Rapture of the Deep Wins Gold in Prestigious San Francisco Competition

Rapture of the Deep Wins Gold in Prestigious San Francisco Competition

Rapture of the Deep, Westport Winery’s sparkling cranberry wine, earned a gold medal at the San Francisco International Wine Competition held from June 30 to July 2. Founded in 1980, this is the largest international wine competition in the United States. According to competition organizers, “Judges tasted more than 4,200 wines from 31 countries around the world.”

Rapture of the Deep is the winery’s most award-winning creation and has been listed in the Top 100 wines in the Northwest for three years. A portion of the proceeds from this wine benefits WSU’s Cranberry Research Station and Museum in Long Beach, Washington. A sculpture commemorating Rapture was created by Opal Art Glass in Cosmopolis and is installed under the green living roof in the winery’s Something Blue Garden. The label features one of winery co-owner Blain Roberts’ underwater photographs from when he founded Lahaina Divers on Maui.

Captain Grays Gewurztraminer, made with grapes harvested at Red Willow Vineyard, earned a silver medal. This wine benefits the Grays Harbor Symphony. The label features a watercolor by Barbara Sampson of Westport. The sculpture was crafted by Kimmi Kerns, also of Westport.

Swimmer, the winery’s Petite Sirah, harvested from Olsen Brothers Estate Vineyard near Benton City, also brought home a silver medal. It’s label features winemaker Dana Roberts as a competitive swimmer in Hawaii where he was born and raised. The sculpture commemorating this wine, designed by Elma concrete artist Frank Ratte, is located in the Beauty From Ashes Garden.

In 2016 Westport Winery was honored as one of the top twenty most-admired wineries in North America by Winery & Vineyard Management Magazine. It was named 2011 Washington Winery to Watch by Wine Press Northwest. They have been voted Best Winery by King 5 Evening Magazine seven times. They were named the Best Washington Family Business Silver Medal winners in 2012, received the Grays Harbor Environmental Stewardship Award in 2015, and were name Best Winery, Best Wine Shop, and Best Boutique Winery for 2016 by South Sound Magazine.

Family-friendly Westport Winery Garden Resort, is located on the corner of Highway 105 and South Arbor Road halfway between Aberdeen and Westport. The resort (including the restaurant, bakery, plant nursery and 15-acre display garden) is open daily or breakfast, lunch, and dinner from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Westport Winery’s second store, TASTING @ Cannon Beach, is located at 255 N. Hemlock. The Oregon tasting room is open daily from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information or reservations call 360-648-2224.