Author: Lacey Clifton-Jensen

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Winemakers’ Cookoff 2026 Winners Announced!

The Winemakers’ Cookoff is unlike most wine competitions. Here, the wine is only part of the experience. Winemakers and breweries compete on their culinary creativity, food-and-beverage pairings, presentation, and ability to entertain. Throughout the evening, participants compete for four coveted awards, each celebrating a different kind of achievement.

PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD

You decide!

The People’s Choice Award puts the decision directly in the hands of Cookoff guests.

Every attendee receives three voting tickets with their admission and can use those votes for their favorite culinary creations. Guests can sample the food and beverage pairings throughout the evening and then decide which teams deserve their votes.

And, in true Cookoff fashion, the competition doesn’t stop at the food. Participating wineries and breweries often have a little fun trying to “buy” your vote with special treats, giveaways, entertainment, or other good-natured bribes. It’s all part of the playful competition and adds to the unique personality of the Cookoff.

PEOPLE’S CHOICE

  1. California Coast Brewery w/Tobin James Winery
  2. Hoyt Family Vineyards
  3. Derby Wine Estates
    Honorable Mention: V1no Juan
California Coast Brewery w/Tobin James Winery

PROFESSIONAL CHEF AWARD

Where culinary expertise takes center stage.

The Professional Chef Award recognizes the teams that demonstrate exceptional culinary skill and execution.

While the Cookoff is a competition among winemakers and breweries, many teams bring professional chefs into the experience to help create their culinary offerings. This award highlights the quality, creativity, technique, and execution of the food itself, giving special recognition to outstanding culinary craftsmanship.

The Professional Chef Award is selected by a panel of judges.

PROFESSIONAL CHEF

  1. Booker-My Favorite Neighbor/Ava Hotel
  2. Absolution Cellars/Primal House
  3. Bianchi Winery/Gregg Wangard
    Honorable Mention: Kukkula Winery/Paso Robles Inn
Booker-My Favorite Neighbor/Ava Hotel

JUDGES’ AWARD

The experts have spoken.

The Judges’ Award is selected by a panel of qualified, independent judges from the culinary and wine industries.

Judges sample the food-and-beverage pairings prepared by the participating wineries and breweries and evaluate the overall culinary experience. Their selections recognize the teams that stand out for their food, creativity, execution, and how well their culinary creation works with the accompanying wine or beer.

Unlike the People’s Choice Award, this isn’t decided by popularity or the size of the crowd around a booth. These awards reflect the opinions of experienced culinary and wine professionals.

JUDGE’S AWARD

  1. V1no Juan
  2. Sextant Winery/Paris Valley Road Winery
  3. Dubost Winery
    Honorable Mention: Bovino Winery
V1no Juan

SPIRIT AWARD

Bring the fun. Bring the energy. Bring your Cookoff spirit!

The Spirit Award celebrates everything that makes the Winemakers’ Cookoff more than just a food competition.

It recognizes the teams that go above and beyond to create an engaging, entertaining, and memorable experience for guests. That can include a creative booth theme, enthusiastic team members, costumes, decorations, interaction with attendees, or simply an unmistakable sense of fun and personality.

As one Cookoff organizer explained, the Spirit Award isn’t just about having the best-decorated booth—it also considers the people in the booth and their enthusiasm and spirit.

The Spirit Award is selected by a committee.

SPIRIT AWARD

  1. Hoyt Family Vineyards
  2. Derby Wine Estates
  3. Eberle Winery
Hoyt Family Vineyards

Over the past 27 years, the Winemakers’ Cookoff has raised more than $1,000,000 for local youth scholarships. Last year, the Rotary’s Foundation awarded OVER $115,000 in high-school senior scholarships. These participants help make it happen! THANK YOU!

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Wine, Food, and Community Impact: Paso Robles Rotary Awards $115,000 in Scholarships to Local Students Through Signature Winemakers’ Cookoff Fundraiser

Wine, Food, and Community Impact: Paso Robles Rotary Awards $115,000 in Scholarships to Local Students Through Signature Winemakers’ Cookoff Fundraiser

Paso Robles, California, June 9, 2026 – While guests may come for the exceptional wine, creative cuisine, and lively atmosphere, the true impact of the Paso Robles Rotary Winemakers’ Cookoff can be measured in something far more meaningful: opportunity.

