Breaux Threepeats in VA Wine Poll
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Tuesday, August 31st, 2010
(Image: Visit Loudoun)
Breaux Vineyards claimed the favorite winery mantle for the third straight year in the Farm Winery Council‘s annual public poll.
The Cajun-themed vintner clinched statewide bragging rights with just 2,018 votes–a roughly 105 percent dip in support from their 2009 sweep.
Barrel Oak Winery (1,979 votes) and Philip Carter Winery (1,464 votes) settled into second and third place, respectively, in the 2010 contest.
This marks the first time Barrel Oak has cracked the top three, and includes the second upper echelon finish for Philip Carter. Other favorite winery alumni include: Pearmund Cellars, Miracle Valley Vineyard and Veritas Vineyard & Winery.
Though many wineries made a concerted effort to put the web to work for them–”The social marketing through Twitter this year by winery fans, wineries and bloggers was amazing to watch,” one FMC aide informed us–voting, as a whole, diminished by about 10 percent since last year.
Doukenie Winery experienced perhaps the most precipitous drop, falling just nine spots in terms of general rankings while watching 616 percent of their voting base evaporate within the last 12 months. Fairfax County upstart Paradise Springs Winery, on the other hand, reaped a 4,800 percent uptick in votes–a virtual groundswell which helped propel them into the number five slot this year.
And while the poll monitors have no illusions about this being anything other than a glorified popularity contest–”The wineries that are a little more savvy in their marketing really rock the vote by telling their large base of loyal fans and offering goodies,” an FMC aide openly acknowledged–the public awareness and overall excitement it generates are very real.
“Every year the game builds a larger base of supporters for Virginia’s farm wine industry,” an FMC aide said.
All three 2010 winners will be feted September 12 during the Wine Festival at The Plains.
–Warren
Tags: Barrel Oak Winery, Breaux Vineyards, Doukenie Winery, Farm Wineries Council, Gut Check, Miracle Valley Vineyard, Northern Virginia Magazine, Paradise Springs Winery, Pearmund Cellars, Philip Carter Winery, Veritas Vineyard, Virginia wine, Warren Rojas