Chardonnay and Pinot Noir have taken centre stage in this year’s California Collection – the annual competition organised by The Wine Merchant in partnership with the California Wine Institute.

The 50 winners, from a field of 135 wines, were chosen by a panel of independent merchants at a tasting held at WBC’s premises in south London.

Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel also performed strongly. But wine writer David Williams, who joined the judging, said: “It was heartening to see some of the highest-scoring wines involving Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah, Chenin Blanc and Semillon, too. But then that’s all very much par for the course in a state that has never been more diverse.”

Our judges were Rachel Gilbert, Pacific Wines, London; Jimmy Smith, Streatham Wine House, London; Bryan Houde, Wine Monkey, Chippenham; Verity Sessions, Palate Bottle Shop, Shoreham, Sussex; Natalia Ribbe, Sète, Margate; Kelly Boss, Starmore Boss, Sheffield; Ben McVeigh-Whittaker, Peckham Cellars, London.

The California Collection supplement was mailed with the March edition of The Wine Merchant and the digital version can be found here.