Gold Medal Winners at the 2023 San Francisco Chronicle Competition

January 24, 2023 – We hereby declare Monterey and Santa Cruz “Double Gold” in the Golden State, when it comes to well-made wines rising to the top at America’s largest Wine Competition, the 2023 San Francisco Chronicle Competition, held this past week in Cloverdale. A whopping 5,500 wines from nearly 1,000 wineries were entered into this year’s contest. The top award winners were:

Sparkling Sweepstake Winner:  Chandon California NV Blanc de Pinot Noir California $27.00

White Sweepstake Winner (Tie): 

• V. Sattui Winery 2020 Chardonnay Napa Valley CA $39.00
• Reustle Prayer Rock Vineyards 2021 Green Lizard Gruner Veltliner Umpqua Valley OR $36.00

Rosé Sweepstake Winner: Navarro Vineyards 2022 Rosé Sangiovese Mendocino CA $24.00

Red Sweepstake Winner (Tie):

• Dry Creek Vineyard 2019 Iron Slopes Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County CA $65.00
• St. Anne’s Crossing 2020 Los Chamizal Malbec Sonoma Valley CA $38.00

Specialty Sweepstake Winner: Château d’ Estienne 2014 Dessert Wine Barbera Sierra Foothills CA $60.00

Packaging Sweepstake Winner: Adobe Road Winery NV The Racing Series – 4 Bottle Gift Set Red Blends California $369.00

Many wines from the Monterey and Santa Cruz Mountains AVAS (and a few from Santa Clara Valley and Paso Robles, which are all part of the ginormous Central Coast AVA), nudged their way to notoriety by displaying integrity and varietal character. We pause to give all the winemakers and winegrowers and vineyard workers behind them a hearty and well-deserved round of applause.

Atop the heap is Soquel Vineyards, with a whopping 9 Double Gold and Gold medals, plus a Best of Class for the 2021 Pleasant Valley Farms Vosne Romanée Clone Pinot Noir  ($50.00) from the Santa Cruz Mountains!  They also scored Double Golds for the 2021 Santa Cruz Mountains Estate Pinot Noir  ($30.00), the 2021 Ben Lomond Mountain Coast Grade Vineyard Pinot Noir ($50.00), 2021 Santa Cruz Mountains Stretched Boundaries Pinot Noir ($50.00), the 2021 Santa Cruz Mountains Lago Lomita Vineyard Partners Reserve Nebbiolo ($50.00), and the highly popular 2021 Trinity Rosso Blend ($16.00). They scored Gold for the 2021 Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir made from Coast Grade Vineyard, Saveria Vineyard and Pleasant Valley Farms ($30.00), the 2021 Santa Cruz Mountains Saveria Vineyard Pinot Noir            ($50.00) and the 2021 Ben Lomond Mountain Coast Grade Vineyard Paul’s Selection Pinot Noir ($50.00).  

Congratulations to Peter and Paul Bargetto and Jon Morgan for such an outstanding showing!

We know winegrowing and winemaking talent runs in that family, because Bargetto Winery  (that would be John Bargetto) scored Double Gold for its 2021 Monterey County Pinot Grigio ($17.00), the 2020 Santa Cruz Mountains Mount Eden Clone Pinot Noir ($60.00),  and the 2020 Santa Cruz Mountains Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon  ($60.00). The Bargetto winemaking team also brought home Gold for the 2021 Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Grigio ($28.00), the 2021 Santa Cruz Mountains Reserve Pinot Noir ($45.00), and 2018 Santa Cruz Mountains Estate La Vita ($60.00). 

Once again, Jeffrey Blair of Blair Estate was a solid Gold winner, bringing home a Double Gold for the Blair Estate 2021 Arroyo Seco Delfinas Vineyard Rosé  ($25.00), and Golds for the 2017 Arroyo Seco Delfinas Vineyard Pinot Noir ($50.00) and the 2017 Arroyo Seco Delfinas Vineyard DRC (clone 828 and 115) Pinot Noir ($55.00).  Taste and purchase these wines at the Blair Estate tasting room at the Carmel Plaza.

Cooper-Garrod Estate Vineyards in Saratoga earned Gold for their S2018 Santa Cruz Mountains Syrah ($43.00), made with Certified Sustainable grapes. 

Delacy Wines out of Oakland scored a Double Gold for their 2020 Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet Sauvignon, which sounds like a bargain at $32.00.  

Fellom Ranch Vineyards scored Gold for their 2019  Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet Sauvignon from Montebello Ridge ($65.00) and Furthermore Wines won Double Gold for their 2019 Rosella’s Vineyard Pinot Noir from the Santa Lucia Highlands ($60). 

