Hocking Hills Winery is proud to announce that all six wines entered into the 2026 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition received awards.

As the largest wine competition in the United States, the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition attracts entries from wineries across the country. This year, Hocking Hills Winery earned one Best of Class award, two Gold Medals, and three Silver Medals.

Best of Class: 2024 Ohio Léon Millot

Leading the way was our 2024 Ohio Léon Millot, which earned Best of Class in the Red Native/Hybrid Varietals category.

This recognition is especially meaningful because it marks the second time a Hocking Hills Winery Léon Millot has earned Best of Class honors at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. The category featured 57 entries this year, making the achievement even more significant.

Winemaker Ryan Scott reflected on the award:

"The winemaking team and I are thrilled to have been honored with a Best of Class in the Red Hybrid/Native category. It is especially meaningful to me since I only started working with hybrid and native grapes after moving to Ohio just after the 2020 harvest. We're so happy to be a small part of drawing attention to Ohio wines. We couldn't have made as nice a wine as we did without the constant support of all of the Davidsons, as well as the ongoing commitment from their investors and all of our loyal customers."

This latest honor adds to a growing list of accolades for Hocking Hills Winery's Léon Millot program, which has earned multiple Best of Class awards in national and international competitions, including a previous Best of Class at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.

Wine judge Mike Dunne, on behalf of the San Francisco Chronicle, also highlighted the wine's achievement, noting:

 "Not the first time for this rare French/American hybrid from Ohio to win best of class at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. Actually, this is the second time in three years for the Hocking Hills Léon Millet to rise to the top of its class, and it isn't a small class... It did so on the strength of its bright color, lilting cherry aroma, supple tannins and revitalizing acidity."

The 2024 Ohio Léon Millot will be released later this year after completing additional bottle aging.

Gold Medal Winners

Our newly released 2025 Ohio Pinot Grigio earned a Gold Medal in the Pinot Grigio/Gris category.

Inspired by the renowned Pinot Grigios of Alto Adige, Italy, this wine features notes of ginger and almond, balanced by light lemon and peach flavors, crisp minerality, and a delicate floral aroma. The 2025 Ohio Pinot Grigio is currently available at both Hocking Hills Winery and 58 West.

A second Gold Medal was awarded to our 2024 Ohio Bourbon Barrel Léon Millot, one of several wines from our upcoming bourbon barrel-aged collection.

Upcoming Bourbon Barrel-Aged Collection

Four of our award-winning wines came from a special bourbon barrel-aged project featuring barrels sourced from Motherwell Distilling in Logan.

Rather than allowing the bourbon character to dominate the wine, our winemaking team focused on creating balance, using the barrels to add complexity while preserving each wine's unique character. The result is a collection that showcases both the wine and the barrel, rather than one overpowering the other.

The collection earned one Gold Medal and three Silver Medals and will be released in limited quantities later this year.

Complete Competition Results

Best of Class

• 2024 Ohio Léon Millot

Gold Medals

• 2024 Ohio Bourbon Barrel Léon Millot
• 2025 Ohio Pinot Grigio

Silver Medals

• 2023 American Bourbon Barrel Syrah
• 2024 Ohio Bourbon Barrel Chambourcin
• 2024 Ohio Bourbon Barrel Chardonel

We are honored by this recognition and grateful to our customers, supporters, and community who make achievements like these possible. We look forward to sharing these award-winning wines with you and continuing to showcase the quality and potential of Ohio wine.