2003 Zefina Serience White Wins Best of Class and Gold Medal at San Diego International Wine Competition; Two other Zefina wines win Bronze Medals at Prestigious Event.

SEATTLE -- Zefina Winery today announced that its 2003 Serience White from the Columbia Valley was chosen as "Best of Class" and won a Gold Medal at the 2005 San Diego International Wine Competition. Two other Zefina wines, the 2001 Serience Red and 2002 Zinfandel won bronze medals.

The competition is in its 22nd year and featured more than 2,500 different wines. David Lake, MW, winemaker at Washington's Columbia Winery and long considered one of the pioneers of fine wines in the Pacific Northwest, served as Chief Judge while Robert Whitley, whose Wine Talk column is nationally syndicated by the Copley News Service, served as Director.

Hand crafted by winemaker Robert Chowanietz and consulting winemaker Charlie Hoppes, the 2003 Zefina Serience White is remarkable for its intense aromas of wildflowers, honeysuckle, tropical fruits and honey. It floods the mouth with layers of apple, pineapple, and passion fruit which is followed by a ripe lingering finish and crisp acidity. The wine was 100 percent barrel fermented in two to three year old oak for seven months. Only 1,250 cases were produced beginning in September 2004.

All three wines were made from grapes grown at Alder Ridge Vineyard, located in the Horse Heaven Hills area in the heart of Washington state's famed Columbia Valley winemaking region.

The awards are the latest recognition for Corus Estates & Vineyards, which produces several hand crafted boutique wines exclusively from its premium vineyards in Washington, Oregon and Idaho. Just last month, the company's Sawtooth and Battle Creek wineries were awarded Gold Medals from the Dallas Morning News competition.

"We submitted three wines, and came home with three medals, including a best of class," said Ken McCabe, president of Corus Estates & Vineyards. "It's great to receive such positive recognition from such a prestigious event."

About Zefina

Zefina Winery was founded in 2001, and specializes in varietals that are difficult to find in Washington, such as Zinfandel, Sangiovese (blended with 20% Barbera), Rose (a blend of Grenache, Syrah and Viognier), Serience Red (a blend of Grenache, Syrah, Counoise and Mourvedre) and Serience White (a blend of Viognier and Roussane). Zefina sources 100% of its grapes the Alder Ridge Vineyard, a sprawling 1400-hundred-acre vineyard set atop a series of arid, sparsely vegetated ridges that shoot up nearly 1000 feet at their highest point above the Columbia River below.

About Corus Estates & Vineyards

Founded in 1998, Corus Estates and Vineyards is a family-owned producer of premium wines exclusively from the celebrated wine-growing regions of the Northwest. It owns and operates Sawtooth Winery (Idaho), Zefina, Alder Ridge and Six Prong (Washington) and Battle Creek (Oregon). CEV is headquartered in Seattle with offices in Sunnyside, Wash. as well.