ALGOMA – von Stiehl Winery's 2014 Sierra Foothills Montepulciano red wine was awarded a double gold medal at this year’s 31st annual Tasters Guild International Wine Competition, held May 1 to 4 in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

von Stiehl's winemaking team sought out the Montepulciano grape to provide wines not commonly found among Wisconsin wineries, making this a unique and harder-to-find style of wine for the area. Grapes were grown in the Sierra foothills of California and handpicked at peak of ripeness to ensure a full-flavored and well-rounded wine.

“We are honored that this wine received a double gold medal, the highest award in the category,” said Aric Schmiling, von Stiehl co-owner and head winemaker.  “We have been focusing on our red wines for the past 10 years and excited that they are getting this level of attention."

von Stiehl also earned gold medals for its Crimson Royale sweet red wine and Oktoberfest semi-sweet.

For the competition, 23 experienced judges from around the country completed over 1,400 evaluations of wine from nine countries and 30 states or Canadian provinces. The judging panels were comprised of a mix of retailers, winemakers, wine writers, restaurateurs, wine educators and experienced consumers.

Tasters Guild International is a chapter of the American Wine Society. For more on the organization, including a full list of results from the competition, go to www.tastersguild.com.

Founded in 1967, von Stiehl Winery claims to be the oldest winery in Wisconsin. It is in a Civil War-era building, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, at 115 Navarino St., Algoma. It offers more than 40 different wines and ciders made with locally grown or California fruits, all available to sample in its tasting room.

The winery is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. For more information, call 920-487-5208 or go to vonstiehl.com.

This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: von Stiehl Winery Montepulciano earns double gold in international tasting