Best of California, Poured in Lodi

Where should you go to experience California’s top award-winning wines? The 2026 California State Fair Commercial Wine Competition results point to Lodi.

The competition’s top honors, Best of Show Red and Best of Show White, went to Lodi-grown wines. Add in multiple “Best Of California” varietal awards and 182 medals to wines from across the region, and this year's judging offers a snapshot of what's pouring in Lodi's tasting rooms right now.

Results like these are worth tasting in person. All you need is a weekend and a tank of gas. Lodi's tasting rooms will handle the rest.

The 6 Best of California Winners from Lodi

Each of these wines was named the best of its varietal or category in the entire state of California:

2023 Inkblot Cabernet Franc, Michael David Winery (100 points, Double Gold)
Awards: Best of Show – Red; Best of Region – Red; Best of California Cabernet Franc

2025 Grenache Blanc, Acquiesce Winery & Vineyards (99 points, Double Gold)
Awards: Best of Show – White; Best of Region – White; Best of California Grenache Blanc

2024 Earthquake Zinfandel, Michael David Winery (98 points, Double Gold)
Award: Best of California Zinfandel

2023 Red Wagon Pinot Noir, Collier Creek (Peltier Winery & Vineyards) (97 points, Double Gold)
Award: Best of California Pinot Noir

2024 The Corset Red Wine, Oak Farm Vineyards (96 points, Double Gold)
Award: Best of California Rhône Red Blend

2024 Delicious Barbera, Macchia (96 points, Double Gold)
Award: Best of California Barbera

For the full list of Lodi medalists across every category, browse the searchable results database.

What These Awards Represent

The California State Fair Commercial Wine Competition is the oldest wine judging in the country, dating to 1854. Wines are organized by region, judged blind by a panel of sommeliers, winemakers, and wine professionals, and scored on what's in the glass.

When wines from Lodi earn both Best of Show titles, multiple Best of California honors, and 182 total medals, the results reflect something bigger than any one bottle. As a whole, they reflect a region of growers and winemakers farming with intention, working with a wide diversity of grape varieties, and producing wines that consistently perform at the top of California's oldest wine competition.

The Lodi Wine Difference

Here's the part that often gets overlooked: these medal-winning wines are pourable, accessible, and waiting for you now.

In Lodi, award-winning wine comes without the barriers. The average tasting fee is $16. Many of our 60+ tasting rooms welcome walk-ins. The people pouring your wine are often the same people who grew the grapes, made the wine, or both.

You don't need a reservation to taste a Double Gold bottle. You just need a free Saturday.

A Best in Show Tasting Itinerary

Here's one way to spend a day with all five award-winning wineries. 

Stop 1: Oak Farm Vineyards

Suggested time: 10:00-11:15AM

Start your day on Lodi's northwest side with the 2024 The Corset Red Wine, named the best Rhône red blend in California. Oak Farm's tasting room sits on a working farm with century-old oaks, and the experience pairs estate wines with farm-to-glass hospitality.

Stop 2: Michael David Winery

Suggested time: 11:30AM-1:00PM

Head 7 miles south to Michael David for lunch at the Farm Café and a tasting that covers two Best of California winners under one roof: the 2023 Inkblot Cabernet Franc (Best of Show Red, scored a perfect 100) and the 2024 Earthquake Zinfandel (Best Zinfandel). The Inkblot grapes come from a nine-acre vineyard on Lodi's west side, just a stone's throw from the winery itself.

Stop 3: Macchia Wines

Suggested time: 1:30-2:30PM

It should take you about 20 minutes to make it to Macchia in Acampo, an area packed with wineries just northwest of Lodi. Taste the 2024 Delicious Barbera, named the best Barbera in California. Macchia is also known for its wide variety of Old Vine Zinfandels and Italian varietals, so plan to taste broadly while you're there.

Stop 4: Peltier Winery & Vineyards

Suggested time: 2:45-3:45PM

Just across the street, you'll find Peltier pouring the 2023 Red Wagon Pinot Noir (under their Collier Creek label), named the best Pinot Noir in California. The winery's WineStation system allows guests to select from 24 different estate-grown, certified sustainable wines daily, in pour sizes including a 1oz taste, 2.5oz half glass, or 5oz full glass.

Stop 5: Acquiesce Winery & Vineyards

Suggested time: 4:00-5:00PM

End the day at Acquiesce, the only winery in the California focused exclusively on white and rosé wines made from Rhône varieties. The 2025 Grenache Blanc earned Best of Show White with a near-perfect 99-point score. While you're there, taste through their other top performers from the same competition, including the double-gold Grenache Gris (97), Picpoul Blanc (96), and Sirens estate white blend (95).

Build the day your way

• Prefer to lunch at Oak Farm? Their kitchen has you covered. Start at Michael David at 10:00AM, head north to Oak Farm for a midday tasting and lunch, then head over to Macchia, Peltier, and Acquiesce.
• Want to picnic? Both Macchia and Peltier welcome outside food. Pack a basket, grab a bottle, and turn the middle of your day into a long, lingering lunch.
• Light eaters? Acquiesce's tasting includes light bites, which might be plenty to carry you through the afternoon.
• Three wineries feel like plenty? That's a great day too. Pick your three favorites and slow down.

Planning Your Visit

Getting here. Lodi sits about 40 minutes south of Sacramento and roughly 90 minutes east of San Francisco, making it an easy day trip or a relaxed weekend escape.

Where to taste. Browse the full directory of Lodi wineries and tasting rooms at lodiwine.com/wineries to build your route.

Where to stay. Lodi offers a mix of hotels, vacation homes, and bed & breakfast properties. Appellation Lodi - Wine & Roses Resort is a popular home base for wine country weekends.

When to go. Days and hours vary by winery, but it’s a safe bet that you’ll find most tasting rooms open Thursday through Sunday, with hours typically running 11:00AM - 5:00PM or later. Walk-ins are welcomed at many tasting rooms, though larger groups and curated experiences may still require a quick call ahead.

Taste the Best of California in Lodi

Awards are one way to measure a wine region. Hospitality is another. Lodi delivers on both.

Both Best of Show titles. Six varietal champions. 182 medals. Lodi wines speak for themselves, and they're waiting for you to taste them. Plan a visit around California's most awarded wines today.