This year, the Paso Robles Rotary Club awarded over $115,000 in scholarships to Paso Robles students, helping local youth pursue their dreams at trade schools, colleges, and universities across the country. Those life-changing scholarships are made possible through the support of the community and the success of the club’s signature fundraising event—the Annual Winemakers’ Cookoff, taking place on Saturday, August 8, 2026, at the Paso Robles Event Center for its 27th year.

“At its heart, the Winemakers’ Cookoff is about investing in our community’s future,” said Dr. Patrick Sayne, the Scholarship Committee Chair for the Paso Robles Rotary Club. “This year alone, we awarded $116,500 across 31 scholarships to outstanding Paso Robles students pursuing everything from skilled trades to four-year degrees. That’s the real story behind this event.”

For nearly three decades, the Winemakers’ Cookoff has brought together the best of Paso Robles Wine Country for an evening of friendly competition and community celebration.

Guests will sample expertly paired bites and beverages crafted by some of the area’s most talented winemakers and brewers. Each participating team will showcase its creativity and culinary flair in pursuit of coveted awards and bragging rights, while attendees enjoy the opportunity to vote for their favorites in the People’s Choice Award.

The Paso Robles Rotary Club invites the community to join them on August 8, 2026 for an evening where every bite, sip, and vote helps shape a brighter future. For tickets and information, visit https://winemakerscookoff.com.

About the Rotary Club of Paso Robles

The Rotary Club of Paso Robles (#1602) was chartered in 1924 and has a long history of “service above self,” the motto of Rotary International.  The Club is very active in the community through scholarships, sponsorship of the local Boy Scouts of America organization, and raising money for local projects like homeless shelters, food banks, and dictionaries for third-grade students.  To get more information on fundraising, events, speaking opportunities, or to join the Rotary Club of Paso Robles, please visit https://pasoroblesrotary.org.

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2025 Winemakers’ Cookoff Winners Announced!

The Rotary Club of Paso Robles held their 26th wine, beer, and food fundraising event here on the Central Coast of California – the annual Winemakers’ Cookoff in Paso Robles, California.  The Winemakers’ Cookoff is the largest fundraiser put on by the Rotary Club of Paso Robles and all monies raised after expenses go directly into the Scholarship Fund for local high school seniors at Paso Robles High School and Liberty High School.  Last year alone, Paso Robles Rotary Services, Inc. gave out $100,000 in scholarships to students preparing to attend trade schools, colleges, and universities. 

The Winemakers’ Cookoff gives local wineries and breweries a chance to showcase more than what they can pour, but their culinary skills as well.  The event offers four competition categories for participants: the People’s Choice Award, Judges’ Award, Professional Chef Award, and Spirit Award.  Attendees are able to sip and savor throughout the event and use their tickets to cast their vote.  The wineries and breweries make every attempt to impress participants by pouring great pairings with the food they offer and often go above and beyond to delight attendees with fun themes to show off their fundraising spirit.  Many wineries and breweries return year after year to vie for the top awards, but each year brings new competitors to the event as well, leaving no shortage of food, wine, and beer to sample.  

In addition to the lineup of generous wineries and breweries which can be previewed on the Winemakers’ Cookoff website, the Rotary Club of Paso Robles is able to support this tremendous fundraiser thanks to the generosity of other local businesses through sponsorships.  This year, Stifel is returned as the title sponsor. Thank you!

Here are the 2025 winners by category:

PEOPLE’S CHOICE

1st Place Daou

2nd Place Derby

3rd Place Eberle

Honorable Mention Hoyt

JUDGES’ AWARD

1st Place Sextant

2nd Place Bovino

3rd Place J. Lohr

Honorable Mention Ecluse

PROFESSIONAL CHEF

1st Place Vina Robles

2nd Place Bianchi

3rd Place Cal Coast

Honorable Mention Ancient Peaks

SPIRIT AWARD

1st Place Hoyt

2nd Place Derby

3rd Place My Favorite Neighbor

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Rotary Club of Paso Robles Announces $100,000 in Scholarships for 2025 Graduates

Paso Robles, California – January 29, 2025

The Rotary Club of Paso Robles is pleased to announce they will be giving out $100,000 in scholarships in 2025 to Paso Robles High School and Liberty High School students to further their education after graduation through trade schools, colleges, and universities. The Club set out to achieve this milestone 25 years ago with their annual fundraiser, the Winemakers’ Cookoff.

