Maryhill Winery Wins Winemaker of the Year Award

GOLDENDALE, Wash., June 25, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Winemaker Richard Batchelor of Washington's Maryhill Winery earned the 2018 Winemaker of the Year trophy at the annual Indy International Wine Competition. The award is given to the winery and winemaker that win the most gold medals by brand at the competition, which was held June 6-7, 2018 at Purdue University. This marks the second time in six years that Batchelor has won the trophy.

This year, Maryhill took home the following top honors: 

• Best of Class, 2015 Proprietor's Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
• Double Gold, 2015 Proprietor's Reserve Cabernet Franc
• Double Gold, 2015 Malbec
• Double Gold, 2015 Painted Hills Dolcetto
• Double Gold, 2016 Winemaker's Red

Receiving a total of 53 medals, Maryhill was also honored with 12 Golds, 30 Silver and 6 Bronze medals.

Maryhill Winery, based in Goldendale, Wash., is owned and operated by Craig and Vicki Leuthold, who are proud to offer award-winning wines at an affordable price.

"One of the ongoing objectives of the Indy International Wine Competition is to help winemakers understand the varied tastes of today's wine drinkers," said Craig Leuthold. "The number of medals that Richard received this year is a testament to his ability to make complex, high-quality wines that are accessible to a wide range of people."

Batchelor, a native New Zealander, came to Maryhill in 2009 from Napa Valley. "It's an honor to be recognized by a panel of international judges across multiple categories," he said. "As a winemaker, I could not ask for a more exceptional region of the country in which to work. The variety of grapes and quality of the growers allow me to focus my efforts on timing the grape harvest at the optimal time and improving upon our diverse portfolio of wines."

Maryhill Winery is one of Washington's largest wineries, producing 80,000 cases annually. Unlike many of its competitors who produce a few types of wines, Maryhill sources more than 30 unique varietals of grapes to produce more than 50 wines. The company is distributed in select markets throughout the United States and welcomes visitors to two tasting rooms ? one in the scenic Columbia River Gorge and one in downtown Spokane, Washington.

The Indy International Wine Competition annually draws nearly 2,000 wine entries, commercial and amateur, from around the world. In addition to industry professionals and experts, the competition attracts wine writers, chefs, distributors and sommeliers. Maryhill Winery has received a total of 110 Indy International Wine Competition medals since 2013, the first year it began attending the event.

"We always take these competitions seriously and learn from them," Batchelor said. "Since winning the Winemaker of the Year Award in 2013, we've worked hard to remain one of Washington's top-producing wineries without losing quality."

About Maryhill Winery
Opened in 2001 by Craig and Vicki Leuthold, family-owned Maryhill Winery is one of Washington's largest wineries, producing 80,000 cases annually. Its two tastings rooms, one in the Columbia River Gorge and one in Kendall Yards in Spokane, Washington, offer visitors the chance to experience award-winning, affordable wines along with stunning views. It's premier tasting room in Goldendale, Washington perched on a bluff overlooking the stunning Columbia River draws more than 75,000 wine enthusiasts from around the globe each year, ranking it among the top-five most visited wineries in the state. Visitors can enjoy wine tastings, live music on the vine-covered terrace every summer weekend, Memorial Day through September, tours and special events, tournament-quality bocce courts, and a world-class summer concert series in its adjacent 4,000-seat outdoor amphitheater. Maryhill sources more than 30 unique varietals of grapes from some of the most highly regarded vineyards in Washington and produces more than 50 wines. Maryhill Winery has been honored with more than 3,000 awards since its first vintage in 2001, including being named 2015 Pacific Northwest Winery of the Year by Wine Press Northwest and the 2014 Winery of the Year at the San Francisco International Wine Competition. Winemaker Richard Batchelor has twice earned the Winemaker of the Year award at the Indy International Wine Competition, including in 2013 and 2018.

SOURCE Maryhill Winery