January 21, 2025 – Consistency at something good is a beautiful thing. When you go to your favorite restaurant, you want that dish you always love to be just like the last time you enjoyed it. Same with wine, although the variables are way harder to control.
With 5,500 entries in the 25th annual San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, to come out on top three times in the last 8 years, is a great accomplishment and Brent Amos of Las Positas in Livermore, has done it once again with his 2023 Las Positas Estate Reserve Albariño. It shared Best of Show White honors with the 2023 Napa Valley Riesling from V. Sattui. Good to see both an Albariño and a Riesling atop the results.
My panel had the great pleasure of tasting all the Albariños entered this year, and there were 52 of them, so they all went through the same scrutiny. What set Brent Amos’ wine apart from the other seven Albariños that scored Double Golds, was its classic execution. It oozed lime, pear, peach, cilantro and a bit of saltiness, making it a total delight on the palate. That it got to the top of 52 in its own class was just the beginning, though. It then had to go toe-to-toe with 14 other white wines in the showdown for Best White in the Sweepstakes round.
The field of whites was very strong, featuring a fantastic 2023 Veritas Sauvignon Blanc from Virginia, a fabulous 2023 Viognier from English Newsom in the High Plains of Texas, a delightful 2023 Pinot Gris from the Leelanau Peninsula of Michigan, a 2023 Silt Wines Chenin Blanc from Clarksburg, a well-executed 2023 Vermentino from Castello di Amorosa, a mouthwatering 2024 La Positas Estate Reserve Verdelho from Livermore, a really nice dry 2023 Riesling from V. Sattui that was sourced from Mount Veeder in Napa, a very true-to-form 2024 Torrontes made by Lewis Grace from the Alta Mesa Vineyard in Lodi, a really nice 2023 Ferrante Winery Gewurztraminer from the Grand River Valley of Ohio, and a dynamite Native American hybrid called La Crescent from Rolling Forks Vineyard in Minnesota and. A pretty amazing assortment from all over these United States.
The 25th annual SF Chron Competition was adjudicated by 40 top judges from all over the country, including winemakers, wine buyers, wine educators and journalists. We chose two wines to share Best Red honors for 2025: the 2023 Lodi Rippey Family Vineyard Grenache and the 2022 Val de Vino Barbera from Calaveras County. There were 24 red wines in the sweepstakes, and the voting was tight. My favorites, besides the Grenache for which I voted, were the 2022 Benziger Bella Luna Pinot Noir from the Sonoma Coast, the 2022 Tsillan Cellars Sangiovese from Lake Chelan in Wash., the 2021 Sea Shell Cellars Mourvedre from Paso Robles’ Adelaida District, and the 2021 Sunce Merlot from Alan Foppiano Vineyards in Dry Creek Valley. I was also impressed with the 2021 Carignane from Sunce Winery & Vineyard and the 2023 Alapay Valdiguie, from San Luis Obispo. I sat across from the two wine writers from the San Francisco Chronicle, Jess Lander and Esther Mobley, and it was fun listening to them compare notes on the wines.
We shared a laugh as our teeth turned progressively purple while tasting the increasingly tannic reds. It was like entering a tar pit of tannin, and that’s what made the more delicate and nuanced wines stand out. I always look at a Best of Show vote as a nod to great varietal execution and at the same time, I ask myself if I could actually drink this wine every day if I had no other choice. That really eliminates the wines that bring immediate palate fatigue: who needs it?
A Chandon Blanc de Noirs took Best Sparkling and Eberle Winery in Paso Robles took Best Rosé for its 2024 Rosé of Grenache. These were both easily drinkable wines that everyone can enjoy.
Mark Hoover is a name some might recall from Integrity Wines, which has a tasting room near the airport in Watsonville. Hoover also owns Val de Vino wines in Murphy’s, where he made the 2022 Barbera that took co-honors for Best Red this year. Hoover first bought Riesling grapes from Doug Meador, of Meador Vineyards and Ventana in Monterey County, back in 1981, so he’s been at this wine thing a long time.
Congratulations to Mark and to Brent! We’ll see if either can repeat the feat next year.