The Paso Robles Rotary Winemakers’ Cookoff was a vision of the Club over 25 years ago, spearheaded by Rotarian and winery owner, Gary Eberle (also the 2025 Robaln of the Year). Now, a committee serves to run the event each year led by co-chairs Sharon Ross and Vicki Silva from the Rotary Club of Paso Robles. This year will be the 26th year for the event on August 9th at the Paso Robles Event Center. Tickets go on sale in April at winemakerscookoff.com. Attendees must be 21 years or older to attend and tickets to the event have sold out over the last several years, aiding in the scholarship fund. 

Two additional Club committees manage the scholarships and investments, led by Dr. Patrick Sayne and Ann Hansen, respectively. Students submit an essay with their application for scholarship awards of up to $5,000 for one year or up to $10,000 for a multi-year award. The scholarships are inclusive to all students, not major-specific or need-based, allowing all graduates in the Paso Robles district the opportunity to apply. Essay topics typically cover lessons learned from encountered obstacles, personal growth stories, a questioned belief, ethical dilemma, or the significance of a problem solved. Scholarship committee members spend a great deal of time reading student essays with their applications and say the essays give them a hope for the future of our community.

The Rotary Club of Paso Robles will be accepting scholarship applications until midnight on February 13th, 2025 through the Community Foundation San Luis Obispo County (cfsloco.org) under the “2025 Rotary Club of Paso Robles Cullen Black Scholarship Fund.” The funds for the scholarship have been primarily raised by the Winemakers’ Cookoff with an additional contribution made by the family of Cullen Black who was an educator in Paso Robles along with his wife, Kathleen. The Rotary Club of Paso Robles is a community service organization which values education.

About the Rotary Club of Paso Robles

The Rotary Club of Paso Robles was chartered in 1924 and has a long history of “service above self,” the motto of Rotary International.  The Club is very active in local and world service projects, including projects to clean up the environment, provide resources to serve the local homeless population, aid in educational projects for underserved populations internationally, and more.  Local organizations they have supported include Boy Scouts of America Troops 60 and 160, Assistance League of San Luis Obispo County, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Mid Central Coast, the Children’s Museum, Paso Robles Youth Arts, the Pioneer Museum, and more.  Through their successful fundraising events such as the Annual Rotary Golf Tournament and Annual Rotary Winemakers’ Cookoff, the Rotary Club of Paso Robles continues to support the Paso Robles community.  To date, the Rotary Club of Paso Robles has raised over $1,000,000 dedicated towards scholarships alone.   For more information about the Rotary Club of Paso Robles, please visit https://www.pasoroblesrotary.org.

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Rotary Club of Paso Robles Awards $94,000 in Scholarships to Local High School Seniors in 2024 – Thank You Winemakers’ Cookoff Supporters

The Rotary Club of Paso Robles recently awarded over $94,000 in scholarships to local high school seniors.  Rotary Club of Paso Robles Scholarship Chair Scott Laycock and Club President Bob Vilhauer presented a total of $92,360 in 18 scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $10,000 at a scholarship award event held at Paso Robles High School on June 6.  The smaller scholarships were for graduates planning to attend Cuesta College while the largest $10,000 scholarships were multi-year awards for students planning on attending 4-year universities. 

The Rotary Club of Paso Robles also hosted the scholarship winners and their families to their weekly lunch meeting on Thursday June 13, where they were recognized by all club members for their outstanding scholastic achievements. The recipients shared their plans for continuing their education with those in attendance.  Rotary Club of Paso Robles Scholarship Chair Scott Laycock noted:

“the accomplishments of the scholarship applicants are truly amazing, making selection of the winners by the club’s Scholarship Selection Committee challenging but very fulfilling.” 