Gali Vineyards brought home a Double Gold for their estate 2021 Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay ($35.00), a Gold for their 2017 Santa Cruz Mountains Estate Tempranillo ($45.00) and Silver for the 2021 Estate Pinot Noir ($45.00).

J. Lohr Estates scored a Best of Class for the 2020 Arroyo Seco Fogs Reach Pinot Noir ($35.00), a Double Gold for the 2021 Arroyo Seco Arroyo Vista Chardonnay (a solid bargain at $25.00), and the 2019 Paso Robles Signature Cabernet Sauvignon ($100). They also scored Golds for their 2020 Paso Robles Tower Road Petite Sirah ($35.00), 2020 Paso Robles Hilltop Cabernet Sauvignon ($35.00), 2021 Monterey County Estates Falcons Perch Pinot Noir ($17.00), 2020   Paso Robles Estates South Ridge Syrah ($15.00), 2020 Paso Robles Los Osos Merlot ($15.00), 2022 Arroyo Seco Flume Crossing Sauvignon Blanc ($14.00), J. Lohr Monterey Roots 2021 Arroyo Seco Bay Mist Riesling ($13.00) and 2020 Paso Robles Pure Paso Proprietary Red Wine ($27.00).  

La Honda Winery scored Double Gold for their 2021 Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay, a bargain at $26.00. 

Martin Ranch scored Double Gold for the 2018 Santa Cruz Mountains J.D. Hurley Cabernet Sauvignon    ($31.95), and Gold for the 2018 Santa Cruz Mountains Therese Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon ($69.00).      

McBride Sisters Collection sourced some great fruit from the Santa Lucia Highlands to craft both their Gold-winning 2021 The Great Escape Chardonnay ($49.99) and their 2021 Santa Lucia Highlands Cocky Motherf*cker Pinot Noir ($69.99).  

Nicholson Vineyards scored Double Gold for their 2020 Amador County Barbera ($42.00) and Gold for the 2020 Santa Cruz Mountains Estate Brooks Block Pinot Noir ($42.00). 

Noble Vines always does a great job on their Monterey sourced whites, earning Golds for both the 2021 Monterey 242 Sauvignon Blanc ($12.00) and 2021 Monterey 446 Chardonnay ($12.00).  

Pelio Vineyards winemakers Greg and Chris Vita can be very happy with a Double Gold for the 2021 Monterey Pinot Noir Rose ($24.00), as well as a Double Gold for the 2018 Monterey Shelby Cuvee Pinot Noir ($52.00). 

Picchetti Winery scored Gold for their 2019 Arroyo Seco Syrah ($28.95). 

Silver Mountain Vineyards fetched Golds for their 2019 Santa Lucia Highlands Tondre Grapefield Chardonnay ($40.00), 2019 Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay ($40.00), 2015 Santa Lucia Highlands Tondre Grapefield Pinot Noir  ($50.00) and 2015 Santa Cruz Mountains Syrah ($40.00).

Sonnet Wine Cellars  (owned by winemaker Tony Craig, who also crafts Silver Mountain Wines, and pre-2021 Gali Vineyard wines), scored Gold for his 2018 Santa Cruz Mountains Gali Vineyard Pinot Noir ($50.00).  

Pamela and Steve Storrs kicked off 2023 with a Pure Gold showing at The Chron, beginning with Double Golds for the 2021 Monterey Sauvignon Blanc ($24.00), 2021 Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay ($29.00), 2019 Central Coast Zinfandel ($29.00), 2019 Santa Cruz Mountains Petite Sirah ($28.00) and 2019 Santa Clara County Rusty Ridge Petite Sirah ($33.00). The also brought home Gold for 2019 Central Coast    Grenache ($32.00), 2018 San Ysidro District  Merlot ($29.00) and the 2018 Santa Clara Valley St. Clare ($28.00), a Petit Verdot leading blend. That’s a seven for seven record and comes Well done!!    

Toad Hollow Winery sourced some good Monterey fruit to make a Gold medal winning 2021 Monterey County Pinot Noir for 19.00. Might have to check that out!

Joe and Penny Alarid of Tondre showed how it’s done with a Best of Class for their 2019 Santa Lucia Highlands Tondre Grapefield Pinot Noir ($40.00). A fantastic wine at a very fair price. Thanks for providing such great fruit to so many. 

Vina Robles found some very righteous Chardonnay from Monterey County to make the Gold Medal winning 2021 Mistral Chardonnay, just  $25.00. Worth checking out if you’re visiting Paso Robles. 

Congratulations to all the wineries from our Central Coast who entered and came home with medals to prove this endeavor is worth it all. 

All results are listed at winejudging.com.