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

Following an incredible weekend at the CRUSH Wine & Culinary Showcase, I’m proud to share that Legacy Barrel Services is now an official Silver Affiliate Member of the Temecula Valley Winegrowers Association. We’re thrilled to be part of this growing community of winemakers, growers, and partners who are shaping Temecula’s next chapter in California wine. The region’s energy, quality, and sense of collaboration are truly inspiring. Legacy looks forward to spending more time in Temecula, meeting producers, visiting cellars, and supporting the amazing wines being crafted here. A sincere thank you to Bianca Castillo, Leah Ponte, and the entire TVWA team for the warm welcome. Excited for what’s ahead.

With the U.S. wine industry under pressure from declining sales, shifting consumer trends, and economic headwinds, Sonoma County’s vintners and grape growers are coming together in an unprecedented way to confront these challenges – and chart a positive path forward for the local industry. A steering committee of regional leaders has been formed to explore establishing the Sonoma County Wine Improvement District (WID) to provide stable, strategic funding for the long-term strength and sustainability of Sonoma County’s wine and agricultural economy.  The stakes are high. The marketplace is changing rapidly and maintaining the status quo is not an option. The wine industry is facing challenges like never before which must be addressed to reverse the decline and grow the overall wine category.  This effort is significant and grounded in a fundamental truth: grape growers and vintners are inextricably connected, and the success of one depends on the strength o