Mid-State Fair announces home winemaking competition winners
Competition featured 143 entries from Central Coast winemakers
– The California Mid-State Fair announced the results of the 2026 Central Coast Home Winemaking Competition, recognizing amateur winemakers from San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties.
The annual competition is held ahead of the fair and features entries in sparkling, white, rosé, and red wine categories.
This year’s competition included 45 participants and 143 entries. A panel of local wine industry professionals evaluated wines based on appearance, aromatics, and taste.
Ronald Besser of Paso Robles received Best of Show and Best Red Wine honors for a 2023 malbec from Sherry Place Vineyard.
Ben Hoover of Templeton won Best White Wine for a 2025 sauvignon blanc, and Frederick Carbone of Santa Maria received Best Rosé for a 2025 syrah rosé.
Complete results are available at MidStateFair.com.
Fairgoers can view award-winning wines from the Home Winemaking Competition and other beverage competition winners in the Ponderosa Pavilion during the fair.
“The Home Winemaking Competition is a great example of the community being part of the Fair,” Colleen Bojorquez, chief executive officer of the California Mid-State Fair, said. “We truly appreciate the home winemakers from San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties who take the time to participate and bring their wines to the competition — it’s a fun way to celebrate this region’s winemaking and agriculture.”
The 2026 California Mid-State Fair, themed “Back to the ’80s” in celebration of the fair’s 80th anniversary, will run July 15-26 at the Paso Robles Event Center.
