In a year that saw a record number of producers entering a record number of wines, the 2026 Virginia Governor’s Cup went to Valley Road Vineyards of Afton for its 2023 Cabernet Franc Reserve.
The award was announced by Governor Abigail Spanberger during the annual Virginia Governor’s Cup Gala at Richmond’s Main Street Station. The winner had the highest score from more than 670 entries submitted by 156 producers.
In addition to the overall winner, the 12 wines with the highest scores in the rigorous competition were revealed, including two from wineries in Northern Virginia.
“The Virginia Governor’s Cup competition is more than just a contest. It’s the celebration of our culture, our heritage, and the spirit of entrepreneurship that defines the Commonwealth of Virginia,” Spanberger said in presenting the award.
‘An Industry on the Rise’
The governor highlighted Virginia viticulture’s impressive statistics: $1.7 billion in annual economic impact, more than 10,000 jobs, more than 4,000 acres of grapes statewide resulting in wines that continue to earn accolades around the country and around the globe.
“This is an industry on the rise,” Spanberger said.
But beyond the data points, she added, “there’s something more important and deeper about what Virginia Wine represents. It represents our connection to our land, the creativity of our people, and our commitment to excellence.”
Valley Road Vineyards succeed in combining those qualities to craft the wine that took top honors. The winery is located in Central Virginia’s Monticello American Viticultural Area (AVA), nestled against the Blue Ridge Mountains about 20 miles west of Charlottesville. Founded in 2015, it’s managed by Founder & CEO Stan Joynes, with Corry Craighill serving as winemaker.
Craighill crafted the winning wine, made from 100 percent Cabernet Franc grapes grown at the winery’s Grayson Vineyard. She has worked at wineries in Central Virginia and Loudoun County as well as around the globe, ultimately returning to her home state.
“I can’t say enough about how this industry is such a community,” said Craighill, who is only the third woman to win Virginia’s premiere winemaking prize.
Governor’s Case: Comprised of the Top 12 Wines
To receive the Governor’s Cup, Vally Road’s 2023 Cabernet Franc Reserve earned the highest average score from a panel of distinguished judges who evaluated entries based on appearance, aroma, flavor, commercial suitability, and overall quality.
It will be featured alongside 11 other wines in the Virginia Governor’s Cup Case, a collection representing the competition’s twelve highest-scoring wines. Those wines include these two from the Northern Virginia wine region:
Granite Heights Winery of Warrenton, 2024 Humility
Winery at La Grange of Haymarket, 2024 Petit Manseng
They also include these two wines from the Shenandoah Valley, a region growing in popularity:
CrossKeys Vineyards, 2024 Cabernet Franc
Glen Manor Vineyards, 2023 Vin Rouge
These seven Central Virginia wineries round out the Governor’s Case:
7 Lady Vineyards, 2023 Meritage
Barboursville Vineyards, 2024 Vermentino
Fifty-Third Winery and Vineyard, 2023 Two Springs
Michael Shaps Wineworks, 2023 Cabernet Franc
Pollak Vineyards, 2023 Merlot Reserve
Trump Winery, 2018 Blanc de Noir
Woodbrook Farm Vineyard, 2024 Petit Manseng
Best in Show Wines: Highlighting Outstanding Categories
For the second year, standout wines in select categories were named Best in Show —awarded to the highest-scoring gold-medal wine in categories with at least five entries.
Among this year’s 11 winners, six were from Northern Virginia:
Albarino: Good Spirit Farm of Round Hill, 2024 Albariño
Norton: Chrysalis Vineyards of Middleburg, 2022 Norton
Petit Verdot: Paradise Springs Winery of Clifton, 2023 Petit Verdot
Tannat: Walsh Family Wine of Purcellville, 2021 Tannat
Vidal Blanc: 50 West Vineyards of Middleburg, 2024 Vidal Blanc
White Blend: WildKind Estate of Purcellville, 2024 WildKind White
These five wineries from Shennadoah Valley and Central Virginia also took home Best in Show awards:
Cabernet Sauvignon: Wolf Gap Vineyard, 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon
Chardonnay: Knight’s Gambit Vineyard, 2023 Chardonnay
Dessert Wines: Hark Vineyards, 2022 Ember
Sauvignon Blanc: Pippin Hill Farm and Vineyards, 2024 Sauvignon Blanc
Viognier: The Barn at 678, 2024 Viognier
Cider of the Year: ‘The Most Virginian Thing You Can Drink’
For the sixth year, Virginia ciders were judged in their own category by a separate panel of judges, and they received 10 gold medals.
