Kudos to 2024 Monterey Wine Competition Winners 

March 19, 2024 – Some outstanding wines rose to prominence at the 31^st annual Monterey Wine Competition, held in King City, earlier this month. Chief among them was the 2021 Long Valley Ranch Pinot Noir, which was named Best of Monterey County. 

This wine, made by Vincent Catalaà, also scored Best Pinot Noir of show. Long Valley Ranch is a Scheid brand that made its debut in 2015 with the 2013 vintage. You’ll also find Long Valley Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, in key regional chains, including BevMo. About 6,200 total cases were made in 2023. 

Congratulations to Scheid and Catalaà! 

Best White went to Navarro for their 2023 Pinot Blanc, Anderson Valley ($21)

Best Sparkling was awarded to V. Sattui for its Prestige Cuvee Brut ($50)

Best Red and Wine of the Year went to ZD for their 2021 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($78) 

Best Rosé was a tie between a longstanding Anderson Valley powerhouse, Navarro, with their 2023 Rosé of Pinot Noir ($27), and a relative newcomer, Tackitt Family Vineyards, with the 2023 Risqué Rosé, Paso Robles ($28). Winemaker/owner, Leon Tackitt, whose winery is in San Miguel, also won Best Albariño (2023 Albariño, Edna Valley) and Best Gewurztraminer (sourced from Scheid’s Monterey-grown grapes). He’s won Best Gewurz two years in a row now, proving he has the talent to make some of the most difficult wines, from sparkling to white to rosé. Making reds is a cakewalk compared to making rosés and whites, and as anyone who has made sparkling can tell you, that’s a whole ‘nuther stress level.

Other local Platinum medal winners include Eberle’s 2022 Estate Chardonnay from Paso Robles, J. Lohr’s 2021 Hilltop Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon, Halter Ranch’s 2021 Estate Reserve Petite Sirah, Adelaida District, Paso Robles, and Perrucci Family Vineyard’s 2020 Sangiovese, Santa Cruz Mountains. 

Not exactly local, but an excellent example of Pinot Grigio, which can often be a boring beyond tears wine, was the 2023 Presque Isle Wine Cellars Pinot Grigio from Lake Erie, PA. At $16.99, this exerted itself with lime pith and lanolin, ripe pear and a hint of nuttiness, and displayed a marked texture that sets it nicely apart from the usual watery examples in this price point. Winemaker Leon Tackitt, who was on my panel, commented that it was made in the classic Italian style. They ship to CA. Check it out on their online store: PIPG

Monterey has long been a stronghold for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. One of the region’s well-known brands, Delicato, produces Diora, and the 2023 La Belle Fête Rosé of Pinot Noir ($19.99), scored Gold, while the 2021 La Grande Lumière Chardonnay ($40, San Bernabe), 2021 La Grande Majesté Pinot Noir ($40, San Bernabe) and 2021 La Petite Grace ($20, Monterey), all came home with Silvers. Diora winemaker, James Ewart, who has worked with the San Bernabe Vineyard for 35 years now, was on my judging panel. He told me that many acres of Merlot are being ripped out at San Bernabe, once the west coast’s largest contiguous vineyard. It continues to be sold off, bit by bit. 

Castle Rock sources a lot of fruit from Monterey. Their 2022 California Cuvée Pinot Noir was a Platinum winner, and their 2022 Central Coast Pinot Noir and 2023 Rosé of Pinot Noir from Monterey, were both Gold medal winners. They all cost around $12. 

Cinnabar minted a Gold medal for its 2021 Mercury Rising (lots of Paso fruit) and a Silver for their 2022 Monterey Chardonnay ($26). 

Eberle scored Golds for their 2021 Vineyard Selection Cabernet Sauvignon and their 2022 Côtes-du-Rôbles Blanc. 

J. Lohr scored Golds for their 2021 Pure Paso Proprietary Red Blend, 2021 Seven Oaks Cabernet, 2022 Arroyo Vista Chardonnay (in its new, gorgeous packaging), and their 2022 Riverstone Chardonnay, Arroyo Seco. 

McIntyre really impressed this year, scoring Golds for their 2016 Per Ardua Proprietary Blend, Kimberly Vineyard, Arroyo Seco ($60.00) and 2018 Pinot Noir McIntyre Estate Vineyard, Santa Lucia Highlands ($48.00).  Well done!

McGrail Vineyards brought home Golds for 2022 Peyton Paige Sauvignon Blanc Livermore Valley, and 2023 Kylie Ryan Rosé Livermore Valley.

Perrucci Family Vineyards also scored Gold for their 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon Santa Cruz Mountains ($48.00).

A perennial standout at this competition, the Poppy 2019 Pinot Noir Reserve Estate Grown, Santa Lucia Highlands, which sells for $19.00, also scored Gold.

Scheid Vineyards brought home Gold for its Scheid Vineyards 2022 Dolcetto Estate Grown, River View Vineyard, Monterey ($36.00). They also scored Silver for their 2022 Scheid Chardonnay Estate Grown, Monterey ($22). Sheid’s Ranch 32 wines, the 2022 Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, also made by  winemaker Vincent Catalaà, both took home Silvers. 

All of Scheid’s Sunny With a Chance of Flowers lower alcohol wines, including Bubbly Rosé, 2022 Positively Chardonnay, 2022 Positively Pinot Grigio and 2022 Positively Sauvignon Blanc, scored Silvers. 

Z. Alexander Brown scored Gold for the 2022 Uncaged Monterey Chardonnay and Silver for the 2022 Uncaged Pinot Noir, California. 

Furthermore scored a Silver for its 2021 Sierra Mar Pinot Noir. 

For those Cab lovers out there who want to surprise their friends, the 2021 Omaha Steaks 1917 Dry Creek Valley Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon ($48.99), scored Platinum. 

Winery of the Year was Napa’s V. Sattui, for the sheer number of Golds and Platinums, although Jeff Runquist gave them a pretty good run for the roses. 

Thanks to all the longtime local volunteers and their children from all over CA, who converge on King City every March to make this competition happen. It’s a labor of love, and they enjoy giving back to the community. Special thanks to competition director and chief judge Rich Cook, who puts this competition together every year, and who writes up the notes on all the Platinum winners. His philosophy is to treat each wine individually, rewarding excellence. Thanks also to the judges who come from all over to evaluate and elevate these wines. 

Many of the winemakers who judge this competition would like to ask their Monterey County based peers to participate next year, to bring more recognition to the wineries of the region. After all, it is called the Monterey Wine Competition. Remember, there is a Grand Tasting as part of the Salinas Valley Fair each May. This year’s dates are May 16—19. 

Thanks especially to the wineries who do continue to enter each year. Consumers do notice the results.