(Stillwater, Okla. – January 19, 2017) Canadian River Vineyards and Winery in Slaughterville, Oklahoma, continues to bring home honors during international competitions for its wine made from Oklahoma-grown grapes.

“We are proud that our wines made from Oklahoma-grown grapes are doing so well in international competitions,” said Gene Clifton, owner of Canadian River Vineyards and Winery. “We won medals in every wine competition we entered in 2016.”

The Made in Oklahoma company won silver and bronze medals in the Vino Challenge International, the oldest international wine competition in the United States.

A single vineyard Dry Riesling made from grapes acquired from Ingels Vineyard in Norman, Oklahoma, won a silver medal, as well as the Oklahoma Merlot. The Oklahoma Moscato and Oklahoma Chocolate Drop won bronze medals.

The company’s Moscato and Chocolate Drop wines won silver medals in the Wines of the South Wine Competition, and the Chocolate Drop wine won a bronze medal in the Texas International Wine Competition. In addition, the Dry Riesling and Chocolate Drop won bronze medals in the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.

“Our vineyards are now 16 years old, and they are consistently making good quality grapes, which are made into award-winning wines,” Clifton said. “We are grateful for all our loyal customers and the Oklahoma Wine Retail Stores who buy our products. We would like to have our wines available to the public in more Oklahoma restaurants, especially those who advocate buying local.”

For the past seven years, Oklahoma State University’s Robert M. Kerr Food & Agricultural Products Center, a part of the Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, has undertaken an Oklahoma wine-quality project aimed at sensory and chemical testing of Oklahoma wines, especially those wines from Oklahoma-grown grapes. Under the direction of William McGlynn, FAPC horticultural products processing specialist, continuing work and education has helped reduce some of the vineyard and wine problems.

Clifton said Oklahoma has a long history of grape growing and wine making thanks to the many Europeans who participated in the state’s various land runs.

“Since 2000, there has been a resurgence of vineyards and wineries in the state due in part to favorable legislation proposed and shepherded through the Oklahoma Legislature by modern time pioneers like Robert Bartunek of Enid, Terry Lewis of Ringwood and Max Knotts of Oklahoma City,” he said.

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Oklahoma State University is a modern land-grant university that prepares students for success. OSU has more than 36,000 students across its five-campus system and more than 25,000 on its combined Stillwater and Tulsa campuses, with students from all 50 states and around 120 nations. Established in 1890, Oklahoma State has graduated more than 260,000 students who have been serving Oklahoma and the world for 125 years.