Texas and Temecula Labels Awarded Top Honors including Best White Wine, Best of Class, and Multiple Gold Medals
April 23, 2025 (IRVINE, Calif.) – South Coast Winery and Carter Creek Winery, both owned by the Carter family, earned top honors at the 90th anniversary of the Los Angeles International Wine Competition (LAIWC), held April 1–3 in Los Angeles.
Among hundreds of entries from more than 20 countries, Carter Creek Winery was awarded Best White Wine, Best of Class for its 97-point Chenin Blanc, Texas High Plains 2023, noted for its floral and melon aromas and a rich, elegant finish. The winery also earned Best of Class, Gold Medal for its 94-point Primitivo, Texas High Plains 2023, a bold red wine featuring ripe berry and plum flavors with velvety tannins and a smooth, lingering finish.
In total, Carter Creek Winery earned six prestigious medals at the competition, which has served as a benchmark of wine excellence since 1935 and is considered one of the most respected wine judging events in the country. Additional awards for Carter Creek included:
- Gold Medal – Roussanne, Texas High Plains 2023, offering a lemony aroma with hints of green pear, graham cracker and jasmine green tea
- Gold Medal – Sparkling Tempranillo Rosé, Texas High Plains, a fresh and light sparkling wine with summer berry nuances and floral notes
- Silver Medals – Rhone Blend, Maverick 2018; Sparkling Brut
South Coast Winery also made a standout showing with 23 winning wines, including:
- Best of Class, Gold Medal (96 points) for Sparkling Pinot Grigio, Temecula Valley, a Brut Extra Dry with pear and apple nuances.
- Best of Class, Gold Medal (96 points) for Vineyard Rosé, Temecula Valley 2024, a crisp, dry wine with summer berry fruit and floral aromatics.
- Best of Class, Gold Medal (96 points) for Tempranillo, Wild Horse Peak 2021, featuring subtle woody herbs and delicate French oak undertones.
Additional Gold Medal winners from South Coast included:
- Red Blend, Petit Sirah–Syrah, Wild Horse Peak 2021, a hearty red with expressive tannins and bold flavors of plum and blackberry.
- Brut, Temecula Valley, a full-bodied, crisp sparkling wine made from Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc and Chardonnay.
- Viognier, Temecula Valley 2023, a stone fruit-forward white with a rich, velvety finish.
South Coast Winery also received 15 Silver Medals for standout wines from its Temecula Valley and Wild Horse Peak estates, along with two Bronze Medals.
Presented by Fairplex, the LAIWC is one of the most respected wine judging events in the United States. Since 1935, the competition has honored winemaking excellence through a rigorous blind tasting format, judged by a panel of 42 esteemed buyers, sommeliers, winemakers and Masters of Wine. Winners benefit from high-profile exposure and promotional opportunities throughout the year.
“These 2025 Los Angeles International Wine Competition honors represent our strongest showing to date,” said Jeff Carter, president of family-owned Carter Hospitality. “We’re incredibly proud of our winemaking teams at Carter Creek and South Coast, led by master winemaker Jon McPherson, and grateful to the LAIWC for its continued leadership in recognizing excellence in the industry. It’s especially rewarding to see both our Temecula and Texas Hill Country wineries achieve such outstanding results.”
Gold medal-winning wineries will be invited to pour at the Cheers Wine, Spirits & Beer Festival on June 21 at the L.A. Fairplex. The event is open to the public.
About Carter Creek Winery Resort & Spa
Carter Creek Winery Resort & Spa is a luxury retreat in the heart of Texas Hill Country in
Johnson City, Texas. Set amidst rolling hills and vineyards, it features 78 luxury villas, two
tasting rooms, an outdoor pavilion hosting live music, Old 290 Brewery & Restaurant, a 24-hour fitness center, a spa, a heated seasonal outdoor pool and 16,000 square feet of flexible meeting and event space. It is an award-winning winery offering some of the region’s top varietals, and it’s the only winery in the region with an onsite microbrewery serving craft beer. More information is available at www.cartercreek.com, Facebook and Instagram.
About South Coast Winery Resort & Spa
The only state winery to claim the title of California Winery of the Year five times at the California State Fair Wine Competition, South Coast Winery sets the gold standard for excellence amongst California wineries, earning more than 3,000 awards since its inception in 2003. Situated on 63 lush acres, South Coast Winery Resort & Spa offers a breathtaking retreat for wine tours, romantic getaways and group events with 132 rooms and villas, a working winery and tasting room, gift shop, full-service spa and restaurant.
South Coast Winery is family-owned and offers a broad portfolio of 45 wine labels, the majority of which are available for sampling in its main tasting room – from robust reds such as Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Petit Syrah, Merlot and Pinot Noir to whites including Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay and Riesling. Also available are sparkling wines, dessert wines and other specialty offerings. The winery employs a staff of skilled winemakers, including master winemaker Jon McPherson and winemaker Javier Flores, both with decades of experience in the wine industry. For more information, visit www.southcoastwinery.com.
About Carter Hospitality Group
Established in 2011, Carter Hospitality Group, LLC. is a family-owned hospitality company with four hotels and resorts as well as three wineries across the United States. Based in Orange County, California, the company manages and owns a portfolio of luxury properties including South Coast Winery Resort & Spa, Temecula, California; Carter Estate Winery and Resort, Temecula California; and Carter Creek Winery Resort & Spa, Texas Hill Country. Carter Hospitality Group additionally serves as the owner-franchisee for Red Lion Hotel Orlando Lake Buena Vista South, Orlando Florida. For more information, visit www.carterhospitality.com.
