Paradise Springs

2019 is the 36th year for the Virginia Governor’s Cup. Each year Virginia wineries are provided with the opportunity to submit their wines to the Virginia Wineries Association Governor’s Cup® Competition. 

The submitted wines go through four preliminary tastings in Washington, D.C. Then the finalists move on to the final wine tastings in Richmond Virginia. The top winner of the Governor’s  Cup is chosen from the top 12 best wines submitted. In 2019, Horton Vineyards won the Governor’s Cup with their 2016 Petit Manseng. 

All 12 top-rated wines are used for marketing the wines of Virginia by the Virginia Wine Board Marketing Office.

One of the marketing events includes a  Governor’s Cup Case Seminar that takes place May 21, 2019. The main seminar will take place at King Family Vineyards where all the winemakers will be available to talk about their wines and answer questions. In addition five satellite locations will have access to the seminar (live-streamed) where attendees can also taste the wines and ask questions online. Since Virginia is such a large state, offering the seminar via live-stream, means more people have access to the seminar. Great idea!

In 2019 the top 12 Virginia wines ( Governor’s Cup top 12) include:

• Barboursville Vineyards 2017 Vermentino Reserve
• Early Mountain Vineyards 2016 Eluvium
• Glen Manor Vineyards 2015 Cabernet Franc
• Horton Vineyards 2016 Petit Manseng
• King Family Vineyards 2016 Mountain Plains
• King Family Vineyards 2016 Meritage
• Paradise Springs Winery 2015 Meritage
• Virginia Wineworks 2016 Hamlet Vineyards Eltham
• Virginia Wineworks 2016 Michael Shaps Petit Manseng
• Virginia Wineworks 2016 Michael Shaps Raisin d’Etre White
• Virginia Wineworks 2015 Michael Shaps Tannat
• Virginia Wineworks 2014 Upper Shirley Zachariah

We have visited about all but one of these award winning wineries and wrote articles about each one. Find our more about Virginia wineries on the Wine Trail Traveler website.

Cheers!
Kathy