Vintners from Near and Far Score Big,
Bold Spirits Take Top Honors at 2026 Competition San Diego (Feb 14, 2026) -- The 2026 San Diego International Wine & Spirits Challenge held its 44th meeting in San Diego at the end of January. Once again it was a celebration of the best that the beverage world has to offer. Here's a look at this year's top performers... 
Last year a San Diego winery took our Domestic Winery of the Year award for the first time in our history, and in 2026, ,that same winery follows up with another top accolade. Monserate Vineyards and Winery took the Domestic Wine of the Year prize for their 2023 Negroamaro, a southern Italian variety that has found a more than suitable home on their estate in the San Luis Rey AVA. Judges were wowed by the aromatic intensity of the wine and found it hard to believe that it was a domestic example. Paso Robles' Shale Oak Winery took Domestic Winery of the Year honors with an all Gold Medal or higher set of wines. Wakefield (known as Taylors in its Australian homeland) was named Import Winery of the Year -- a three year run! The Import Wine of the Year prize went to the 2025 Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand for a beautifully balanced and regionally expressive offering. The Wine Company of the Year, Delicato Family Wines, showed off their value-driven lineup. On the spirits front, Weldon Mills of North Carolina took Brown Spirit of the Year accolades for the Weldon Mills Reserve Bourbon Whiskey, Barrel Proof, Batch 2 – a bold high-proof affair that is a true standout in its category. The White Spirit of the Year award went to Coit Spirits Cape Gin, which gave a nod to South Africa with its Rooibos Tea acccented gin. The Distillery of the Year honor was nabbed by Nearest Green Distillery thanks to a stunning set from their Uncle Nearest line. Other top performers include the XO and VSOP Cognacs from Courvoisier and IZO Spirits Mezcal Joven Cenizo. Consumers - you’ll find complete results for wine and spirits, as well as full reviews of all of our platinum winners, by clicking here. Special thanks to all of our entrants. The high quality of your products makes our workload light, and we look forward to showcasing your best again in 2027 at the 45th annual San Diego International Wine & Spirits Challenge. Cheers! Rich Cook, Competition Director +1 760-522-3167 SDWineCompetition@yahoo.com |
