These SLO County wineries won top awards at CA State Fair. Did your favorite win?
More than a dozen wineries in northern San Luis Obispo County placed gold in the California State Fair’s Commercial Wine Competition this year — with one even being crowned the best in the state out of 1,400 entries.
The announcement of North County wineries’ big wins were timed perfectly with the declaration of May as Wine Month, a celebration designated by the Paso Robles City Council at its meeting Tuesday.
Of the 15 SLO County winners, North County’s Eberle Winery took home double gold with its cabernet sauvignon, also winning Best of Region; Red and Best of California.
According to its website, Eberle Winery is a family-owned producer and marketer located at 3810 Highway 46 in Paso Robles. It released its award-winning cabernet sauvignon in 1979 featuring a boar logo — “Eberle” being German for small boar.
The estate also took gold in multiple categories including Muscat with its muscat canelli, Viognier and Rhone Red Varietal Blends with its Cotes du Robles.
Still Waters Vineyards of the El Pomar District, just outside of Paso Robles and Templeton, also took gold in the Bordeaux Red Varietal Blends category with its Clone 3 cuvée and red blend.
Still Waters’ Clone 3 cuvée is known for its balance, depth and expression of Paso Robles, the release said. The family operated vineyard has a hands-off philosophy that prioritizes the natural character of its estate-grown fruit.
“We’ve been doing this for more than a quarter of a century, and gold medals never get old,” owner Paul Hoover said in the release. “We have chosen to never distribute wine because we like to let the grapes dictate the wine. We don’t like additives or changing what happens naturally in the vineyard.”
Eberle Winery and Still Water Vineyards are just two of the 15 winners throughout SLO County. Other awards include:
Double Gold awards
- Eberle Winery, Paso Robles; Cabernet Sauvignon
- Opaque Wines, Paso Robles; Malbec and Other Red Varietal Blends
- San Simeon Wine, Paso Robles; Syrah/Shiraz
- Victor Hugo Winery, Templeton; Zinfandel
Gold awards
- Brecon Estate, San Luis Obispo; Albarino
- Serial Wines, Paso Robles; Cabernet Sauvignon
- J. Lohr Vinyards & Wines, Paso Robles; Bordeaux Red Varietal Blends and Cabernet Sauvignon
- South Ridge, Paso Robles; Syrah/ Shiraz
- Alma Sol Winery, Paso Robles; Micro Winery Red Wines
- Le Vigne Winery, Paso Robles; Sauvignon Blanc and Varietal Rose or Blush
- Le Vigne Winery, Paso Robles; Bordeaux Red Varietal Blends
- Eberle Winery, Paso Robles; Muscat, Viognier; Dry; Rhone Red Varietal Blends
- Jeff Runquist Wines, Paso Robles Other Red Varietals
- Cinquain Cellars, Paso Robles; Micro Winery Red Wines
- Hoyt Family Vineyards, Paso Robles; Micro Winery Red Wines
- San Simeon Wine, Paso Robles; Viognier; Dry and Cabernet Sauvignon
- Shale Oak Winery, Paso Robles; Other Red Varietals
- Victor Hugo Winery, Templeton; Bordeaux Red Varietal Blends and Merlot
- Still Waters Vineyard, El Pomar District; Bordeaux Red Varietal Blends
The California State Fair’s Commercial Wine Competition is the oldest wine contest in the country, its website said.
Dating back to 1854, the competition only judges wine made with fruit grown and produced in the eleven growing regions across the state.
To learn more visit castatefair.com/california-commercial-wine.
