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Two Northern Michigan wineries collect awards at San Francisco Wine Competition

SAN FRANCISCO — Leelanau Cellars received 23 awards in the 2026 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, the most in the winery’s 52-year history and the most in the state of Michigan this year.

Farm Fresh Cranberry Moscato earned Best of Class in the fruit wine category. Cherries Galore, the Official Wine of the CherryT Ball Drop in Traverse City, was one of five wines to earn Double Gold honors

Gilchrist Farm & Winery’s 2024 estate wines also received honors in the competition, including Double Gold awards for Albariño and Grüner Veltliner and a Silver award for its Estate Chardonnay.

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Michigan wineries received 106 awards statewide in this year’s competition, with Leelanau Cellars leading the state with nearly a quarter of those honors. Overall, 86 different Leelanau Cellars wines have been recognized in the competition since 2021.

The San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition is one of the most respected and highly-publicized wine competitions in the United States. There were 5,500 entries submitted this year.

Leelanau Cellars’ recognized wines included:

Best of class

• Farm Fresh Cranberry Moscato

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Double gold

• Cherries Galore

• Chocolate Cherry Dessert

• 2024 Late Harvest Pinot Grigio

• 2023 Late Harvest Riesling

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• Farm Fresh Raspberry Bubbly Moscato

Gold

• Cold Duck

• 2023 Zilly Chardonnay

• 2023 Zilly Pinot Grigio

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Silver

• 2024 Blanc de Noir

• 2024 Brüt Sur Lie

• Farm Fresh Cranberry

• Spring Splendor

• Summer Sunset

• Winter White Bubbly

• Witches Brew

• Witches Brew Spiced Apple

Bronze

• 2023 Zilly Cabernet Sauvignon

• Festivus

• 2023 Pinot Grigio

• 2023 Zilly Sauvignon Blanc

• Winter White

• Witches Brew Pumpkin Spice

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