Talk-A-Vino

Virginia is for lovers. Everybody knows that. Or at least I assume that many people know that, as you can see these words on the billboards and in magazines. The original slogan was developed in 1969, stating that “Virginia is for beach lovers” and “Virginia is for history lovers”, before becoming just “Virginia is for lovers”.

That slogan also perfectly applies to our favorite subject here on these pages – wine. We can proclaim with conviction that Virginia is for wine lovers.

You might know that the love of wine in Virginia is tightly woven with American history. Thomas Jefferson was one of the original vintners in Virginia, tirelessly working at his Monticello estate to establish Vitis Vinifera plantings in his vineyard in the early 1800s. While he was not successful, his passion definitely survived to the present day, giving way to the top-notch, world-class wines produced in Virginia today.

My first encounter with Virginian wines was about 16 years ago, driven by the quest for rare grapes (also covered in one of the first 10 posts on this blog). I had an opportunity to visit Chrysalis Vineyards in Virginia to taste the wine made from the Norton grape – another historical connection to the Virginia wine scene, developed by Dr. Norton in 1825. During my visit, I found way more than just a delicious wine made from Norton, but also a full lineup of wines made from the classic French grapes. Ever since, I never had a doubt that Virginia makes world-class wine (except I can’t find them in Connecticut because … no… I’m not falling into the USA wine laws rant today…).

Recently, I was offered an opportunity to review and write about Virginian wines, which I gladly accepted. You already know that I hold Virginian wines in high regard, and they are largely not available in Connecticut, so this was a perfect opportunity to taste some new wines. I was a bit surprised when I got a full case, 12 bottles, of the wines from Virginia. The box contained no explanations, just a set of wines – one sparkling, 3 whites, and 8 reds.

I have randomly chosen a bottle of red to open, and boom – I’m blown away. Next bottle, red again – another OMG moment. At this point, I’m really curious, and I went online to research what wines I have received, and after checking a few wine names, I suddenly realized that I got not some random 12 wines from Virginia – no, I got the 2026 Governor’s Cup Case, 12 best of the best wines from Virginia.

Virginia Governor’s Cup originated in 1982 from a small tasting of Virginia wines during the Vintage Virginia Wine Festival, where about 50 people tasted the locally made wines. Starting in 1989, the event became an official competition, with the Governor of Virginia presenting the awards. In 2026, 670 wines, ciders, and meads entered the competition. 113 wineries received 224 Gold Medals, and the 12 highest-ranking red, white, and sparkling wines made up the Governor’s Cup Case.

Now I knew why each wine tasted better than the previous one… Well, whatever comes up, goes down, but that’s what makes the wine world so exciting. Keep reading, you will see what I’m talking about.

For what it’s worth, here are my notes in the order I tasted the wines:

2023 Fifty-Third Winery Two Springs Red Blend Monticello AVA (13% ABV, 73% Cabernet Franc, 22% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Petit Verdot)
Bright Ruby color
Fresh berries, Malbec-like, blackberries, raspberries, eucalyptus
Beautiful fresh berries, almost crunchy but juicy, eucalyptus, perfectly balancing acidity, firm structure.
8+, a wow wine.

2023 Glen Manor Vin Rouge Virginia (13.4% ABV, 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot, 4% Petite Verdot)
Beautiful Garnet
Eucalyptus, mint, freshly crushed red berries
Beautiful, supple, generally with layers of energy. A hint of cassis, beautiful fluffy texture, well integrated tannins and perfect balance. A delight.
8+, superb pop’n’pour

2024 Granite Heights Humility Virginia (12.7% ABV, 100% Lagrein)
Brilliant garnet
Fresh black and red fruit, eucalyptus
Stunning. Lip-smacking, gobs of fruit, wild, succulent berries, perfectly woven around a generous but firm core. Layers of pleasure, perfect balance. Wow.
8+/9-, superb.

