Press Release
Heath Family Brands, which includes Texas Hill Country staples Grape Creek Vineyards, Invention Vineyards, K Estate, and Heath Sparkling Wines, had a strong showing at this year’s 23rd Annual Critics Challenge International Wine Competition, with plenty for Texas wine fans to celebrate. The competition was held June 27-28, 2026.
Grape Creek Vineyards’ Non-Vintage Port, a Texas AVA wine, scored 94 points and was named Best Port of the competition. Heath Sparkling’s 2022 Adoration was named Best Sparkling Rosé, the second time it’s earned that title in competitions this year.
Across the full Heath Family Brands portfolio, 19 wines scored 90 points or above, with 11 of those from Texas AVAs, alongside 4 Platinum medals and 6 Director’s Awards.
The showing also included a national headline: the 2022 Knights Valley Cabernet Franc from Jenblossom Cellars was named the competition’s overall Wine of the Year with a 97-point score, the highest of the entire 465-entry field. The Robert Whitley Trophy for Wine of the Year is the Jenblossom Cellars 2022 Cabernet Franc from Sonoma County’s Knights Valley AVA, landing a score of 97 points and surpassing some serious competition.
Chief Wine Judge Michael Franz commented, “Although this is a wine of power and persistence, it remains recognizable as Cab Franc on account of a subtle leafy accent note and ultra-fine tannins. Lots of those tannins are present, but their ripeness and fine grain makes them entirely welcome as structural partners for the intense and very deeply flavored fruit, which recalls blackberries above all on account of its dark tones combines with freshening acidity. This wine is somewhere very close to as good as Cabernet Franc gets in the New World – or just about anywhere, for that matter. Bloody impressive wine.”
See all the results at https://criticschallenge.com
These are the Texas winery results.
Grape Creek Vineyards
NV Port Texas $54.00 Platinum 94 points
2024 Grand Rouge Texas $36.00 Gold 91 points
2022 Right Bank Texas $47.00 Gold 91 points
2022 Prosperity Texas $54.00 Gold 90 points
2024 Cab Blanc Texas $36.00 Silver
2024 Cuvée Blanc Texas $40.00 Silver
2022 Mosaic Texas $60.00 Silver
2024 Pinot Grigio Texas $40.00 Silver
Heath Family Estate
2022 The Individualist Texas Hill Country $88.00 Gold 92 points
2022 The Originalist Texas Hill Country $88.00 Gold 90 points
2023 The Compatriotes Reserve Texas Hill Country $88.24 Silver
2022 The Elitist Texas Hill Country $88.00 Silver
Heath Sparkling Wines
2022 Adoration American $61.00 Gold 92 points
2022 Ebullience American $56.00 Gold 91 points
Invention Vineyards
2024 Mourvèdre Rosé Texas $44.00 Gold 90 points
2024 Viognier Texas $38.82 Gold 90 points
2024 Imaginada Texas $40.00 Silver
2022 Mourvèdre Texas $52.00 Silver
Jenblossom Cellars
2022 Cabernet Franc Knights Valley $182.35 Platinum 97 points
2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Yountville $147.00 Platinum 95 points
2022 Pinot Noir Petaluma Gap $112.00 Platinum 94 points
2021 Scary Good Napa Valley $234.00 Gold 91 points
2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford $147.06 Gold 90 points
K Estate Vineyards
2025 Rosé of Syrah Texas High Plains $43.53 Gold 92 points
2023 Cabernet Sauvignon Oak Knoll District $73.00 Gold 91 points
2023 Malbec Texas High Plains $58.00 Gold 90 points
2023 Tempranillo Estate Texas Hill Country $59.00 Gold 90 points
2025 Semillon Texas High Plains $40.00 Silver
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