If the results of this year’s 2024 San Francisco Chronicle Wine competition are any indicator, the Bay Area’s award-winning wine scene is continuing to expand beyond the well-known viticulture powerhouses of the Napa and Sonoma valleys.
Livermore Valley wineries alone took home 201 awards in this year’s competition, including a white wine sweepstakes win, plus five best of class, double gold, gold, silver and bronze awards.
“We’re honored to have our wines recognized by such a prominent industry competition and hope that this only continues to draw wine lovers from the Bay Area and beyond to come visit and taste our award-winning wines,” said Brandi Lombardi, executive director of the region’s winery and winegrowers trade association, the Livermore Valley Wine Community.
Las Positas Vineyards won the white wine sweepstakes award for its 2023 Verdelho ($42), while the following Livermore wines were selected as best of class:
- Almost Famous Wine Company’s 2021 San Francisco Bay Cabernet Franc (cab franc, up to $34.99 category)
- Darcie Kent Vineyards’ 2022 Livermore Valley Chardonnay (chardonnay, $28 to $31.99 category)
- Darcie Kent Vineyards’ 2021 Livermore Valley Petit Verdot (petit verdot, up to $45.99 category)
- Wine Without Borders’ 2022 Livermore Valley Primitivo (primitivo category, $24)
- Rubino Estates Winery’s 2020 Livermore Valley Cab Sauvignon (cab sauv, $31 to $35.99 category)
Additional best of class wines from the East Bay and South Bay include:
- Soquel Vineyards’ 2022 Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir (pinot noir, $29-$34.99 category)
- Soquel Vineyards’ 2022 Santa Cruz Mountains Nebbiolo (nebbiolo category)
- Mission Peak Wine’s 2021 San Francisco Bay Pinot Noir (pinot noir, $40-$46.99 category)
- Cinnabar Vineyards & Winery’s 2021 Mercury Rising (cabernet-leading red blend, up to $29.99 category)
- Delacy Wines’ 2021 Adeline (petite sirah-leading red blend)
The San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition began in 1983 as the Cloverdale Citrus Fair Wine Competition and has expanded over the years to include more competitors and entries. This year, there were 5,500 entries from more than 1,000 wineries around North America, according to a competition spokesperson.
Find the full list of winners here.