January 21, 2026 (Rolling Hills, CA) — Castle Rock Winery has been awarded Best of Class for its 2024 Central Coast Pinot Noir at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, the largest competition of North American wines.
In its 26th year, the competition evaluated more than 5,500 wines from 925 wineries, making a Best of Class distinction one of the most competitive honors in American wine.
In addition to the Best of Class award for Pinot Noir, Castle Rock Winery’s 2023 Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon was awarded a Double Gold Medal, highlighting the winery’s strength across multiple regions and varietals.
Both wines have also received strong critical acclaim, with the 2024 Central Coast Pinot Noir earning 90 points and the 2023 Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon receiving 91 points from James Suckling.
“This is an incredibly meaningful recognition for our entire portfolio,” said Greg Popovich, Founder and President of Castle Rock Winery. “Pinot Noir has always been at the heart of Castle Rock, and the Central Coast consistently delivers exceptional character and value. The fruit for this wine comes from vineyards that supply some of California’s most respected wineries — wines that often retail for three to four times the price — which makes this recognition especially gratifying.”
“These awards resonate strongly in today’s social media landscape,” said Adriana Popovich, Director of Social Media for Castle Rock Winery. “Consumers discover wine through recommendations, photos, and shared experiences, and recognition like this gives our community more confidence to engage with and share wines they already love.”
Sourced from select Central Coast vineyards, the 2024 Central Coast Pinot Noir reflects Castle Rock’s long-standing philosophy of delivering regionally expressive, high-quality wines at accessible prices, while the 2023 Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon showcases richness, balance, and classic structure emblematic of Washington State’s premier growing region.
Widely regarded as a benchmark event for U.S. wineries, the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition is known for its rigorous blind-tasting format and large, diverse judging panels comprised of top industry professionals.
Founded in 1994, Castle Rock Winery is a family-owned California winery with a national reputation for producing award-winning wines that consistently over-deliver on quality and value.
Cellared and bottled by Castle Rock Winery in Santa Rosa, California and available nationally.
For more information, visit castlerockwinery.com.
