Contra Costa Wine Group Competitions

Home winemakers constantly seek advice to improve their wines. One excellent choice for feedback is entering Amateur Wine Competitions where qualified judges taste their wine, score it on different attributes and record comments on the scoring sheet. Uplifting comments fill the home winemaker with pride and a sense of accomplishment. Constructive criticism helps to educate the home winemaker in what is seen as a flaw and provides recommendations on fixing it or preventing it from happening again.
ANNUAL WINE COMPETITION FOR CCWG MEMBERS ONLY The rules and regulations for members to enter the Annual CCWG Wine Competition. The details for the dinner held that evening where members can bring guests CCWG WINEMAKER OF THE YEAR The rules for members to enter the CCWG Winemaker of the Year Competition CCWG and WINEMAKER MAGAZINE CLUB OF THE YEAR We encourage our members to enter the WineMaker International Competition to make it possible for CCWG to win the WineMaker Club of the Year. Click to find out the WineMaker Magazine entry rules and how to mail your entries from the Bay Area. OTHER COMPETITIONS OPEN FOR ALL HOME WINEMAKERS A general list of some of the many Amateur Wine Competitions held throughout the year. AWARDS FOR THE 2025 CCWG WINE COMPETITION

2026 CCWG Wine Competition

Of the 133 entries, there were just seven double golds, which is a wine that all three judges independently rate as gold. (It should be called a triple gold, right?) Congratulations to Greg Earley for garnering four of the seven double golds. Among the 25 white category entries (whites and roses) there was just one Double Gold so it was awarded Best of Show – White. That was a 2024 Vermentino blend with 30% Sauvignon Blanc, made by Dave and Lori Arango. Among the 20 sweet wine category entries, there were two Double Golds:A 2020 Tinta Cao Port made by Greg Earley, and a 2024 Orange Cello dessert wine made by Bernard Sterling.In a taste off of these two wines the judges chose Bernard’s entry as Best of Show – Sweet.
In the large 88 entry Red Wine category, there were four Double Golds: A 2024 Cab Franc, a 2024 Petite Verdot, a 2024 Merlot Cab Franc blend all made by Greg Earley, and a 2024 Petite Sirah blended with 25% Cab made by Jim Just.In a taste off of these wines, Jim Just’s Petite Sirah was awarded Best of Show – Red.
Finally, the Grand Champion wine was determined by a taste off of the three Best of Show wines by a panel of five experienced judges. They picked the Vermentino blend made by the Arangos. AWARDS FOR THE 2026 CCWG WINE COMPETITION
Awards Dinner
Our competition organizer Greg Bequette and two of the many volunteers
Master of Ceremonies Dave Buchanan standing with our club president Bob.
The Earley's posing with some of the double gold medals they won.
Best of Show Sweet to Bernard Sterling
Winemaker of the Year to David Arango and Grand Champion Wine to David and Lori Arango
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