Superior California Wines Shine at the Chronicle

The 2025 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition at Cloverdale in Sonoma County last week drew nearly 5500 entries from throughout North America, reaffirming its standing as the largest wine competition in the United States.

On the fourth and final day, 55 wines – one percent of the original field – were up for sweepstakes consideration, when the best wines in five divisions – sparkling, white, rosé, red, specialty – are chosen.

Those 55 wines offer an intriguing snapshot of the North American wine scene a quarter of the way through the 21^st century.

For one, the American wine culture is much more diverse than popular sales indicate. There are many more quality varietal wines available than Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and Pinot Grigio, just among the whites. Classics like Gewurztraminer, Chenin Blanc and Riesling made it to the sweepstakes round. And look at those newcomers just being seated at the table – Gruner Veltliner, Picpoul Blanc, Verdelho. (Newcomers, that is, to the United States; they long have been at home in Europe.)

Not surprisingly, California continues to dominate the American wine trade. All seven wines to win the competition’s highest honors were Californian.

But look at the wines from elsewhere in the country that won best-of-class honors and then won taste-offs to determine which would be up for final consideration as the best – a Pinot Grigio from Michigan, a Picpoul Blanc from Texas, a Sauvignon Blanc from Virginia, a La Crescent (that’s a grape variety) from Minnesota, a Sangiovese from Washington state, a Cabernet Franc from Virginia, and so it goes.

One of the more compelling threads to develop from results at the Chronicle was the impact and stature of several relatively new grape varieties bred by scientists at the University of Minnesota to not only survive the Midwest’s fierce winters but to yield novel, flavorful, captivating wines. Those that won best-of-class honors included a honeyed La Crescent from Minnesota, an athletic Frontenac Gris from Ohio, a pungent and swaggering Marquette from Minnesota, and a sweet and fruity Itasca from Wisconsin.

California still produces 80 percent of the nation’s wines, and varietal wines like Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay still dominate sales, but no matter where you travel across the nation these days you will find wines of exceptional clarity, vitality, and transparency.

At any rate, the top wines at the 2025 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition were:

Best Sparkling Wine:

Domaine Chandon Blanc de Pinot Noir ($26): This was the second straight year for Domaine Chandon’s Blanc de Pinot Noir to be anointed top sparkling wine. Credit its profile and thrust, as sleek and throaty as a Lamborghini. It is dry and crisp, with a lacy curtain of beads, biting citric fruit, firm acidity and trailing suggestions of gunflint and fir. The wine is largely Pinot Noir, but it also includes a generous portion of Pinot Meunier (16 percent). While generally unheralded Pinot Meunier plays a significant role in refined sparklers, only rarely is it given this much responsibility. The combination clearly works for the benefit of wine consumers.

 

Best Rosé Wine:

Eberle 2024 Paso Robles Cotes-du-Robles Grenache Rosé ($34): One of the younger wines at the 2025 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, the Eberle nonetheless possesses maturity, balance and clout, filling the mouth with flamboyant suggestions of pomegranate, watermelon, orange rind, and raspberries, all accented with minerality and zesty acidity. It has the cockiness to be perfectly at home with tamales of carnitas and green chile peppers, seeds and veins removed.

Best White Wine (tie):

Las Positas 2023 Livermore Valley Estate Reserve Albarino ($52): Livermore’s reputation for producing white wines of character, structure and transparency is reaffirmed by the citric fruit, chiseled build and zippy acidity of the Las Positas Albarino, whose steely dryness makes the wine a perfect match with raw oysters.

Sattui Winery 2023 Napa Valley Mount Veeder Dry Riesling ($34): For its command, drive, and focus – to say nothing of its welcome suggestion of petrol – here is a California Riesling that would be more at home on Germany’s autobahn than Napa Valley’s Highway 29. A cluster of peaches could be this vehicle’s grille emblem. No one is going to suggest that farmers on Mount Veeder start to tear out grapes for which it is better known – Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah – and replace them with Riesling, but given the joy of this take, a few more acres might not be a bad idea.

