North Coast Wine Challenge

North Coast AVAs including Lake, Mendocino, Napa, Sonoma, Marin and parts of Solano County.

Judging

April 1st & 2nd

2025

Entry Deadline
March 21st

Early Bird End
March 7th

Enter Here

Shipping Label Here

North Coast Wine & Food Festival
Date to be announced soon!

2. Only Gold Medals +

Are Published

This is a marketing advantage that other competitions don't offer. We promote ONLY the highest awarded-wines (golds and above), keeping your win exceptional and exclusive.

Achieving top honors carries high prestige and offers a valuable USP for increased retail sales. Golds are converted into a point score above 90 and all 90+ point wines will get a marketable positive comment from the judging panel. Small wineries can truly benefit from a gold medal in this contest.

5 REASONS TO ENTER

1. Exclusivity

This is a regional competition that ONLY rates wines exclusively produced and bottled in Northern California's premier winegrowing region to determine which wines are considered the Best of the Best. Eligibility includes wines made in these California North Coast AVAs:

Lake County
Mendocino County
Napa County
Sonoma County
Marin County
Solano County

This includes any bottled wine labeled with these AVAs as their main source of grapes and whose winery is in California.

5 REASONS

that benefit you to enter

4. Multi-Channel Promotion

Public announcement of awards is made in print by The Press Democrat, the North Bay Area's primary source for news and information. Additional on-going promotion is made in award-winning Spirited trade magazine and other print publications, online, by virtual newsletters and through social media outlets.

5. Public Tasting

Gold medal-winners are invited to pour and have their wines enjoyed at the North Coast Wine & Food Festival annually organized and hosted by The Press Democrat. This is a fun-filled day enjoyed by wine enthusiasts near and far who look forward to tasting the Best of the Best wines Northern California has to offer.

3. Judges with Influence

The best wines draw the best professional wine judges who annually vie for a coveted spot to judge here. Many are seasoned retailers, distributors, restaurateurs and wine writers with influence. They know how to promote the wines they enjoy and can help give your wine increased exposure.

2024's
Best of the Best

2024 Best of Class and above

2023 Best of Class and above

2022 Best of Class and above

2021 Best of Class and above

2021 La Storia Cuvée 32
Trentadue Winery
Italian Red Blend
Alexander Valley
2021

BEST OF THE BEST
Best of Show Red
Best of Sonoma County
99 Points

Alumni Judges

Daryl Groom - Chief Wine Judge	Debra DelFiorentino Competition Director	In Honor of ill Hayes Wine Category Manager, BevMo! \| US West Coast	Alexandria Sarovich Executive Wine Director Little Saint Healdsburg	Barry Herbst Wine Director, Bottle Barn Liquors
Christopher Sawyer Wine writer and "Sommelier to the Stars"	Dan Berger Wine Journalist	Heidi Barrett Winemaker, Barrett & Barrett Wines \| Napa Valley, CA	Debbie Zachereas Wine Expert, International Wine Judge	Jennifer Kelly President, Sales and Marketing Luxury Wine Partners
Jesse Katz Winemaker, Aperture and Devil Vineyards	Kerry Damskey Winemaker, Consultant, Owner- Ter-ior Artisan Wines	Larry Van Aalst Radio Host of "The Sonoma Wine Report", Sommelier, Equus Restaurant	Lee Morse Assistant Winemaker Flowers Winery	Nick Goldschmidt Winemaker and Consultant, Goldschmidt Vineyards
Mick Schroeter Winemaking Director, Sonoma-Cutrer	Dr. Elizabeth "Liz" Thach, MW, Professor of Wine, Professor of Management, Author,	Elsie Wolfe Contributor, Connect The Dots Collective \| Napa, CA	Peg Melnik Wine Critic & Wine Writer & Wine Educator	Wine & Spirits Broadcast Journalist, Educator, Consultant, Writer
Tim Bell Director of Winemaking, Dry Creek Vineyard	Traci Dutton Sommelier, Manager - Public Beverages/Wine Studies, CIA	Amanda Johnson Food and Beverage Manager at the Fountaingrove Club	Laura Sanfilippo - Certified Sommelier, Wine Buyer and Owner of Lo & Behold Bar + Kitchen in Healdsburg, CA	Michael Beaulac Director of Winemaking, , Foley Family Wines
Kris Ronald Anderson Wine Buyer Wilibees Wines & Spirits	Wine Writer / Press Democrat	Ellen Landis CS, CSW	Chris Munsell Director of Winemaking, E. & J. Gallo Winery	Anthony Viloria Hospitality & Beverage Director Stark Reality Restaurants
Miro Tcholakov Winemaker, proprietor, salesman, cellar rat - Miro Cellars & Trentadue Winery	Paul Coker Director of Beverage Montage Resort Healdsburg.	Co-owner Palmerir \| Napa, CA. / Wine Consultant	Elliot Herrod Maitre'D and sommelier at Troubadour’s prix fixe meal, Le Dîner.	Harry Bryan General Manager at Valette restaurant \| Healdsburg, CA
Erik Olsen Chief Winemaker, Constellation Wines	Michael Jordan Director of Global Key Accounts at Jackson Family Wines	Kimberly Noelle Charles, DipWSET President & Founder, Charles Communications Associates San Francisco	Scot Covington Winemaker, Trione Vineyards and Winery, Geyserville, CA	Laura Ness Food and Wine Writer
Corey Beck Director of Winemaking, Francis Ford Coppola Winery	Spreti Valente Certified Sommelier - Wine Buyer - Professional Wine Judge, Consultant & Educator	Linda Murphy Contributing Writer, Sonoma Magazine	Hady Kahale Head of Wine Buying, Naked Wines US – Wine consultant and winemaker - Napa, CA	Philip Levesque Wine Consultant Oakville Grocery, Healdsburg
Bob Foster - Assistant Editor of the California Grapevine wine newsletter	Ross Reedy Winemaker, Truett Hurst & VML Winery \| Sonoma County, CA	Chelsea Barrett Winemaker \| Calistoga, CA	Leslie Sbrocco Author, TV Host, Consultant, Wine Lover	Erin Miller Wine Director - Dry Creek Kitchen - Head of Best of Award of Excellence Wine List - Wine Spectator -
Randy Ullom Winemaster, Kendall Jackson	Wilfred Wong, Chief Storyteller, Wine.com	Greg Urmini	Jon McCarthy WINE + BEVERAGE DIRECTOR	Jasper Russo Director of Wine Education, Sales & Marketing, Sigel's Fine Wines and Great Spirits
Bekah Schloss Wine Wall Supervisor, The Matheson	Pedra Polakovicova Beverage Manager-Sommelier - Montage Healdsburg	Fred Dame Master Sommelier & VP of Prestige Accounts, American Wine & Spirits

ALUMNI ASSOCIATE JUDGES

The Press Democrat North Coast Wine Challenge strives to be an educational platform for young wine industry professionals growing in their careers. Associate Judges are nominated by their peers and attend the judging process,

each assigned a panel with our highly experienced wine judges. They get to learn and network with winemakers,

sommeliers, media people and other seasoned wine industry professionals.