell Award to Carlo DeVito.
The Atlantic Seaboard Wine Association promotes American wine produced in the seventeen eastern states: all those that touch the Atlantic Ocean plus West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Vermont. This trade organization was founded in 1973 as the Vinifera Wine Growers Association, and renamed in 2008 to reflect an expanded regional focus.
ASWA’s mission is to increase awareness of the fine wines of the Atlantic seaboard through trade and consumer education. Members liaise with national, state, and regional wine organizations to identify opportunities to highlight the wines and winemakers working here.