These scholarships are enabled by the annual Paso Robles Rotary Winemakers’ Cookoff, the largest fundraiser put on by the Rotary Club of Paso Robles each year.  All proceeds from this event go to the Harlow Ford Scholarship Fund dedicated to funding scholarships for local high school seniors at Paso Robles High School and Liberty High School to attend trade schools, community colleges, and universities.  To date, the Paso Robles Rotary Winemakers’ Cookoff has raised over $1,000,000.  This year’s 25th annual event will be held on Saturday, August 10, at the Paso Robles Event Center.

In addition to these scholarships, the Rotary Club of Paso Robles awarded an additional $2,000 in Legacy scholarships through the club’s Youth Fund.

About Rotary International

Rotary brings together a global network of volunteer leaders dedicated to tackling the world’s most pressing humanitarian challenges. Rotary connects 1.4 million members of more than 46,000 Rotary clubs in over 200 countries and geographical areas. Rotary members improve lives and bring positive, lasting change to communities around the world by promoting peace, fighting disease (like the mission for the global eradication of polio), providing clean water and sanitation, supporting education, saving mothers and children, growing local economies, and protecting the environment.

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Paso Robles Wineries and Breweries Share Food and Fundraising at 24th Winemakers’ Cookoff

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Paso Robles, California, August 4, 2023 –

The Rotary Club of Paso Robles is preparing for their 24th wine, beer, and food fundraising event here on the Central Coast of California – the annual Winemakers’ Cookoff in Paso Robles, California.  The event is set for Saturday, August 12th, from 6:00-9:00 PM at the Paso Robles Events Center.  The Winemakers’ Cookoff is the largest fundraiser put on by the Rotary Club of Paso Robles and all monies raised after expenses go directly into the Harlow Ford Scholarship Fund for local high school seniors at Paso Robles High School and Liberty High School.  Last year alone, Paso Robles Rotary Services, Inc. gave out nearly $90,000 in scholarships to students preparing to attend trade schools, colleges, and universities.  The goal of the club is to be able to give out $100,000 in scholarships annually.

The Winemakers’ Cookoff gives local wineries and breweries a chance to showcase more than what they can pour, but their culinary skills as well.  The event offers four competition categories for participants: the People’s Choice Award, Judges’ Award, Professional Chef Award, and Spirit Award.  Attendees are able to sip and savor throughout the event and use their tickets to cast their vote.  The wineries and breweries make every attempt to impress participants by pouring great pairings with the food they offer and often go above and beyond to delight attendees with fun themes to show off their fundraising spirit.  Many wineries and breweries return year after year to vie for the top awards, but each year brings new competitors to the event as well, leaving no shortage of food, wine, and beer to sample.  

In addition to the lineup of generous wineries and breweries which can be previewed on the Winemakers’ Cookoff website, the Rotary Club of Paso Robles is able to support this tremendous fundraiser thanks to the generosity of other local businesses through sponsorships.  This year, Stifel is returning as the title sponsor along with other event sponsors including Guaranteed Rate, Central Coast Home Health and Hospice, Idler’s Home, and RE/MAX Parkside Real Estate.

Attendees must be 21 years or older to attend and ticket sales will be limited but can be purchased online in advance to secure a spot.  Tickets are available for $100 per person or $50 each for designated drivers.  Sponsorship opportunities are also available.  For more information on the Winemakers’ Cookoff, visit https://winemakerscookoff.com or on Facebook at @WMCOPasoRobles.

About the Rotary Club of Paso Robles 

The Rotary Club of Paso Robles (#1602) was chartered in 1924 and has a long history of “service above self,” the motto of Rotary International.  The Club is very active in the community through scholarships, sponsorship of the local Boy Scouts of America organization, and raising money for local projects like homeless shelters, food banks, and dictionaries for third-grade students.  To get more information on fundraising, events, speaking opportunities, or to join the Rotary Club of Paso Robles, please visit https://pasoroblesrotary.org.

About Rotary International 

Rotary brings together a global network of volunteer leaders dedicated to tackling the world’s most pressing humanitarian challenges. Rotary connects 1.4 million members of more than 46,000 Rotary clubs in over 200 countries and geographical areas. Rotary members improve lives and bring positive, lasting change to communities around the world by promoting peace, fighting disease (like the mission for the global eradication of polio), providing clean water and sanitation, supporting education, saving mothers and children, growing local economies, and protecting the environment.  For more information, visit https://www.rotary.org.

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