Famille Perrin, Caprai, Artadi, Chanson, Veuve Cliquot are Wine Enthusiast’s 2012 Wine Star Award Nominees

Each year, the editors of Wine Enthusiast Magazine honor outstanding achievement in the wine and spirits world, both within that given year and over time. New to this year’s 13th annual Wine Star Awards is the Sommelier of the Year award, given to an individual whose knowledge and efforts make an establishment’s wine program exemplary, and the American Wine Legend award, granted to a person with exceptional long-term service to the American Wine Industry.

Wine Enthusiast has just announced Famille Perrin (Rhône, France) was listed among their 2012 Wine Star Award Nominees. “The Perrin family, proprietors of the famed Château de Beaucastel in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, has steadily acquired properties in many of the Southern Rhône’s top appellations and is now one of the largest organic producers in the region.”Four other prestigious wineries are also listed among the European Wineries of the Year.

Arnaldo Caprai (Umbria, Italy): “The innovative Arnaldo Caprai has helped revive Umbria’s indigenous grapes, bringing the wine region into the international spotlight for its production of Sagrantino di Montefalco.”

Artadi (Rioja, Spain): “Established by visionary winemaker Juan Carlos López de Lacalle in 1985, Artadi has established a reputation for being a leader in Spanish wine production, upholding its philosophy that “the value of a great wine is intimately linked to the land and its people.”

Chanson Père & Fils (Burgundy, France): “Under the ownership of the Champagne group Société Jacques Bollinger, this Burgundian négociant has hit its stride, offering consumers a generous spectrum of bottlings ranging from entry level Bourgogne Chardonnays to estimable Chablis grand crus.“

Veuve Clicquot (Champagne, France): “Not only did Veuve Clicquot celebrate its 230th year of shipping wine to the United States in mid-2012, but the Champagne house also released the 2004 vintage of its prestige cuvée, La Grande Dame, and will launch its Cave Privée line in the United States in September.”