Johnson Estate Winery once again ranked among the top award-winning wineries in New York at the 2026 Finger Lakes International Wine & Spirits Competition, earning two Best of Class awards, multiple Gold Medals, and additional honors. As New York’s oldest estate winery, Johnson Estate continues to demonstrate the quality of wines produced in Lake Erie Wine Country through one of North America’s most respected wine competitions.
The 26th Annual Finger Lakes International Wine & Spirits Competition was another incredible success, featuring 1,100 entries from producers representing 40 U.S. states and Canadian provinces, and 7 countries.
Within that highly competitive field, Johnson Estate Winery submitted a selection of estate-grown wines and was once again honored with multiple top distinctions, including Best of Class recognitions and Gold medals across several categories.
This blind judging event, which benefits Camp Good Days, brings together a broad range of producers and evaluates each wine solely on its quality in the glass, without producer identity or reputation influencing results.
Once again, as has been the case in years past, Johnson Estate Winery is grateful to be recognized at the highest levels of the competition, with Sparkling Traminette and Ives both earning Best of Class honors in their respective categories.
For Sparkling Traminette, this year’s recognition marks a second Best of Class honor in 2026, following a 95-point Best of Class award at the Los Angeles International Wine Competition earlier this year.
This continues a strong performance history that also includes a Platinum Award at the 2025 Finger Lakes International Wine Competition, underscoring consistency across multiple vintages and judging panels.
Traminette itself holds an important place in New York wine history.
Developed through grape breeding research at Cornell University, Traminette was created as a hybrid offspring of Gewürztraminer, designed to capture aromatic intensity and floral character while offering improved cold-climate resilience. Johnson Estate Winery was among the early adopters of the varietal during its introduction and research phase in New York State, planting it at a time when its potential in the region was still being defined.
That early commitment has carried forward into today, where Traminette has become a signature expression within the estate portfolio.
At Johnson Estate Winery, Traminette is produced in two distinct styles. A traditional still version that highlights its floral aromatics and soft fruit character, and a sparkling version that lifts those same qualities into a brighter, more expressive format.
Both styles continue to perform strongly in competition and remain consistent favorites for their aromatic profile, balance, and approachability.
The continued success of Sparkling Traminette reflects both the varietal’s adaptability in New York’s climate and the long-term understanding of how it performs best within our estate vineyards.
The Ives also continues its strong performance, earning Best of Class recognition for the second year in a row at the Finger Lakes International Wine Competition.
Previously recognized in 2025, this semi-sweet wine has developed a loyal following among our wine club members for its approachable style and fruit-forward character. It is often compared to a Lambrusco in its refreshing, lightly sweet profile.
In addition to the still expression, Ives is also offered in a sparkling version known as The King’s Ives, which highlights a different expression of the same varietal character.
In addition to these Best of Class honors, several estate wines were awarded Gold medals, including Pink Catawba (2024 vintage), Toasted Oak Chardonnay (2023 vintage), Niagara (2024 vintage), Seyval Blanc (2024 vintage), and Dry Riesling (2024 vintage).
These results reflect strength across both native and European-style varietals as well as across multiple growing seasons.
Of particular note, several wines continue to demonstrate strong performance across major competitions.
Niagara recently earned a 99-point Gold Medal at the Los Angeles International Wine Competition, while Toasted Oak Chardonnay received a 90-point Gold Medal at the same competition, reinforcing their consistency across blind evaluations.
Much of this ongoing success can be traced back to a simple but important advantage: Johnson Estate Winery is fully estate grown.
Because we grow all of our own grapes, we are able to make harvest decisions on our own terms, picking each varietal at peak ripeness rather than based on logistics or external sourcing.
That timing is one of the most important factors in quality. Each block is harvested only when sugar, acidity, and flavor reach balance for that specific varietal and vintage. Those decisions are made in the vineyard, not the calendar, and are guided by continuous evaluation as the growing season progresses.
Under the care of third-generation owner Fred Johnson, the vineyard is managed with a long-term perspective that prioritizes balance, consistency, and varietal expression.
From there, Winemaker Jeff Murphy works with each lot in a way that emphasizes preservation of character rather than manipulation, allowing each vintage to reflect what the vineyard delivered in that specific year.
It is this continuity from vineyard to bottle that continues to show up in competition results year after year.
Recognition at major wine competitions reflects more than the quality of a single vintage. It highlights the strength of the region where the grapes are grown. Along the southern shore of Lake Erie, vineyards benefit from a growing environment shaped by the lake’s moderating influence, helping vines withstand winter temperatures while extending the growing season into the fall.
For generations, grape growers in this region have cultivated varieties uniquely suited to the area’s climate and soils. Today, that combination of agricultural heritage, vineyard experience, and careful winemaking continues to produce wines that stand out in blind tastings against entries from across North America and beyond.
These awards are a reflection of the work that takes place throughout the year. From pruning and vineyard management to harvest decisions and cellar practices. They also reinforce what visitors to our tasting room discover every day: exceptional wines can be found right here in Lake Erie Wine Country.
We are grateful to the judges, competition organizers, and, most importantly, the customers who continue to support New York wine and family-owned wineries. We invite you to visit us in Westfield, explore our award-winning portfolio, and experience firsthand the wines that earned recognition at the 2026 Finger Lakes International Wine & Spirits Competition.
All of these award-winning wines are available for purchase daily at the winery and online. Many are also available through our retail partners, which can be found using our store locator.
The Finger Lakes International Wine & Spirits Competition is one of the largest charitable wine and spirits competitions in North America. Wines are evaluated through blind tastings by industry professionals, providing an objective assessment of quality across a wide range of categories and regions.
Johnson Estate wines received recognition at both the 2026 Finger Lakes International Wine & Spirits Competition and the 2026 Los Angeles International Wine Competition. At the Finger Lakes competition, Sparkling Traminette and Ives each earned Best of Class honors, while wines including Semi-Dry Riesling, Niagara, Seyval Blanc, and Black Locust Riesling received Gold Medals. Earlier in the year, Sparkling Traminette, Semi-Dry Riesling, Sparkling Rosé Ice Wine, and Niagara were among the wines earning top honors at the Los Angeles International Wine Competition, highlighting the quality and diversity of Johnson Estate’s award-winning portfolio.
Visitors can enjoy Johnson Estate’s award-winning wines in the tasting room in Westfield, New York, located in the heart of Lake Erie Wine Country. Many of the wines recognized at the 2026 Finger Lakes International Wine & Spirits Competition are also available for purchase online and can be shipped to eligible states.
8419 West Main Rd. (Route 20)
Westfield, NY 14787
Map & Directions
March – October
10am-6pm Daily
November – February
10am-5pm Sunday-Thursday
10am-6pm Friday & Saturday
Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Day, and Easter
