California Wines & Wineries

Annual List of Best Wines Tasted In 2025

Posted on December 16, 2025 Updated on December 21, 2025

_{Photo ©Michael Kelly}

2025 continued to be a busy year tasting, judging and evaluating wines. Typically, most years I taste or enjoy between 1400 to 1800 wines. This list roughly represents 7% of those wines tasted to be outstanding. I have broken it out by price point, those $50 and under and those $51 and up—-something for everyone! They are listed by varietal to make it easier to search for a specific wine. The picks come from almost all the California AVA’s and sub-AVA’s, Colorado and New Mexico. 2025 was a year in which many wines in the cellar hit their maturity so you will notice a higher percentage of older wines. I believe whole heartily and stand by these picks. There were many other very good and solid wines, but these “stood out” from the crowd with my highest ratings. Most of these wines have been written up and you can do a search for the story on the right-hand side on a PC or laptop on my website (htttps://californiawinesandwineries.com)

$50 and Less
Vintage	Winery	Area	Wine
2023	Wood Family Vineyards	Livermore	“The Runway” (Bordeaux blend)
2023	Starfield Vineyards	El Dorado	Aglianico
2021	Cellar 13	Livermore	Albarino
2022	J. Lohr Vineyards & Winery	Paso Robles	Blend “Cuvee St E”
2022	Wood Family Vineyards	Livermore	Bourbon Barrel Red Blend
2021	Dracaena Wines	Paso Robles	Cabernet Fran (Reserve)
2021	Ancient Peaks	Paso Robles	Cabernet Franc
2022	Creekside Cellars	Evergreen, CO	Cabernet Franc
2023	Cuda Ridge Wines	Livermore	Cabernet Franc
2019	Dracaena Wines	Paso Robles	Cabernet Franc
2021	Dracaena Wines	Paso Robles	Cabernet Franc
2020	Mitchell Katz Winery	Livermore	Cabernet Franc
2021	Vivac Winery	New Mexico	Cabernet Franc
2018	Ancient Peaks	Paso Robles	Cabernet Sauvignon
2019	Wood Family Vineyards	Livermore	Cabernet Sauvignon (Clone 30)
2020	Cuda Ridge Wines	Livermore	Carmenere (Insel)
2023	Cuda Ridge Wines	Livermore	Carmenere (Little Dog Vineyard)
2021	Iron Hub	Amador County	Chardonnay
2021	Smith-Madrone Vineyards	Spring Mtn	Chardonnay
2023	Wood Family Vineyards	Livermore	Chardonnay
2022	Hindsight Wines	Calistoga	Chardonnay, Monterey
2024	Frog’s Tooth	Calveras	Grenache Blanc
2021	Wood Family Vineyards	Livermore	Malbec
2022	Cuda Ridge Wines	Livermore	Merlot
2023	Cuda Ridge Wines	Livermore	Merlot
2018	Wood Family Vineyards	Livermore	Merlot “One Oak”
2020	Gossamer Cellas	Calaveras	Negroamora
2021	Cuda Ridge Wines	Livermore	Petit Verdot
2023	Wood Family Vineyards	Livermore	Petit Verdot
2018	Vina Moda	Calaveras	Phoenix (Primitivo + Blend)
2023	Girasole	Mendocino County	Pinot Blanc
2022	Balverne	Windsor	Pinot Noir
2023	Soquel Vineyards	Soquel	Pinot Noir (Beauregard Ranch)
2023	Soquel Vineyards	Soquel	Pinot Noir (Estate)
2019	Smith-Madrone Vineyards	Spring Mtn	Riesling
2021	Smith-Madrone Vineyards	Spring Mtn	Riesling
2018	Lavender Ridge Vineyard	Calaveras	Roussanne
2022	Cuda Ridge Wines	Livermore	S & M (Sangiovese & Malbec)
2023	Cuda Ridge Wines	Livermore	Sauvignon Blanc
2020	Hindsight Wines	Calistoga	Sauvignon Blanc
2023	Hindsight Wines	Calistoga	Sauvignon Blanc
2022	Porch Wines	Coombsville	Sauvignon Blanc
2019	Trident Winery	Yountville	Sauvignon Blanc
2023	Silver Trident Winery	Yountville	Sauvignon Blanc “Symphony No. 9”
2024	Culmination	Livermore	Sauvignon Blanc (Barrel Fermented)
2023	Wood Family Vineyards	Livermore	Syrah
2022	Jazz Cellars	Calaveras	Syrah (Airola Road Vineyard)
2021	Wood Family Vineyards	Livermore	Zinfandel “Big Wood”
2021	Iron Hub Winery	Amador County	Zinfandel “Old Vine”
2020	Spangler Vineyards	Oregon	Cabernet Franc
2019	Spangler Vineyards	Oregon	Carmenere
$51 and More
Vintage	Winery	Area	Wine
2012	Lineage	Livermore	Bordeaux Blend