Best Red Wine (tie):

Val du Vino Winery 2022 Calaveras County Barbera ($46): California’s Sierra Foothills are identified most closely with Zinfandel, though Syrah, Grenache and most notably Barbera are challenging Zinfandel’s standing as the region’s signature wine. That said, not much Barbera is grown in Calaveras County near the southern reaches of the foothills. That could change following the showing of this Val du Vino Barbera at the competition. It stood out for the balance and clarity of the variety’s telltale juicy cherry and berry fruit, insinuation of just enough oak to provide flirting diversion, a winking flash of anise, bashful tannins, chirpy acidity, and thin thread of sweetness. Yes, a more-than-usually complex Barbera, fitting for all the textures and flavors of a classic BLT.

Rippey Family Vineyards 2023 Lodi Abba Vineyard Grenache ($34): Husky with oak and sunny with fresh fruit suggestive of strawberries and pomegranates, the Rippey would be a crowd pleaser from the moment the cork is pulled for its exuberance, tenacity, and flexibility at the table. Think of pairing it with an Alice Waters pizza that includes onion confit and walnuts, it has the fruit, energy, structure, and acidity to go with all that.

Best Specialty Wine:

Castello di Amorosa 2023 Mendocino County Anderson Valley Late Harvest Gewurztraminer ($49): As rich, sweet, and concentrated as this late-harvest Gewurztraminer may be, it streaks across the palate with vitality, thanks in large part to its high-pitched acidity. The fruit is all curling and flashing grapefruit, apple and lemon, concentrated to their essence by the “noble rot” botrytis cinerea.

As customarily happens at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, several entries from the greater Sacramento area performed well, winning best-of-class honors. Other than the two red-wine sweepstakes winners above, other best-of-class wines from the region included:

Sparkling Rosé: Twin Rocks 2023 Sierra Foothills Sparkling Rosé ($45): California’s Sierra Foothills are recognized for red wines of heft and muscle, and those same attributes are seized in this earthy, fleshy, and exceptionally fruity sparkling rosé, made solely with Grenache, an increasingly prominent player in California’s Gold Country. It is cast in a fetching orange-tinged pink and is startling in its suggestions of strawberries dusted with cinnamon and nutmeg.

Sauvignon Blancs $20 to $24.99: La Mesa 2024 Amador County Sauvignon Blanc ($21): Sauvignon Blanc at its best should be charming, energetic, and versatile at the table, and the La Mesa is all that. It stood out from its 34 competitors in the class for its persistent finish. Sauvignon Blancs just do not commonly last on the palate this long; think of a champion trampoline artist who continues to bounce and bounce and bounce. Off the trampoline, it has the verve and acidity to go head-to-head with chicken enchiladas finished with salsa verde.

Chardonnays $35 to $37.99: Jeff Runquist 2023 Napa Valley Los Carneros Sisters Vineyard Chardonnay ($37): With its strut and sass, this Jeff Runquist take on cool-climate Chardonnay out of the Carneros district is the equivalent of a Reyn Spooner Hawaiian shirt designed to highlight all the color and variety of tropical fruit – splashes of guava, mango, pineapple, lychee and the like abound from collar to tail. The fit is perfect – dry, balanced, and refreshing with somersaulting acidity.

Viognier up to $26.99: Seka Hills 2023 California Capay Valley Viognier ($24): Capay Valley’s early winemaking history was marked by grand ambition followed by abrupt disappointment, but maybe that’s because its pioneers didn’t plant Viognier, which has evolved into the focused and frisky signature wine of the appellation. With its fresh suggestions of honeysuckle and peaches, its spicy mid-palate, its punctuating acidity, and its long, long, long finish, the Seka Hills points to a more successful future for the far-flung and isolated Capay Valley.

Chenin Blanc: Silt Wine Company 2023 Clarksburg Wilson Vineyard Utter Ranch Chenin Blanc ($32): If anyone ever nominates Chenin Blanc to be California’s official state white wine, lobbyists on its behalf should load legislators onto a caravan of buses and take them to Clarksburg just south of Sacramento for a tasting in the setting where the grape shines. After they tasted this unusually fragrant, clear, dry, and long take on the varietal, the vote in its favor would be unanimous.

