Erin Amaral, 2023 SLO County Wine Grape Grower of the Year

San Luis Obispo County wine industry to recognize leaders at California Mid-State Fair

By Paso Robles Press | Jul 20, 2023

Awards to be presented at 6 p.m. on Friday, July 21, at Mission Square Plaza

PASO ROBLES — The San Luis Obispo County wine industry annually comes together to honor members of the local wine community. These awards recognize dedication, stewardship, innovation, and leadership demonstrated in the County.

The 2023 San Luis Obispo County Wine Industry Awards go to:

Wine Grape Grower of the Year, Erin Amaral, Pacific Coast Farming
Winemaker of the Year, Matt Trevisan, Linne Calodo
Wine Industry Person of the Year, Mike Sinor, Sinor-LaVallee Wine Co.

Also receiving an award from the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance is Linda Cooks, wine and liquor manager from Albertsons Paso Robles, who will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award.

The Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance, in partnership with the SLO Coast Wine Collective, the Independent Grape Growers of the Paso Robles Area, The Vineyard Team, and past award recipients worked together to identify the 2023 winners. The honorees are evaluated on their leadership and accomplishments in California’s third-largest wine region, San Luis Obispo County.

“Each year the California Mid-State Fair serves as the backdrop to an exciting time where the San Luis Obispo County wine community celebrates leaders of our industry,” said Joel Peterson, executive director of the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance. “This year’s winners are deserving for their dedication to the county through exceptional wines that bring worldwide attention, passionate farming that elevates our region’s quality, and marketing efforts that help define and further tell the story of what makes SLO County unique as wine country.”

The San Luis Obispo County wine community will celebrate this year’s award winners at a special event on Friday, July 21, at the California Mid-State Fair within Mission Square beginning at 6 p.m. The awards presentation is a free event with paid admission to the California Mid-State Fair. Preceding the awards presentation is a ticketed event featuring a walk-around tasting of the gold medal winners of the Central Coast Wine Competition (CCWC). Also recognized will be the CCWC Winery of the Year award, Peachy Canyon Winery.

Award recipients to be honored are:

Wine Grape Grower of the Year – Erin Amaral, Pacific Coast Farming

Winemaker of the Year — Matt Trevisan, Linne Calodo

Wine Industry Person of the Year – Mike Sinor, Sinor-LaVallee Wine Co.

Lifetime Achievement Award — Linda Cooks, Albertsons Paso Robles

The Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance is the official trade organization that represents wineries, growers, and businesses in Paso Robles Wine Country. Centrally located between San Francisco and Los Angeles, along California’s Central Coast, Paso Robles Wine Country is California’s third-largest wine region. It encompasses more than 40,000 vineyard acres and 200 wineries. For more information, visit pasowine.com.