February 10th – Reustle – Prayer Rock Vineyards has won the coveted White Sweepstake Winner (Best white wine) at the 2023 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition for their 2021 Grüner Veltliner – Green Lizard. With over sixty judges, representing various North American wine regions, and evaluating 5,500 wines from nearly 1,000 wineries, the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition is the largest wine competition in North America.
Longtime wine writer and judge for the Best of Class wines for the Chronicle, Mike Dunnes, said of the 2021 Green Lizard, “Reustle Prayer Rock is the first winery to plant and release Grüner Veltliner in the United States (the grape is most closely identified with Austria). While other growers and winemakers have followed its lead, Reustle – Prayer Rock still pretty much owns the field when it comes to takes that are dry, lean, pleasingly if delicately fruity, and accented with several dashes of the white pepper for which the variety is celebrated. It is just what you want to pour with a lightly seasoned cauliflower salad.”
In addition to the White Sweepstake win, Reustle – Prayer Rock Vineyards also scored Gold for their 2021 Pinot Noir Winemaker’s Reserve, 2021 Grüner Veltliner Estate Selection, & 2021 Syrah Estate Selection.
Three-time Winery of the Year recipient, (Dan Berger International Wine Competition’s 2020 Small Winery of the Year, Winepress NW’s 2017 Pacific Northwest Winery of the Year, and Riverside International Wine Competition’s 2010 Small Winery of the Year) as well as 2015 Six Nations Wine Challenge Top Syrah producer, and Riverside International Wine Competition’s 2015 Terroir Award Recipient, Reustle-Prayer Rock Vineyards is 100% estate grown and produced from 40 acres of steep, hillside vineyards in Southern Oregon’s Umpqua Valley. Family-owned and operated since 2001, Reustle – Prayer Rock Vineyards produces approximately 7,500 cases annually.
