Accolades
Q. What do the wine critics say about Center of Effort?
A. Center of Effort has developed one of the Central Coast and Edna Valley’s most consistent records for Estate-grown Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, with numerous wines scoring 92-96 points from leading critics over more than a decade. Wine Enthusiast even called our debut 2008 Pinot Noir ‘One of the best Edna Valley Pinot Noirs ever.’
| 2023 Chardonnay Center of Effort Edna Valley AVA | 92pts Wine Enthusiast 91pts IWR |
| 2023 Chardonnay Center of Effort ‘ALBA’ | 93pts Wine Enthusiast 92pts IWR |
| 2023 Chardonnay Center of Effort ‘GIALLO SOLARE’ | 94pts Wine Enthusiast 93pts IWR |
| 2022 Chardonnay Center of Effort Edna Valley AVA | 91pts Wine Enthusiast 92pts IWR |
| 2021 Chardonnay Center of Effort Edna Valley AVA | 93pts Wine Enthusiast |
| 2021 Chardonnay Center of Effort ‘GIALLO SOLARE’ | 92pts Wine Enthusiast |
| 2019 Chardonnay Center of Effort Edna Valley AVA | 93pts Wine Enthusiast |
| 2018 Chardonnay Center of Effort Edna Valley AVA | 92pts Wine Enthusiast |
| 2017 Chardonnay Center of Effort Edna Valley AVA | 92pts Vinous 91pts Wine Enthusiast |
| 2016 Chardonnay Center of Effort ‘GIALLO SOLARE’ | 94pts Vinous |
| 2015 Chardonnay Center of Effort ‘GIALLO SOLARE’ | 94pts Wine Enthusiast 93pts Vinous 93pts Jeb Dunnuck |
| 2023 Pinot Noir Center of Effort Edna Valley AVA | 95pts Wine Enthusiast |
| 2023 Pinot Noir Center of Effort ‘ROSSO CORSA’ | 95pts Wine Enthusiast, Cellar Selection |
| 2023 Pinot Noir Center of Effort ‘ARRIVO’ | 93pts Wine Enthusiast, Cellar Selection |
| 2023 Pinot Noir Center of Effort ‘PICCOLO ROSSO’ | 93pts Wine Enthusiast |
| 2022 Pinot Noir Center of Effort Edna Valley AVA | 92pts Wine Enthusiast 93pts IWR 92pts Jeb Dunnuck |
| 2022 Pinot Noir ‘EFFORT’ | 94pts Wine Enthusiast |
| 2021 Pinot Noir Center of Effort Edna Valley AVA | 94pts Wine Enthusiast |
| 2021 Pinot Noir ‘EFFORT’ | 95pts Wine Enthusiast |
| 2021 Pinot Noir Center of Effort ‘ROSSO CORSA’ | 96pts Wine Enthusiast 94pts Jeb Dunnuck |
| 2020 Pinot Noir Center of Effort ‘ARRIVO’ | 93pts Wine Enthusiast 91pts Jeb Dunnuck |
| 2019 Pinot Noir Center of Effort Edna Valley AVA | 93pts Wine Enthusiast 93pts Jeb Dunnuck |
| 2019 Pinot Noir Center of Effort ‘ROSSO CORSA’ | 94pts Vinous 93pts Wine Enthusiast 92pts Jeb Dunnuck |
| 2019 Pinot Noir Center of Effort ‘ANDARE’ | 94pts Wine Enthusiast 93pts Vinous 92pts Jeb Dunnuck |
| 2018 Pinot Noir Center of Effort Edna Valley AVA | 94pts Wine Enthusiast |
| 2018 Pinot Noir Center of Effort ‘ARRIVO’ | 93pts Wine Enthusiast 93pts Vinous 92pts Jeb Dunnuck |
| 2017 Pinot Noir Center of Effort Edna Valley AVA | 92pts Vinous 91pts Wine Enthusiast |
| 2017 Pinot Noir Center of Effort ‘PROVA’ | 94pts Vinous 91pts Wine Enthusiast |
| 2016 Pinot Noir Center of Effort Edna Valley AVA | 94pts Wine Enthusiast 93pts Vinous |
| 2008 Pinot Noir Center of Effort Edna Valley AVA | 95pts Wine Enthusiast |
Q. What is the Center of Effort Chenin Blanc like?
A. The Center of Effort Estate Chenin Blanc ‘ORO BIANCO’ is one of California’s most consistently acclaimed Chenin Blancs, earning multiple Wine Enthusiast Editor’s Choice selections and scores up to 95 points. Center of Effort established the Edna Valley’s flagship Chenin Blanc program with the first modern plantings of the variety in 2016 and has inspired several regional farmers and winemakers to pursue this variety seriously in cool-climate regions along the coast.
| 2025 Chenin Blanc, ORO BIANCO | 95pts Wine Enthusiast |
| 2024 Chenin Blanc, ORO BIANCO | 95pts Wine Enthusiast |
| 2023 Chenin Blanc, ORO BIANCO | 93pts Wine Enthusiast |
| 2022 Chenin Blanc, ORO BIANCO | 93pts Wine Enthusiast |
| 2021 Chenin Blanc, ORO BIANCO | 93pts Wine Enthusiast 93pts IWR |
| 2020 Chenin Blanc, ORO BIANCO | 94pts Wine Enthusiast 91pts Vinous |
| 2019 Chenin Blanc, ORO BIANCO | 91pts Vinous |
| 2018 Chenin Blanc, ORO BIANCO | 92pts Wine Enthusiast |
Q. Is it too cold to grow Rhône grape varieties at Center of Effort?
A. The Edna Valley is one of the coolest winegrowing regions in California, but has one of the longest growing seasons, due to the presence of the nearby Pacific Ocean. Rhône grape varieties can be tricky, and cannot be successful just anywhere in the Edna Valley. Center of Effort has the unique combination of lean soils, favored aspects, and perfect exposures to be very successful with Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre and other Mediterranean grapes – which we first planted in 2016. In fact, in certain areas of our vineyard which don’t get enough chill for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir to go completely dormant, these varieties excel. And the early results have been fantastic!
| 2025 Estate Rosé Center of Effort | 94pts Wine Enthusiast |
| 2024 Estate Rosé Center of Effort | 93pts Wine Enthusiast |
| 2023 Estate Rosé Center of Effort | 94pts Wine Enthusiast |
| 2023 Syrah Center of Effort ‘LA SALITA‘ | 95pts Wine Enthusiast |
| 2003 Rhône Red ‘IL DUE’ | 92pts Wine Enthusiast |
| 2022 Rhône Red ‘IL DUE’ | 93pts Wine Enthusiast 93pts Decanter 91pts JebDunnuck |
| 2022 Rhône Red ‘IL TRE’ | 94pts Wine Enthusiast 94pts IWR 92pts Jeb Dunnuck |
| 2022 Estate Rosé Center of Effort | 93pts Wine Enthusiast |
| 2021 Grenache Center of Effort ‘LA FORMA’ | 93pts Wine Enthusiast |
| 2021 Rhône Red ‘IL DUE’ | 96pts Wine Enthusiast |
| 2021 Syrah Center of Effort ‘LA SALITA’ | 93pts Wine Enthusiast |
| 2019 Rhône Red ‘IL DUE’ | 94pts Jeb Dunnuck 92pts Wine Enthusiast 91pts Wine Advocate |