Washington, DC – On November 5, 2018, the eve of Election Day, a panel of judges convened in the Cabinet Room at Old Ebbitt Grill for the final round of the Old Ebbitt Grill International Wines for Oysters Competition. Their task was to select gold medal winners from among twenty finalists. The remaining wines earned silver medals, while the bronze medal winners were chosen during the semi-final round a week earlier.
An impressive 196 wines from all over the world were entered in this year’s Competition. Within the United States, 80 wines were submitted from four states (California, Oregon, Virginia, and Washington). Wineries from eleven other countries entered a total of 116 wines— Argentina, Australia, Austria, Chile, France, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, Portugal, South Africa, and Spain.
In addition to the Oyster Bar at Old Ebbitt Grill, Clyde’s Restaurant Group has Oyster Bars at Clyde’s of Gallery Place, Mark Center, Tower Oaks Lodge and Chevy Chase. The Grand Champion will be served at these five locations during the coming year.
The winning wines will be celebrated at the 24th Annual Oyster Riot featuring unlimited oysters and wine. Held in Old Ebbitt Grill’s expansive atrium on Friday, November 16th and Saturday, November 17th, 2017, the cocktail-style party features live music from headlining band Mudcat (http://www.mudcatblues.com) at the evening Riots and The Bad Influence Band (http://badinfluenceband.com/) at the Saturday matinee. Tickets can be purchased online at www.ebbitt.com/calendar
Our Distinguished Panel of Judges
Kyle Bailey (The Salt Line), David Del Bene (Clyde’s of Georgetown), Bill Butcher (Port City Brewing Co.), Bart Farrell (Clyde’s Restaurant Group), Michael Franz (wine writer & consultant), Philip Greene (author), Panos Kakaviatos (author), Paul Lukacs (wine writer & consultant), David Moran (Clyde’s Restaurant Group), Anna Spiegel (Washingtonian), Sally Swift (The Splendid Table), Marguerite Thomas (wine writer), Andrew Wright (The Inn at Little Washington), Tom Yannucci (Kirkland & Ellis)
2018 GOLD MEDAL WINNERS
Grand Champion
- Sauvignon Blanc, Vavasour, Marlborough, NZ, 2017
First Runner-Up
- Sauvignon Blanc, “Private Bin,” Villa Maria Estates, Marlborough, NZ, 2017
Best Sparkling
- Chardonnay, Brut Cuvee, Chateau St. Jean, California, NV
Best American
- Sauvignon Blanc, Dry Creek Vineyards, Dry Creek Valley, CA, 2017
Best French
- Cremant de Bourgogne, L’Etre Magique, Maison de Grand Esprit, France, NV
Best Italian
- Pinot Grigio/Sauvignon Blanc blend, “Dué Uvé,” Bertani, Veneto, Italy, 2017
Best Spanish
- Albariño, Pazo Cilleiro, Rias Baixas, Spain, 2017
Gold Medal
- Sauvignon Blanc, Goldwater, Wairau Valley, NZ, 2017
- Sauvignon Blanc, Huntaway, Marlborough, NZ, 2017
- Sauvignon Blanc, Matua, Marlborough, NZ, 2017
2018 SILVER MEDAL WINNERS
- Sauvignon Blanc, “Cellar Selection,” Villa Maria Estates, Marlborough, NZ, 2017
- Sauvignon Blanc, Esk Valley, Marlborough, NZ, 2017
- Sauvignon Blanc, Kim Crawford, Marlborough, NZ, 2017
- Sauvignon Blanc, Tohu, Marlborough, NZ, 2017
- Garganega/Trebbiano blend, Pieropan, Soave, Italy, 2017
- Sauvignon Blanc, 13 Celsius Vineyards, Marlborough, NZ, 2017
- Glera, Prosecco, Caposaldo, Veneto, Italy, NV
- Sauvignon Blanc, Nimbus, Casablanca, Chile, 2017
- Sauvignon Blanc, Edna Valley Vineyards, Central Coast, CA, 2017
- Viura, Baron de Ley, Rioja, Spain, 2016
2018 BRONZE MEDAL WINNERS
- Sauvignon Blanc, “Te Muna,” Craggy Ridge, Martinborough, NZ, 2018
- Sauvignon Blanc, Whitehaven Winery, Marlborough, NZ, 2018
- Sauvignon Blanc, Prophecy, Marlborough, NZ, 2017
- Sauvignon Blanc, Drylands Estate, Marlborough, NZ, 2017
- Sauvignon Blanc, Dashwood, Marlborough, NZ 2017
- Sauvignon Blanc, Chasing Venus, Marlborough, NZ 2018
- Sauvignon Blanc, Spy Valley, Marlborough, NZ 2017
