SLO County wine industry toasts 2026 standouts at California Mid-State Fair
By Stephen Ellison · Thu Jul 23 2026
Octavio Garcia Martinez, Janell Dusi, Andrew Jones, and Diablo Paso recognized for contributions to wine community
PASO ROBLES — Members of the local wine industry gathered at the California Mid-State Fair (CMSF) on July 17 to toast three of their own who stood out this past year in San Luis Obispo County, recognizing the individuals who have helped make the Central Coast wine community thrive.
Presented by the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance (PRWCA), the 2026 belt-buckle trophies, which initially were announced July 10, went to Octavio Garcia Martinez for Wine Grape Grower of the Year, Janell Dusi for Winemaker of the Year, and Andrew Jones for Wine Person of the Year.
Joel Peterson, CEO of the PRWCA, said it’s hard to beat such a tight-knit community coming together — with city and county officials and wine lovers in attendance — on a Friday evening at the CMSF.
“The fair is so special to our region — it’s kind of a hallmark of the county anyway, so what a cool area to do it,” Peterson said. “Another cool thing is a lot of the past winners coming out tonight and coming out every year … The awards honor the (wine community) leaders who give back and really bring a spotlight to our region. There’s so many great wine (regions) in California and in America. But we’ve got a really special one here.”
Diablo Paso was presented with the Winery of the Year belt buckle, and before the three individual winners took the stage at Mission Square to receive their awards, each sat down with Paso Robles Press to discuss the honors.
‘Harvesting results’
Martinez, who owns Martinez Farming in Paso Robles, was “excited” about receiving recognition as Wine Grape Grower of the Year after nearly three decades farming vineyards in the region.
“I never thought I would get recognized today,” he said with a wide smile. “When I got the call from Joel and he said you’ve got a nomination for the grower of the year, I texted my daughters. I never thought I would win … A couple of weeks later, email again from Joel, saying, ‘Oh, you win.’ I was very excited.”
Martinez built his business literally from the ground up. After arriving in the U.S. from Mexico at age 16, he worked on farms in Madera and studied English before moving to Paso Robles in 1998. There he worked with Pacific Vineyard Co., learning the technical aspects of vineyard management and leadership skills. Years later, he took those skills to Roberts Vineyard Services, where Neil Roberts helped him launch his farming business. Martinez Farming started in 2010 with just a handful of workers, and today its workforce has grown to more than 150, he said.
Describing the award’s timing and significance, Martinez used a farming analogy.
“I think it’s special because all the work I did for those 30 years, it’s like now we are harvesting our results,” he said. “Working hard farming all those years, and now is the time to start the harvest.”
Carrying on a legacy
Dusi, a third-generation Paso Robles winemaker, has taken the torch passed on to her by her grandparents and parents and launched her very own label, J Dusi Wines, that upholds the legacy of “DusiFruit,” the family’s dry-farmed Zinfandel. She was a bit surprised and quite humbled by the 2026 recognition as Winemaker of the Year.
“We’ve been here for a long time, making old-vine Zinfandel for many, many years, and to show that I’m creating a wine from my family fruit and to be recognized for it is really amazing,” Dusi said. “It’s a bigger deal than I actually pictured it, so it’s really fun to take time to step back and celebrate it.”
Dusi was raised in the vineyards as a “farmer’s daughter,” so farming wine grapes and producing fine wine is in her blood. She has been making wine for family and friends since 1996, practicing traditional Italian winemaking techniques she learned from her grandfather, Dante Dusi. In 2006, she released the inaugural J Dusi Wines vintage, and she remains a hands-on winemaker to this day.
Receiving the award this year prompted Dusi to reflect a bit on the status of local wine business and the industry as a whole.
“It’s timely because the wine industry is going through a flux right now, and we need to stay positive and turn this narrative around,” she said. “I think it’s a really good time for that because I’ve been the biggest cheerleader for Paso Robles wine. In a time like this, when some wineries are suffering and some are doing OK, it’s a good reminder that we’re all in this together. Wine goes through ups and downs, and it’ll come back. … We gotta stay focused and stay positive. A little wine is always nice to share with friends and family. Everyone’s happy when they’re drinking wine. Right?”
Wine stories
Jones, a sales executive with vineyard supplier Sunridge Nurseries, launched his own winery as something to keep himself busy during the nursery’s down times, he said. To say he was surprised to receive the honor of Wine Person of the Year would be an understatement.
“I’m not sure how I ended up in this whole situation,” he joked. “It’s the sign of the apocalypse that we’re giving the nursery guy an award. But, no, it’s pretty cool.”
Though Jones has been in the vineyard business for a quarter-century, 2026 is his 20th harvest at Paso Robles-based Field Recordings Winery, which he launched in 2007. It quickly became one of the region’s celebrated wineries and was the first to establish itself at the uber-popular Tin City in 2012. The label is a testament to his belief that every vineyard, every wine has a story worth telling.
Jones said he feels like he’s a bit counterculture for Paso Robles and San Luis Obispo County because he’s been “plugging away” through the years, working on different projects and trying different things. But the historical aspect of wine is not lost on him.
“It’s the coolest alcohol beverage choice out there, maybe biblical,” he said. “It’s not a commodity thing. We’re the only thing not made from grain … And, you know, if you’re gonna go to your local restaurant for a drink with a nice dinner, every wine has a good story behind it.”
The awards are voted on by the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance, the SLO Coast Wine Collective, the Independent Grape Growers of the Paso Robles Area, the Vineyard Team, and past award recipients.
Feature Image: (From left) Winemaker of the Year Janell Dusi, Wine Person of the Year Andrew Jones, and Wine Grape Grower of the Year Octavio Garcia Martinez were honored at the California Mid-State Fair on July 17 by the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance (PRWCA), who also named Diablo Paso as Winery of the Year. Photo by Brittany App