2023 Pollack Vineyards Merlot Reserve Monticello (14.5% ABV, 100% Merlot, 80% Clone 343, 20% Clone 181, 18 months in French oak barrels)
Purple and inky
Cherries, spices, a whiff of bell pepper, eucalyptus
A celebration in the mouth – lots of succulent fruit, black cherries, blackberries, black currant, just gobs of it, smothered over eucalyptus leaves, dusted with black pepper. Voluptuous, generous, perfectly balanced. A pleasure.
8+/9-

2019 Trump Blanc de Blancs Brut Sparkling Wine Monticello (12.5% ABV, 48 months on lees)
Light straw, fine mousse
The nose is screaming “classic, classic, classic” – toasted bread, brioche, yeast
A perfectly classic palate, with toasted bread, apples, bright acidity, and perfect balance
8+, a pure pleasure, happy to drink it every day

2023 7 Lady Vineyards Meritage Virginia (13.9% ABV, 44% Merlot, 37% Petit Verdot, 19% Cabernet Franc)
Dark garnet
Ripe dark fruit, intense
Overly ripe fruit on the palate, almost stewed, some sweet mocha, a big wine
7, a first disappointment. The wine was too heavy, needed more acidity and more balance. Even the second day was still too heavy. A double disappointment as the bottle (a BAB) looked very promising…

2024 The Winery at La Grange Petit Manseng Virginia (13.9% ABV)
Golden color
Honey, honeysuckle, white plums, herbs
Candied white fruit, lemon and honey, good acidity.
Strange. I can drink it, but to say that I love it would be a lie.
7+, I must be missing something. Perhaps it should be good with food, some spicy Asian dish or maybe sharp cheese.

2023 Michael Shaps Cabernet Franc Virginia (13.7% ABV)
Dark garnet.
Upon opening, the wine was “too much” – jammy fruit all over the place. After about 30 minutes in the glass, the wine settled down to a leaner, drinkable version.
2nd day notes:
Cassis, cherries, eucalyptus, a touch of mint. Open and welcoming.
Cassis, cherries, a hint of tobacco and pepper, firm structure, elegant, well balanced, a pleasure to drink.
8/8+, nice

2024 Woodbrook Farm Vineyard Petit Manseng Monticello (15.4% ABV)
Light golden
First two days the wine was just too sweet
Day 3:
Honey and caramel on the nose, candied fruit, sweet plums
Honey, ripe white plums, floral undertones, lemon curd, velvety, good acidity on the finish
7+, I still don’t love this wine, but it is drinkable on day 3. Probably great with blue cheese

2023 Valley Road Vineyard Cabernet Franc Reserve Monticello (13.7% ABV) – Governor’s Cup Winner!
Bright Garnet
Mint, currant, intense, open, inviting, promising a great depth
Delicious gobs of fruit (currant, dark cherries), tobacco, velvety smooth, luscious and seductive. Perfect balance.
8+, wow, a pure delight

2024 Barboursville Vineyards Vermentino Reserve Virginia (13.5% ABV)
Light golden
Delicious fresh white stone fruit, hint of honeysuckle, fresh, inviting
Fresh, vibrant fruit on the palate, white plums, Meyers lemon, good structure, excellent balance.
8, delicious, needs about 10 minutes to open in the glass.

2024 CrossKeys Vineyards Cabernet Franc Shenandoah Valley (14% ABV)
Cassis leaf, eucalyptus, a hint of green pepper
Bell peppers, a touch of black pepper, currant. It was leaner, firmer, and sharper on Day 1. On Day 3, it opened up into a bigger wine, more of the California fruit-forward style
8-/8, a nice rendition

There you are, my friends. As you can see, I was unable to fall in love with the Virginian rendition of Petit Manseng, it was just too sweet. By chance, a few days ago, I had a blend of Gros Manseng and Petit Manseng from Field Recordings in California, and it was stylistically similar, but a lot more elegant for my palate. But all in all, I can’t complain with 9 superb wines out of 12 – the beauty of the wine world, everyone can find what they like, as long as they are willing to look.

Have you had any wines from Virginia? What do you think of them?