- Sauvignon Blanc, “Fume Blanc,” Ferrari Carano, Sonoma County, CA 2017
- Sauvignon Blanc, Charles Krug, Napa, CA 2017
- Sauvignon Blanc, Tempus Two, South Australia, 2016
- Sauvignon Blanc, “La Petit Perriere,” Saget La Perriere, France, 2017
- Sauvignon Blanc, Saget La Perriere, Sancerre, France 2017
- Cortese, “Principessa,” Banfi, Gavi, Piemonte, Italy, 2017
- White Blend, Twin Vines, Vinho Verde, Portugal, NV
- Pinot Gris, “Reserve,” Trimbach, Alsace, 2013
- Albariño, Horton, Orange County, Virginia, 2017
- Rosé Blend, Prophesy, Provence, France, 2017
- Rosé Blend, Fleur de Mer, Provence, France, 2017
- Rosé Blend, Natura, Rapel Valley, Chile, 2017
- Glera/Pinot Blanc, Villa Marcello Prosecco, Treviso, Italy, 2016
- Glera, Valdo Prosecco, Italy, NV
- Chardonnay-Pinot Noir-Pinot Meunier, Chateau Ste. Michelle Brut Sparkling, Columbia Valley, Washington, NV
ABOUT THE COMPETITION
Old Ebbitt Grill International Wines for Oysters Competition was inspired by the Pacific Coast Oyster Wine Competition, organized over twenty years ago by seafood consultant Jon Rowley in Seattle. Mr. Rowley compared his competition to “a dating service for wines and oysters.” As far as can be determined, these two competitions are the only ones in the world in which wines are judged with oysters. In 1995, Tom Meyer, Clyde’s President, sent David Moran, Area Director of Operations, out to Seattle to be a judge in Mr. Rowley’s competition and immerse himself in Seattle’s oyster culture. Upon his return, David told Tom he would like to replicate an East Coast version of the competition on a larger scale at the Ebbitt. Tom replied, “Why don’t we just throw a great party with oysters and wine, that’s what we’re good at.” Over a few dozen oysters and a few glasses of Chablis, the International Wines for Oysters Competition and the Oyster Riot were born! We are eternally grateful to Michael Franz, wine writer, educator, consultant and editor of Wine Review Online, and Paul Lukacs, award-winning author, educator, wine writer, and consultant, for their guidance and palates throughout the years to bring the Competition from its infancy to the celebration it is today.
ABOUT CLYDE’S RESTAURANT GROUP AND OLD EBBITT GRILL
Clyde’s Restaurant Group (CRG) is one of the nation’s most successful, privately-held restaurant companies. In 1963, the original Clyde’s opened in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, DC. and was recently recognized as one of the city’s “Top Workplaces” by The Washington Post. The brand has expanded to include 12 properties in Northern Virginia, suburban Maryland, and the District of Columbia: Clyde’s of Georgetown, Clyde’s of Columbia, Clyde’s of Reston, Clyde’s of Chevy Chase, Clyde’s at Mark Center, Tower Oaks Lodge, Clyde’s of Gallery Place, Clyde’s Willow Creek Farm, Old Ebbitt Grill, The Tombs, 1789 Restaurant, and The Hamilton. All of Clyde’s restaurants, while distinctively different than the next, share the same reputation for exemplary customer service and a chef-driven menu featuring high-quality fresh ingredients. All Clyde’s concepts share a commitment to the people and the region they serve, proudly offering local produce, seafood, farm-raised meat, and air-chilled, hormone-free, antibiotic-free, humanely raised chicken.
The Old Ebbitt Grill, Washington’s oldest saloon, was founded in 1856 when, according to legend, innkeeper William E. Ebbitt bought a boarding house. By 1970, through an auction bid, Stuart Davidson (1922 – 2001) and John Laytham, owners of Clyde’s of Georgetown, unexpectedly found themselves owners of a second saloon, the Old Ebbitt Grill. It was the first expansion beyond the original Clyde’s in Georgetown, and the “new” Old Ebbitt remains a historic landmark while consistently ranked 5th among top-grossing independent restaurants nationwide.
