
San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition Winners
The annual San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition is the largest competition of North American wines, offering an impressive lineup of competitor wines from all over the United States. Each year, we submit several Ruby Hill favorites to go head-to-head in this prestigious competition, and the 2025 results have officially arrived! To celebrate, we are taking a moment to shine the spotlight on our winners: 2021 Jewel Cabernet Sauvignon, 2022 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, and 2021 Odyssey.
2021 Jewel Cabernet Sauvignon - Gold Medal
This wine is smooth, spicy, with aromas of black currant confiture, black plum, cardamom, dried florals, and notes of orange vanilla cream on the nose. The flavors on the palate are Black raspberry, blackberry jam, spiced dark chocolate, interlaced with ginger, earth, and a dry, juicy finish. Decant and enjoy. — Tonya Pitts, Wine Enthusiast
Earning critical acclaim vintage after vintage, this stunning Cabernet is an absolute knockout. Rich, deep, and with lots of aging potential, we recommend this gold-medal Jewel Cabernet Sauvignon for memorable meals. We like to pair this wine with peppery, earthy, and dense foods, making it perfect for chilly days.
2022 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon - Double Gold Medal
A signature aroma of vibrant fresh fruit, including cherry and black currant, is joined by hints of violet and graceful oak accents. Dried fruit notes emerge on the palate, with craisin and prune, while maintaining youthful brightness into the finish.. The mouthfeel is full, with a touch of grippy tannins that relax quickly. Delightful layered complexity leaves you wanting more!
A very recent release, this relatively young Cab is already drinking exceptionally well. Rich and flavorful character permeates the entire experience as you enjoy this vintage, which has earned the coveted Double Gold Medal. Enjoy this Cabernet with medium-rare steak, aged cheddar, or double chocolate cake.
2021 Odyssey - Best of Class
The lovely aroma of this wine opens up with grand complexity. Lush layers of fruit notes, including bing cherry, raspberry, strawberry and marionberry, enrich the air. The mouthfeel is rich and velvety on the palate, with seamless harmony of tannins and acidity creating luxurious structure. Dark fruit notes create a lavish tapestry of flavor and lead into a long and fruit-forward finish. The tannin character will allow this vintage to mature well for years to come.
This vintage is “Chapter 2” of our limited-edition Odyssey series, a small-lot wine crafted to celebrate the history of the Estate Vineyard. This stunning blend is modeled after timeless right-bank Bordeaux blends. Earning the noteworthy “Best of Class” award, the Odyssey truly stands out as a wine to remember.
Life is too short to drink bad wine, so stock up on these winners today! Click here to shop our critically acclaimed wines.

Next-Level Wine Tasting
Here at Ruby Hill Winery, we love to make wine tasting approachable and fun for all of our guests and members. Since wine tasting may appear intimidating to some, we wanted to share some of our favorite tips and techniques for swirling, sniffing, and sipping to appreciate the layers in your favorite wines. One key aspect of a wine tasting journey is identifying the different aromas and flavors that make up a wine's profile. These layers are usually categorized as primary, secondary, and tertiary notes, and understanding them can enhance your tasting experience.
Primary: The Grape's Gift
Most primary aromas are derived directly from the grape itself. These are the fresh, fruity, floral, and herbaceous characteristics that are present from the moment the grapes are crushed and are less affected by individual winemaking techniques. They are often the most immediately noticeable and provide a foundation for the wine's overall character.
Examples of primary aromas include:
Fruits, which can range from fresh berries like strawberry and raspberry in Sangiovese, to citrus fruits like lemon and grapefruit in Sauvignon Blanc, to stone fruits like peach and apricot in Chardonnay.
Flowers or “floral” notes like rose petals in Rosé, violet in Petit Verdot, or honeysuckle in some Chardonnays add complexity and elegance.
Herb and spice character, such as clove in Petite Sirah, bell pepper in some Zinfandels or Cabernet Franc, sage in some Barberas or black pepper in Syrah.
Secondary: The Winemaker's Touch
Secondary aromas are usually a mark of the winemaking technique and process. These include the smells and flavors that develop during fermentation, aging, and other winemaking techniques. They add layers of complexity and can significantly influence the wine's style, contributing to the unique fingerprint of a wine from your favorite winery.
Examples of these secondary aromas include:
Yeast-derived aromas, which can include bready, brioche-like, or biscuity notes from lees aging (common in traditional Champagne), or buttery or creamy aromas from malolactic fermentation (often found in Chardonnay).
Oak notes, sometimes referred to as “oakiness” refers to notes of vanilla, toast, smoke, cedar, or spice (like clove or cinnamon) imparted by aging in oak barrels. Oak of different origin, such as French, Hungarian, and American, lends different flavor and character to the wine as it ages.
Tertiary: The Factor of Time
Tertiary aromas develop during bottle aging. Unique to wines which have had time to mature in a proper environment, these are complex and nuanced aromas that evolve over time. They are often described as earthy, nutty, or savory.
Examples of tertiary aroma include:
Oxidative aromas, if the wine has been stored properly, can be pleasantly nutty aromas like almond or hazelnut, dried fruit aromas like fig or raisin, or savory notes like leather or tobacco.
Reduction aromas are more earthy, with notes like mushroom or forest floor, woodsy cedar, or mineral notes like flint or wet stone.
The Most Important Note
When you’re tasting wine: take your time, and have fun. If you want to explore the layers, start with the primary aromas, identifying the fruit, floral, and herbaceous notes—the most prominent and fresh of the profile. Then, consider the secondary aromas, looking for hints of yeast, oak, or other winemaking influences. Finally, if the wine has been aged, explore the tertiary aromas that have developed over time.
By training your nose to recognize these different layers, you'll gain a deeper appreciation for the artistry and complexity of wine. You'll be able to not just taste the wine, but truly understand its story, from the vineyard to the bottle and finally, to your glass.
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