There are many competitions and critics who can give a wine accolades, but how many wine awards result in funding the winemaker’s dream wine?
Last year, Carmen Stevens unhooked the 2015 Winemaker of the Year award and won $400,000 to make her dreams come true. Voting is now open for the 2016 Winemaker of the Year award. Who do you think was the best all around winemaker last year?

Three talented Winemakers. Three brand-new projects. Who wins? You decide.
Winemaker of the Year is an annual opportunity for one of your most popular winemakers to make a DREAM wine. Your vote decides if they get the chance. Cast yours now!
We did the hard work for you — narrowing your favorites down from 150 winemakers to 3. These are the guys that made your top-selling, top-rated wines of the year.
You have the power to give ONE the chance to make something brand-new…
Which dream gets the dough?
Scott Kelley is your 90% rated Oregon winemaker — and he’s ready to prove the Pacific Northwest doesn’t stop at Pinot Noir. He’s got eyes on all kinds of vines, from Tempranillo to Gewurztraminer. Your vote gives him the green light to surprise you!
Matt Parish is your go-to guy for rich, luxurious wines like Napa Cabernets… with a passport that’s burning a hole in his winemaker vest. Your vote will fund his latest top-secret international project. The details are classified, but the wine’s guaranteed delicious.
Rick Boyer is your sunny Central Coast champion, responsible for crazy-delicious jammy reds like his 93% debut Monterey Syrah… and Angels have him all fired up to make more! Your vote guarantees more mouthfuls of exclusive wine from Santa Barbara, Sta. Rita and beyond. I can already hear the splash of ocean waves…
Here’s what you need to do:
- Head to the polls! Visit our Winemaker of the Year voting page.
- Select your pick for Winemaker of the Year by clicking the big green ‘Vote’ button.
- You can only vote once — so make it count! But you can tell your Angel friends to vote too…
- The winemaker with the most votes gets to make a brand-new wine of their dreams — exclusively for you.
When will we announce the winner?
We’re announcing this next Friday March 10th. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to learn about the winners as soon as they’re announced.