With the highest scoring cider in this year’s competition, Blue Bee Cider of Richmond received the 2026 Cider of the Year award for its 2024 Hewe’s Crab. Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Katie Frazier presented the award to owners Taylor Benson and Mackenzie Smith.
“Crafting an award-winning cider is no small feat,” Frazier said. “It requires not only skill and expertise, but also patience, creativity, and a deep passion for the art of cider.”
The history of cider runs deep around the world, Benson said in accepting the award.
“In the U.S., especially Virginia, it was the drink on every table, especially for the working class, from history to now,” he said. “Virginia cider is for the people and is the most Virginian thing you can drink.”
Overall, 224 gold medals were awarded to 113 producers of wine and cider in this year’s competition. You can find a complete list of all the winners on the Virginia Wine website.
Results Reflect Virginia’s Unique Sense of Place
Valley Road’s winning Cabernet Franc wine underscored two trends from this year’s judging — red wines dominated the competition, and 2023 was an exceptional year for producing Virginia wine.
Wine is a reflection of when and where it’s produced — signified by the vintage and the terroir that winemakers and wine enthusiasts like to talk about. The results of this year’s competition underscored that in several key ways:
Red varieties thrive in growing regions across the state, and that was reflected in the results as they earned more than 60 percent of all gold medals. That includes both red blends and single varietal red wines. Red wines accounted for two-thirds of the wines in the Governor’s Case, eight of the top 12.
Red blends have become a Virginia hallmark, and those wines had the most entries for a specific category with 141 — and 62 of those earned gold medals. Red blends captured three of the 12 spots in the Governor’s Case.
Cabernet Franc is the most widely planted grape variety in Virginia. Those wines earned 31 gold medals, the highest number for wine made from a single grape variety. Cab Franc wines took another three of the 12 slots in the Governor’s Case, including the overall winner.
The gold medal wines spanned nine vintages, from 2017 to 2025, representing the year the grapes were harvested. But one year stood out: Of the gold medal wines, 81 were made from grapes harvested in 2023 — meaning 38 percent of the gold medals went to the 2023 vintage, widely considered by producers to be an outstanding year.
More Ways to Experience the Winning Wines and Ciders
Frank Morgan, a longtime Virginia wine writer who serves as director of the Governor’s Cup competition, crunched the numbers behind this year’s competition to provide an analysis of both the entries and the awards.
“Several factors contributed to this record-setting performance,” he said. “Most importantly, wine quality across the Commonwealth continues to rise, reflected in higher average scores overall.”
Take a deep dive: To see Morgan’s detailed breakdown of the numbers, go to his blog at Drink What You Like.
Get a personal perspective: For additional insight and tasting notes on the gold medal winners from another longtime Virginia wine observer, go to My NoVa Wine Blog, written by Dan Redding.
Go beyond the label: To learn how to pair wine and cider with food — plus get tips for serving and storing — check out AHsomm, which gives consumers access to information about individual wines. The service was founded by Phil Sellery, a sommelier based in Charlottesville who partnered with Virginia Wine to provide detailed information about the top 12 wines. Go to the AHsomm Instagram page and follow the link in the bio to see the profiles.
Hit the trail: The 2026 Gold Medal Wine Trail allows wine lovers to explore Virginia’s award-winning wineries across the Commonwealth. Go to the Virginia Wine website to sign up for the free mobile tasting pass — and start visiting wineries and winning prizes.
Now in its 44th year, the Virginia Governor’s Cup, is organized by the Virginia Wineries Association in partnership with the Virginia Wine Board and the Virginia Vineyards Association. It’s open only to wines and ciders that are made from 100 percent Virginia-grown fruit, a key factor in maintaining the high standards.
Jane Fullerton Lemons is a Virginia-based writer and recovering Washington journalist focused on wine and travel. A 2026 fellow at the Wine Writers Symposium in Napa Valley, she shares stories of the people and places behind the bottles, while also helping American consumers understand agriculture and how it impacts their lives. You can follow her work here.
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