Judges agreed Brecon Estate‘s 2022 Albariño was “Best in Show” at the Sunset International Wine Competition in May. 

Brecon’s Albariño bested nearly 3,000 other entries to take the top spot at 98 points. Brecon noted the announcement commemorates two historical firsts: It’s the first time an Albariño, and a wine officially labeled as San Luis Obispo Coast — has won America’s iconic lifestyle magazine’s wine judging.

“This particular varietal has been hugely successful for us,” said winemaker Damian Grindley. “It fits remarkably well with alfresco summers in Paso Robles and so many Southern states, as well as the fresh seafood culture of the [San Luis Obispo] Coast. It’s helped put both Brecon Estate and Central Coast Albariño squarely on the map.” He continues, “Its fruit sourcing has always been from the San Luis Obispo Coast, however following the official approval of the appellation, this is the first time we have been able to put its true fruit source on the label rather than the somewhat more generic Central Coast AVA.” 

When asked what makes this wine special, Grindley said “many of the best Portuguese Alvarhinos are said to be sourced within just a mile or so from the Atlantic Ocean, and, likewise, ours is sourced just one ridge inland from the fog-bound Pacific Ocean. It’s all about hang time on the vines and some pretty exotic soils.” 

“The number of wines submitted was higher than last year, and the quality of those wines [was exceptional],” said Honorary Head Judge Miro Tcholakov (Trentadue Winery and Miro Cellars). “The sweepstakes winner is Albariño, which is significant because it shows winemakers are not just playing with unconventional varieties, but they have advanced in making world-class wines from those varieties. Luckily, consumers are more engaged in seeking out and exploring [lesser known] varieties.” 

Brecon Estate is a boutique winery located in the rolling westside hills outside of Paso Robles, Calif. “By winning Sunset we are so excited to have our characterful wines, as well as the up-and-coming crisp refreshing Albariño grape, exposed to such a wide audience of folks across the United States and beyond,” Grindley said. “Sunset reaches places we would never normally venture and to people who would never normally have a chance to drive past our door or stumble across our little website.”

A total of 433 cases of the 2022 Albariño were crafted.