Our local wineries showed some serious cred at the Chron this year. Here are the ones that scored Gold.
Bargetto Winery came home with Golds for their 2022 Reserve Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet Sauvignon and their 2021 Santa Cruz Mountains Mountains Nebbiolo. They also got a Gold for their Santa Cruz Mountains Raspberry Mead, and well as a Best of Class for their Traditional Mead from hives in the Santa Cruz Mountains and Santa Clara Valley. Did you know that Mead is their biggest SKU?
Blair Estate scored lots of Silvers for a range of entries, plus a Gold for the 2019 Delfinas Vineyard Pinot Noir from Arroyo Seco.
Cooper-Garrod Estate Vineyards came home with a Double Gold for their 2023 Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay. Owner/Vintner Bill Cooper recently announced he was retiring and moving into a Winemaker Emeritus role.
Cru Winery came home with a Double Gold for their 2023 Albariño from the San Luis Obispo Coast, as well as Golds for both the 2022 and 2023 Santa Lucia Highlands Chardonnays.
De Tierra scored Gold for their 2022 Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir and 2020 “The Puzzler” Red Blend from Monterey County.
El Vaquero got a Gold for their 2022 Cabernet Franc from Santa Clara Valley.
Integrity Wines took Gold for the 2022 Santa Lucia Highlands Chardonnay and a Best of Class for the 2023 Santa Lucia Highlands Riesling.
J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines scored Double Golds for their 2023 Arroyo Vista Chardonnay from Arroyo Seco, as well as for their 2022 Hilltop Cabernet Sauvignon from Paso Robles. They also brought home Golds for a slew of wines, among them, the 2023 “Wildflower” Arroyo Seco Valdiguie, 2023 October Night Arroyo Seco Chardonnay, 2023 Riverstone Arroyo Seco Chardonnay, 2022 Tower Road Petite Sirah from Paso Robles, 2023 Fogs Reach Arroyo Seco Pinot Noir, 2022 Cuvee PAU, 2022 Cuvee ST. E and 2022 South Ridge Syrah. The latter three are all from Paso Robles.
Nicholson Vineyards brought home Gold for their 2022 Brooks Block Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir as well as their 2022 Estate Reserve Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir.
Perrucci Family Vineyard racked up Golds for the 2020 Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2021 Santa Cruz Mountains Malbec, and a Best of Class for their 2021 Santa Cruz Mountains Syrah.
Rexford Winery scored a Silver in the Packaging competition in the Abstract Art category for the label design of their 2022 Ninas Collection No.1 Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir, and a Double Gold for the 2023 Rexford Santa Lucia Highlands Chardonnay.
Soquel Vineyards once again showed how it’s done in the Pinot Noir category, winning Best of Class for the 2023 Coast Grade Vineyard Ben Lomond Mountain Pinot Noir; thanks to Ryan Beauregard for that most excellent fruit. Soquel Vineyards really shone with Double Golds for the 2023 Pleasant Valley Farms Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet Franc, the 2023 Lester Family Vineyard Pinot Noir and the 2023 Saveria Vineyard Pinot Noir, both located in Corralitos. The Bargetto twins also brought home Gold for their 2023 SCM Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir, the 2023 Beauregard Ranch Ben Lomond Mountain Pinot Noir, and the 2023 Soquel Vineyards Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir.
Pamela and Steven Storrs of Storrs Winery & Vineyards are consistent performers at this competition year after year, and once again scored a Best of Class for the 2022 Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay. They scored two Double Golds: one for the 2023 SCM Rosé, and the other for their 2021 SCM Zinfandel. They also scored Gold for the 2022 Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir and the 2021 Two Creek Red Blend from Santa Clara County.
Wargin Wines came home with a Gold for the 2023 Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay.
Congratulations to all the medal winners at this competition.
All results can be viewed at winejudging.com.
About the author
Laura Ness is a longtime wine journalist, columnist and judge who contributes regularly to Edible Monterey Bay, Spirited, WineOh.Tv, Los Gatos Magazine and Wine Industry Network, and a variety of consumer publications. Her passion is telling stories about the intriguing characters who inhabit the fascinating world of wine and food.
