Domaine Della 2023 Soberanes Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir Takes Top Prize  November 18, 2025 — Winners have been announced in the 2025 Harvest Challenge Wine Competition. After two spirited days of judging, Domaine Della 2023 Soberanes Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir took the top prize. It was also awarded Best of Show Red Wine and Best of Monterey County AVA. Coming in at 98 points, judges praised the wine as “warm and spicy” with “fig and nutmeg.” Other descriptors included “meaty,” “prosciutto,” and “dried rose petal.”  With entries from across the globe, the Harvest Challenge bases judging on a group of vineyards (or even vines) from the same region, belonging to a specific appellation and sharing the same type of soil, weather conditions and grapes that combine to give personality to the wine.  In other competitions, this terroir is ignored. At the Harvest Challen

Chemical Analysis Reveals Effects of Wildfire Smoke on Grapes and Wines

A new study provides practical guidelines for using biomarkers to identify ‘smoke taint’ in grapes and wines affected by the smoke from wildfires March 11th – SANTA CRUZ, CA—As wildfire […]

Afternoon Brief, March 11th

Chemical Analysis Reveals Effects of Wildfire Smoke on Grapes and Wines: A new study provides practical guidelines for using biomarkers to identify ‘smoke taint’ in grapes and wines affected by the smoke from wildfires..