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Chi Chapter Brother Bob Dabrowski wins a gold medal for his Wine.
Brother Dabrowski gladly opens his doors to alumni for wine tasting, but you'll have to set up an appointment to sample his highly sought after grapes.
From The New Hampshire Union Leader;
A local made red wine went “gold" this past month when it garnered high marks at an international wine show.
“There’s a certain amount of satisfaction when someone like me goes into a competition like thing one and takes a gold medal because there are a lot of very big wineries taking part,” said wine maker Bob Dabrowski.
Dabrowski, who owns the 3-acre Candia Vineyards on High Street, said he was recently one of scores of commercial wine makers who sent a sample for judging at the 2008 Florida State Fair International Wine and Grape Exposition. Dabrowski’s entry was his Noiret, a relatively recent vintage that was awarded a gold medal for its class, the hybrid red varietal.
According to the event sponsor, the Florida Grape Growers Association, the event attracted more 1,578 wines from more than 100 wine makers, but Dabrowski’s Noiret was one of only 154 gold medalists. Dabrowski’s high grade at the event gave Candia Vineyards a ranking that placed in the league with wineries from across the world, including competitors from the well-known wine countries of Italy, France and California’s renowned Napa Valley.
Dabrowski, who began as a “home brewer” about 10 years ago, said the award was not a strict “first-place” finish, as in an Olympic event. The gold medal designation instead indicates the wine achieved the highest level of standards such as flavor, aroma and aftertaste that a Noiret can attain.
“It has what I call a ‘mythical’ aroma to it, like pepper,” he said.
The Noiret is a relatively recent addition to the Candia Vineyards wines, and Dabrowski said it is among his most sought-after of his brews. Although the 2006 Noiret is sold out, Dabrowski said, he is now at work in a new 2007 vintage that could hit the store shelves within days.
News of the vineyards’ success came as no big shock to resident Bill Proulox, an amateur wine connoisseur who has tasted the Noiret on several occasions.
“It’s a fantastic wine,” he said. “I’m really just a novice myself, but I was really blown away at how my taste buds reacted. I recommend it for any red-wine drinker out there, and even if you are stuck on a particular flavor, you should really venture out and try it.”