2018	Blue Rock Winery	Cloverdale	Cabernet Franc
2021	Cellar 13	Livermore	Cabernet Franc
2014	Crocker & Starr	St Helena	Cabernet Franc
2015	Crocker & Starr	St Helena	Cabernet Franc
2023	Culmination	Livermore	Cabernet Franc
2013	Deerfield Ranch Winery	Kenwood	Cabernet Franc
2018	Diamond Mountain	Diamond Mtn	Cabernet Franc
2017	L’Autre Cote	Livermore	Cabernet Franc
2018	L’Autre Cote	Livermore	Cabernet Franc
2016	Oakville East	Oakville	Cabernet Franc
2018	Palazzo Wine	Napa Valley	Cabernet Franc
2019	Palazzo Wine	Napa Valley	Cabernet Franc
2022	Selin Cellars	Sonoma County	Cabernet Franc
2017	Shadybrook Estate Winery	Coombsville	Cabernet Franc
2019	Titus Vineyards	St Helena	Cabernet Franc
2012	Trespass Vineyard	St Helena	Cabernet Franc
2021	Vinoce	Mt Veeder	Cabernet Franc
2021	Yates Family Vineyard	Mt Veeder	Cabernet Franc
2015	Young Inglewood Vineyards	St Helena	Cabernet Franc
2021	Ledson Winery	Kenwood	Cabernet Franc “Moon Mtn”
2022	Hope Family Wines	Paso Robles	Cabernet Franc, Cellar Select
2022	J. Lohr Vineyards & Winery	Paso Robles	Cabernet Franc, Home Ranch
2022	LXV Wines	Paso Robles	Cabernet Franc, Meso
2021	Donati Family Winery	Paso Robles	Cabernet Franc, Reserve
2021	Cuda Ridge Wines	Livermore	Cabernet Sauvginon, Reserve
2010	Entre Nous	Oakville	Cabernet Sauvignon
2013	Hoopes Vineyard	Yountville	Cabernet Sauvignon
2014	Keenan Winery	Spring Mtn	Cabernet Sauvignon
2010	Larkmead	St Helena	Cabernet Sauvignon, Solari
2013	Ledson	Dry Creek	Cabernet Sauvignon
2013	Meyers Vineyard	Yountville	Cabernet Sauvignon
2014	Meyers Vineyards	Yountville	Cabernet Sauvignon
2008	O’Shaughnessy Winery	Howell Mtn	Cabernet Sauvignon
2010	O’Shaughnessy Winery	Howell Mtn	Cabernet Sauvignon
2011	Shadybrook Estate Winery	Coombsville	Cabernet Sauvignon
2009	Vineyard 29	St Helena	Cabernet Sauvignon
2013	Shadybrook Estate Winery	Coombsville	Cabernet Sauvignon “Rapp Ranch”
2013	Outpost Wines	Howell Mtn	Cabernet Sauvignon “True Vineyard”
2014	Outpost Wines	Howell Mtn	Cabernet Sauvignon “True Vineyard”
2013	Beaulieu Vineyards	Rutherford	Cabernet Sauvignon (Georges DeLa Tour)
2008	O’Shaughnessy Winery	Howell Mtn	Cabernet Sauvignon (Mt Veeder)
2021	Gracianna Winery	Healdsburg	Cabernet Sauvignon (Stagecoach Vineyard)
2021	Wood Family Vineyards	Livermore	Cabernet Sauvignon, Clone 30
2009	O’Shaughnessy Winery	Howell Mtn	Cabernet Sauvignon, Mt Veeder
2013	Robert Craig Winery	Howell Mtn	Cabernet Sauvignon, Mt Veeder
2010	Robert Mondavi Winery	Oakville	Cabernet Sauvignon, Reserve
2018	Duckhorn	St Helena	Cabernet Sauvingon, Zimaro Vineyard
2019	Crocker & Starr	St Helena	Casali 12 (blend Malbec & Cab Sauv)
2015	Crocker & Starr	St Helena	Casili 8 (Malbec +Cab Sauvignon)
2015	Peter Michael Winery	Knights Valley	Chardonnay (La Carrierre)
2021	VJB Cellars	Kenwood	Dante (blend)
2021	Copia Vineyard	Paso Robles	GSM “The Cure”
2021	Justin Vineyards & Winery	Paso Robles	Isosceles
2020	Justin Vineyards & Winery	Paso Robles	Isosceles Reserve
2010	Larkmead	St Helena	LMV Salon (blend)
2022	Wellington	Glen Ellen	Malbec
2018	Ledson Winery	Kenwood	Malbec “October Moon”
2021	Cuda Ridge Wines	Livermore	Melange d’ Amis (Cab Franc +blend)
2020	Ehret Family Vineyard	Knight’s Valley	Merlot
2018	VJB Cellars	Kenwood	Montepulciano
2021	Donati Family Winery	Paso Robles	Petite Sirah
2013	Fortell Wines	Napa Valley	Pinot Noir
2015	Gracianna Winery	Healdsburg	Pinot Noir
2009	Viader Vineyards & Winery	Deer Park	Properitary Blend
2018	Crocker & Starr	St Helena	Red Blend (Cab Sauv, Cab Franc,+)
2014	Young Inglewood Vineyards	St Helena	Right Bank Blend (Cab Franc +)
2022	Ehret Family Vineyard	Knight’s Valley	Zinfandel
2022	Culmination	Livermore	Cabernet Sauvignon
2022	Smith-Madrone Vineyards	Spring Mtn	Cabernet Sauvignon

Sláinte,

Michael Kelly