A Moment Worth Noting: Our First Competition Results
- Chris
- Mar 31
- 2 min read
There's a saying in winemaking that you spend far more time in the vineyard than in the cellar.
For the past few years, that's been especially true for us at Skyhaven—planting vines, fighting weeds, watching weather patterns, and learning (sometimes the hard way) what our little corner of the Willcox AVA wants to give us.
That's why it feels especially meaningful to finally tally up the recognition and share this news: every one of our debut wines earned a medal at the 2026 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. And as if that weren't enough, we also brought home some serious hardware from the Arizona Governor's Cup. For a first showing, we're overwhelmed with gratitude—and more than a little energized.
2026 Competition Results
San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition
🥇Gold
2023 Cabernet Franc
2023 Syrah
🥈Silver
2023 Mourvèdre
2023 Grenache
2023 Sangiovese
2023 Pandemonium
2023 Artificer
Arizona Governor's Cup
🥇Gold & Judge's Choice
2023 Cabernet Franc
🥈Silver
2023 Syrah
2023 Sangiovese
🥉Bronze
2023 Artificer
2023 Grenache
The Governor's Cup result is one we'll be talking about for a while. Our 2023 Cabernet Franc didn't just take gold, it earned a Judge's Choice designation, one of the most meaningful recognitions a panel can give. In a room full of Arizona's finest, that means something.
Awards are never the goal, but they are a meaningful checkpoint. They tell us we're on the right track.
The fruit we've worked so hard to grow, and the choices we've made to keep our wines clean, balanced, and approachable, are resonating beyond our own cellar.
What makes this moment especially satisfying is that it represents a shift. After years of vineyard work, we're finally spending some time on the wine side of vineyard life — blending, tasting, refining, and sharing these bottles with people who are discovering Skyhaven for the first time. There's still plenty of dirt under our fingernails (and there always will be), but this feels like the beginning of the next chapter.
We are genuinely delighted by the recognition across both competitions. It gives us the encouragement that we are on the right track and the energy to keep pushing. We'll happily take these wins, stay humble, and keep doing the work. Most of all, we look forward to pouring these wines for you — whether in our tasting room or out on the festival circuit — and continuing the conversation.
Cheers to many more. ⚔️🍷
This is just the beginning.
—Chris
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