TEMECULA, Calif. – South Coast Winery, owned by the Carter family, raised the gold standard at the 83rd anniversary of the Los Angeles International Wine Competition – winning two “Best of Class” gold medals, five other gold medals, eight silver medals and five bronze medals – stellar recognition for 20 of its wines. Sister winery Carter Estate Winery was also awarded three Silver Medals at the competition.
The 2022 Los Angeles International Wine Competition received 1,250 wines to judge, and the entrants showcase their finest domestic and international vintages through this prestigious wine event with judging taking place on March 9 to 10. Competing wines were produced in 19 countries, including: Argentina, Australia, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Portugal, Spain and the United States.
The public will have its first opportunity to taste and learn about the award-winning wines at The Learning Centers at Fairplex, which offers an extensive wine education program at the Los Angeles County Fair being held from May 5 to 30 and attended by approximately 1 million people each year and at CHEERS!, a June fundraising event to benefit the education programs of The Learning Center.
“We are extremely proud to have been recognized by a leading, 83-year-old wine institution, being judged by a team of highly trained wine professionals and compared to so many outstanding domestic and international producers,” said Jeff Carter, president of Carter Hospitality, which owns South Coast Winery and Carter Estate Winery. “And we are pleased the Los Angeles International Wine Competition gives wine enthusiasts the chance to taste winning wines at the famous Los Angeles County Fair and its CHEERS! educational event.”
Following are the 20 South Coast Winery winning wines from the Los Angeles International Wine Competition:
Best of Class Gold Medal: Sparkling, Gewurztraminer, Temecula Valley, 94 points
Best of Class Gold Medal: Port, Black Jack Port, South Coast, 94 points
Gold Medal: Grenache Blanc, Temecula Valley 2020, 93 points
Gold Medal: Sparkling Pinot Grigio, Temecula Valley 2020, 92 points
Gold Medal: Rhone Style Blend, 20th Anniversary, South Coast 2018, 92 points
Gold Medal: Riesling, Temecula Valley 2020, 91 points
Gold Medal: Sangiovese, South Coast 2017, 91 points
Silver Medal: Viognier, Temecula Valley 2019
Silver Medal: Red Blend, Big Red Table, South Coast
Silver Medal: Red Blend, South Coast 2017
Silver Medal: Pinot Blanc, “Sur Lie,” Temecula Valley 2020
Silver Medal: Verdelho, Temecula Valley 2020
Silver Medal: Sparkling Rosé, Vineyard Rose, Temecula Valley 2018
Silver Medal: Red Blend, Meritage South Coast 2017
Silver Medal: Red Blend, Tempranillo, Monastrell, South Coast 2015
Bronze Medal: Sparkling, Spumante Diamante, Temecula Valley
Bronze Medal: Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands 2019
Bronze Medal: Chardonnay, Sans Chene, South Coast 2019
Bronze Medal: Sauvignon Blanc, Musqué Clone, Temecula Valley 2019
Bronze Medal: Gewurztraminer, Temecula Valley 2019
The Carter family’s sister winery, Carter Estate Winery, in Temecula also earned citations for three of its wines at the 2022 Los Angeles International Wine Competition:
Silver Medal: Blanc de Blanc, South Coast 2015
Silver Medal: Blanc de Noir, South Coat 2015
Silver Medal: Brut, South Coast 2015
A list of all winners and additional information is available at https://fairplex.com/competitions/wine-competition.
About South Coast Winery
The only winery among the state’s top wineries to claim the title of California Winery of the Year four 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 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.
NYIWC Winners from CA in 2021
Tim said: “Whey vodka is silky smooth. It can be drunk neat, on its own or over ice. It’s also very versatile and can be used to make an exquisite 
The SFCWC is the largest competition in North America and over its 22 years has become one of the world’s most respected wine competitions. Its esteemed judges come from the worlds of winemaking, media, trade, education and restaurant/hospitality industries.
Davidson Reserve® is a big winner at the coveted 
The SIP Awards International Spirits Competition is committed to its core mission of bringing together informed, passionate consumers to experience rare and unique spirits and mixers from around the world. This year, cognizant of the ongoing global pandemic, SIP Awards reimagined spirits judging with their innovative at-home evaluation kits. With a record breaking 1,183 submissions, the 2021 evaluation was by far the most competitive for brands vying to secure coveted SIP Awards recognition and exposure.
The ACS Competition shines the spotlight on American cheesemakers by showcasing their talents and work as leaders within the industry, both for their excellent cheesemaking and commitment to food safety. Growing from just 89 entries 37 years ago, the ACS J&C welcomed cheeses and cultured dairy products from 257 companies in 2019, when it was last held in Richmond, Virginia. Competing entries represented 35 U.S. states, 4 Canadian provinces, Mexico, and Brazil. The ACS awarded a total of 433 awards including 139 gold medals, 143 silver medals and 151 bronze medals. The 2022 event is expected to receive 1500 entries in 120 categories.
The brand, which received an innovation award from SIP Awards for their Minted Mule offering, has also collected the following accolades within its first month on the market.
“It was so wonderful to have our chefs and attendees back together at The Sugar Mill this year,” said Aimee Brown, NOWFE Executive Director. “Our chefs presented dishes that proved to be outstanding and a diverse culinary representation of all that our City has to offer.”
From fellow judge and friend, Denise Lowe, Goddess of Wine I learned that “The Cellarmasters have been doing it for a long time, and they’ve got their system worked out. The most important difference between professional competitions and home winemakers is that you want to encourage the winemakers to improve, so whatever ranking you decide on (Gold, Silver, Bronze, No Medal), your notes should reflect your decision, and you are free to suggest improvement ideas, if you so choose. The winemakers get copies of the scoring sheets, so they see how the decisions were made.”