MENDOCINO CO. 8/29/25 — The county’s best wines were set out on long tables wrapped around the outer edges of the Bliss Room at Mendocino County’s People’s Choice Wine Competition on Saturday, August 16, at Brutocao Cellars in downtown Hopland.
With whites bathed in ice and reds kept at room temperature, there were 121 wine entries across 35 labels in 14 categories of reds, whites, and rosés as well as sparkling, blended and dessert wines.
After some 44 years of county wine competitions, this year’s event was the first time for a two-in-one with both the people’s choice and professional judges sampling the wines.
“It’s more inclusive this way and allows people to have the opportunity to see if their palates align with the professionals,” said Diego Mendoza, Mendocino Winegrowers, Inc.’s newly installed executive director.
Although not strictly necessary, the competition was double blind, the gold standard in professional wine tasting, with the bottles fully covered so that neither tasters nor pourers were aware of the identity of the wines.
In addition to the nine industry judges, who came from near and far, there were about 85 attendees, including members of the press, creating a cozy atmosphere with a warm buzz.
Judges represented a full spectrum of industry knowledge including winemakers, buyers and sellers, a master sommelier, a wine journalist and representation from a wine tourism company.
Tasters were given 15 minutes at each table — with samples ranging from 4-16 bottles for each category — and three-minute breaks in between to cleanse their palates at a charcuterie table provided by Bonterra Organic Estates.
With only ten rounds of tasting, no one was able to taste all of the wines.
Traditionally, tasting begins with whites moving on through rosés to the heavier reds, and tasters were encouraged to assess for appearance, nose (aroma), palate (taste) and overall impression. After sampling and swishing, the wine could be expelled into an individual cup — essential to maintaining sobriety and objectivity during tasting — and then poured into a spittoon at each table.
(I tasted, swished and expelled through only four rounds but, at the end, sipped, savored and swallowed the delicious dessert wines, held in abeyance to be poured at the very end of the day.)
Ballots were supplied to jot down impressions and record votes on best of class in each category, as well as gold and silver award recommendations.
“People need to feel that wine is for everyone — the industry needs that right now — and I’m excited to introduce more people to wine, especially to folks who think they can’t afford it. Hey, this $8 bottle of wine is affordable and delicious and you can also partake in this beautiful experience,” said Mendoza.
“The magic here in Mendocino is that there are a lot of farmers, legacy families, who create quality wine that is incredibly accessible. For me, personally, being able to notice all the subtleness in aromas and flavors is a form of meditation; it really forces me to be present. That’s magical, almost like art,” he says.
Following the event, a Mendocino Wine Reception and Mixer, sponsored by the Greater Ukiah Business and Tourism Alliance, was held at the California Welcome Center at the Conference Center in downtown Ukiah on Tuesday, Aug. 26, for attendees to sample the winning wines from both the judges’ and people’s choice ballots.
Barra of Mendocino Organic Wines stood out for being awarded best of class and double gold by both industry judges and people’s choice for their 2023 Girasole Vineyards Pinot Noir, as well as best in class and double gold by industry judges and gold by people’s choice for their 2023 Reserve Chardonnay. With 16 pinot noirs and 10 chardonnays, these categories were highly competitive and highly visible.
Standing behind a small table with her award-winning wines, Martha Barra said, “I’m so pleased to see our winemaking skills and beautiful fruit come through in these wine tastings; this is all recognized when people are able to really taste a well-balanced wine.
“What’s important to me when tasting wine is that it be true to the varietal, that it tastes like a chardonnay or a pinot noir; that it has good mouthfeel; and that it’s very balanced — not overly tannic, not overly sweet and not overly oaked. We’re very careful about not overly oaking our wines.”
Elizabeth Archer, Mendocino Winegrowers’ board president and principal planner of the competition noted, “Given that Mendocino County is a world-class pinot noir producing region, it’s fun that an inland county pinot noir, with a highly accessible price point, won, showing that this wine — made with organic grapes — can be well made, as well as affordable.”
Greg Graziano, also in attendance at the reception, was pouring some of his award winning wines.
“My family has been growing grapes since 1918 in the county, and I’ve been making wine for 49 years, the longest reigning winemaker here. I drink wine from all over the world, and Mendocino County makes some of the best, by far.” Additionally, Rustic Ridge 2023 Zinfandel and Husch Vineyards 2024 Late Harvest Gewürztraminer dessert wines won best of class and double gold from both the industry judges and people’s choice.
“It’s a testament to the whole county that is producing world-class grapes,” said Archer.
“There is a consumer for every wine; not one wine in the competition didn’t get at least one gold vote. That speaks to the wonderful diversity of the palate; there’s something for everybody.
“Although Mendocino County is currently Wine Enthusiast’s American Wine Region of the Year, the county is, you know, a hidden gem…and we’d like it to be a little less hidden.
“Wineries are an economic driver, and we bring in a lot of tourism to the county; events like this help promote the wines we make, raise our profile and spread awareness.”
The list of winners of the 2025 Mendocino County Wine Competition can be found on mendowine.com.