Other White Varietals: Lewis Grace 2024 Lodi Alta Mesa Torrontes ($27): Torrontes can be a peculiar wine, putting off some people with its frequent soapiness. That won’t be an issue with the Lewis Grace, which captures the variety’s enticing floral aromatics and sweet fruit with vigor and persistence. No suds in this wine, but there sure is a patch of assorted heritage melons.

Dry Rosés $25.99 and Above: Acquiesce 2023 Lodi Mokelumne River Estate Grenache Rosé ($34.50): With this laser beam of strawberry and raspberry fruit draped on a wiry but sturdy frame, Susan Tipton and Christina Lopez of Acquiesce again show that Lodi can be counted on for pink wines of breezy acumen as much as it recognized for reds of muscle and force. The come-hither aroma beckons with an alluring if brief hint of earthiness that speaks to the depth and richness of the soils of the Mokelumne River district. Visit the Acquiesce website and you will find all sorts of recipes to accompany the wine, starting with the gazpacho of almonds, garlic, bread, olive oil and sherry vinegar.

Zinfandels up to $24.99: Macchia 2022 Lodi Old Vine “Ambiguous” Zinfandel ($22): Odd name, for there’s nothing about this wine that is “ambiguous” if you want to declare that Lodi old-vine Zinfandel is a treasure to preserve for this kind of flamboyant, frolicking and embracing berry fruit. It is juicy, fruity more than sweet, conservative in tannins, antic with acidity, and persevering in finish.

Primitivo: Vina Moda 2020 Stanislaus County Primitivo ($40): Husky yet balanced, the Vina Moda flies in the face of conventional wisdom that while the San Joaquin Valley does fine by everyday jug wines it cannot put out “fine” wines. By its embracingly fragrant aroma, berry juiciness, complicating suggestions of tobacco and tar, solid tannins, and abiding spiciness the Vina Moda is everything anyone would want when they are putting on the table a Moroccan-spiced leg of lamb, even if accompanied with a relish of preserved lemon. Vina Moda is in Murphys, Calaveras County.

Sangiovese up to $39.99: Lava Cap 2023 El Dorado County Sangiovese ($36): Svelte and acute, the Lava Cap Sangiovese comes about as close to Chianti Classico as anyone is apt to find in California. In addition to its angularity, it has many of the same characteristics that make Chianti Classico such an amiable companion at the dinner table – bright cherry fruit, a whippet spareness (all lean muscle, no fat), distant tannins, and edgy acidity. Bring on the gnocchi with pancetta and Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Touriga: Trevor Grace 2023 El Dorado Estate Touriga ($38): A zip line of a wine, soaring across a Sierra Foothill canyon with dazzling red fruit, a scream of minerality, and a blast of uplifting acidity. An echo of anise rings over the canyon. Tannins are left back on the launch pad. A platter of linguine tossed with olive oil, clams, and bacon better be waiting at the landing port.

Petite Sirah up to $35.99: Macchia 2022 California Petite Sirah ($26): A Petite Sirah of unusual pep, evoking visions of a refreshing cherry cola, spiced up with dashes of pepper. It is deeply colored, but not at all foreboding, its tannins in retreat, its alcohol tempered, though high (15.1 percent).

Merlot up to $24.99: Tanist 2021 Sierra Foothills Indian Springs Merlot ($24): Juicy fruit and a firm oak backbone add up to a party-friendly Merlot, accessible and sweet enough to be enjoyed on its own at tailgate party but also with the structure and power to accompany a black-bean and sweet-potato burrito.

Cabernet Sauvignon up to $16.99: Collier Creek 2022 Lodi “Big Rooster” Cabernet Sauvignon ($12): In addition to its best-of-class at the 2025 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, this “Big Rooster” has a lot to crow about – sweet fresh fruit, supple tannins, and an enduring balance that makes it fitting for tailgate parties with nachos and hot dogs on the menu.

