Virginia Governor's Cup Heralds a Rising Star

Gala crowd celebrates an ideal vintage and the growth of the Old Dominion's wine

The Virginia wine community celebrated itself with its annual Governor’s Cup Gala in Richmond last Thursday. It was a banner event in the fabulous Main Street Railroad Station, featuring food from Richmond’s vibrant restaurant scene and gold medal wines from this year’s competition.

The highlight was Governor Abigail Spanberger presenting the Governor’s Cup for best in show to Valley Road Vineyards and winemaker Corry Craighill for its 2023 Cabernet Franc Reserve.

Gov. Abigail Spanberger (right) presents the 2026 Virginia Governor’s Cup trophy to Valley Road Vineyards winemaker Corry Craighill (center right) and CEO Stan Joynes (center left). Agriculture and Forestry Secretary Katie Frazier is at left.

“Tonight reflects the dedication, innovation, and agricultural strength that continues to elevate Virginia as one of our nation’s premier wine regions,” said Spanberger, who took office in January. “Valley Road Vineyards’ 2023 Cabernet Franc Reserve showcases the exceptional craftsmanship and quality on display tonight, and I look forward to supporting these incredible vineyards over the next four years.”

It was a banner year for the competition, as the reds from the fabulous 2023 vintage made their first appearance. Frank Morgan, who has managed the competition for the last three years, broke down the entries and results on his blog, “Drink What YOU Like.”

More than 670 wines were entered this year from 155 wineries. A record 214 wines and 10 ciders earned gold medals. In total, 113 wineries and cideries received at least one gold medal, compared to 87 wineries, cideries, and meaderies in 2025.

“Several factors contributed to this record-setting performance,” Morgan said. “Most importantly, wine quality across the Commonwealth continues to rise, reflected in higher average scores overall. … The exceptional 2023 vintage also played a significant role in the number of gold medals,” accounting for 35% of total entries and 52% of all gold medals.

The competition is divided into two rounds of judging. In the preliminary round, several panels of judges award gold, silver and bronze medals. In the final round, 12 judges (most of whom did not participate in the first round) taste all the gold medal wines and score them anew. The top 12 wines from this round become the Governor’s Case, which celebrates the diversity and quality of Virginia wine. The top scoring wine wins the Governor’s Cup. The final round judges are not all hometown cheerleaders. This year’s panel included three Masters of Wine and a Master Sommelier.

The full 2026 Virginia Governor’s Cup Case includes:

• 7 Lady Vineyards, 2023 Meritage

• Barboursville Vineyards, 2024 Vermentino

• CrossKeys Vineyards, 2024 Cabernet Franc

• Fifty-Third Winery and Vineyard, 2023 Two Springs

• Glen Manor Vineyards, 2023 Vin Rouge

• Granite Heights Winery, 2024 Humility

• Michael Shaps Wineworks, 2023 Cabernet Franc

• Pollak Vineyards, 2023 Merlot Reserve

• Trump Winery, 2018 Blanc de Noir

• Valley Road Vineyards, 2023 Cabernet Franc Reserve

• Winery at La Grange, 2024 Petit Manseng

• Woodbrook Farm Vineyard, 2024 Petit Manseng

Richmond-based Blue Bee Cider received the 2026 Cider of the Year recognition for its 2024 Hewe’s Crab, a traditional apple variety from Virginia’s colonial era.

Interestingly, the Valley Road Cabernet Franc Reserve 2023 was from a new vineyard, planted in spring 2021. The third-leaf vines produced expressive fruit that captured the savory elegance the variety is known for.

A new generation

Craighill is a popular winemaker among Virginia wine fans, crafting wines at Septenary winery as well as Valley Road, both in the Afton area west of Charlottesville. She is not the first female winemaker to win the Governor’s Cup, but in her remarks accepting the honor, she noted that she stood on stage between Virginia Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Katie Frazier and Spanberger, the commonwealth’s first female governor.

She also noted that “we are the new generation.” And she’s right; to be honest, Virginia wine is getting a little long in the tooth. It’s refreshing to see the younger generation of winemakers getting acclaim.

I’m part of that long-in-the-tooth crowd. This was the 44th year for the Governor’s Cup competition. My first as a judge was 2000, and while I have not judged every year since then, I’ve probably judged more Virginia Governor’s Cups than anyone else, including the years when there were separate competitions for white and red wines. This does not win me an award (unless FIFA comes through with one) but it does allow me some perspective.

The Virginia Governor’s Cup used to be about identifying wineries who were doing something right during an era of exploration. Today the goal is to recognize the broad quality of Virginia’s best wines. So to those of you thinking, “What good’s a competition if everybody wins?” — the point isn’t to identify losers. Under Morgan, wineries have been limited to six entries, so that already weeds out a lot of the chaff. Judging the final round is actually quite difficult because the quality among the gold medal wines is so consistent. (This year, out of the 210 in the final round, there was only one I thought didn’t belong there.)

Nor does the Governor’s Cup necessarily go to “Virginia’s Best Wine.” Several highly regarded wineries don’t enter for various reasons. Any of the 12 in the Governor’s Case could easily have scored highest. Many of the winemakers pouring their gold medal wines at the gala could have stood on that stage when the case was announced; many of them have in years past and probably will in the future. Valley Road won because its wine stood out a little bit more among 210 wines tasted over three days by 12 judges.

There were some dejected winery folks at the gala who thought their wines should have scored better. I hope they will enter again next year, because their wines might indeed score higher. And the big winner ultimately is the entire Virginia wine community.