Cabernet Franc up to $34.99: Tanist 2022 Sierra Foothills Indian Springs Vineyard Cabernet Franc ($24): In Scottish lore, the tanist was the heir apparent, entrusted with extending the family legacy by embracing risk and adventure. In California lore, that would be the Bogle family in the Sacramento/San Joaquin River Delta. Their winemaking chops were earned by tackling the uncertain (Chenin Blanc, Petite Sirah) and then delivering the results with consistent quality at high-value pricing. Tanist is one of their newer labels, Cabernet Franc one of their newer adventures. It is a Cabernet Franc confident and striding, delivering with alacrity cheery suggestions of juicy red-fleshed plums, plump blueberries, and tiny wild strawberries. Tannins are shy, acid is pointed, the structure limber. Roasted Cornish game hens not too heavy with Thai spices would be a fitting complement.

Tannat: Starfield 2022 El Dorado Estate Tannat ($50): Tannat has a reputation for being brooding and rigid, but more and more examples are being turned out that run counter to that intimidating perspective. At the 2025 San Francisco Chronicle wine competition, the Starfield led the pack in shattering earlier perceptions by being a Tannat possessed of agility and decorum, its graceful berry fruit interwoven with beguiling suggestions of licorice and bacon.

Tempranillo $40 and Above: Sunce 2022 Sierra Foothills Saureel Vineyard Gold Hill Tempranillo ($45): Where is Tempranillo’s Mother Lode? Must be California’s Sierra Foothills. Out of 103 Tempranillos in the 2025 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, both best-of-class champions were from the central Mother Lode, including this fragrant, toasty, and leathery Sunce out of El Dorado County.

Tempranillo up to $39.99: Jeff Runquist 2022 Amador County Shake Ridge Ranch Tempranillo ($37): Ann Kraemer’s Shake Ridge Ranch is high in the Sierra foothills of Amador County, a veritable golf course of vineyard greens surrounded by pine, oak, and manzanita. It is a shrubby, woodsy, rocky terrain seized in the wine’s dark glistening color, oaky framework, and deep, resonating cherry/berry fruit. The wine may not be on the list of the Berkeley restaurant Chez Panisse, whose calzone of prosciutto, goat cheese and assorted herbs would be a joyous fit, so make it at home and settle in for a happy romp in the Mother Lode.

Syrah-leading Red blend up to $35.99: Michael David Winery Freakshow 2022 Lodi The Untamed and Refined Red Wine ($20): Not at all as intimidating as its label, promotional material and blend suggests – Syrah, Petite Sirah, Souzao, Tannat – this Freakshow red is more refined than untamed, riveting with raspberry fruit, a fine dusting of peppery spice, and gently receding tannins. High in alcohol (15 percent), but neither hot nor sweet on the palate, its freshness, audacity, and lilting balance would be at home with pork chile verde.

All Other Red Blends up to $34.99: Bella Grace Vineyards 2020 Amador County Montagnaro ($30): A blend of equal parts Zinfandel and Barbera, Montagnaro draws upon the berry fruit of the former and the crisp acid of the latter to provide the table with a steady, zesty red-fruit wine splendid for accompanying a long-simmered Irish stew.

All Other Red Blends $35 and Above: Amador Cellars 2019 Amador County Shenandoah Valley Miscela Italiana Family Reserve ($30): Nearly all of Amador County’s rambunctious Italian family – Primitivo, Aglianico, Barbera, Teroldego – is gathered joyfully in this tightly knit aria that sings reflectively of dusty granite soil, cooling summer evenings, and a gathering of pals under an oak circulating a platter of smoked pancetta as they pour one more glass.

Port up to $35.99: New Clairvaux Vineyard California Vina Vino Dolce ($27): A blueberry and boysenberry buckle baked by a loving grandmother who knows that if you fortified it up to 19.9 percent alcohol her guests would be delighted even if it was served without a scoop of vanilla ice cream. For the record, the wine was made with Petite Sirah and Syrah at Gov. Leland Stanford’s old spread in Tehama County at the northern reaches of California’s Sacramento Valley.