Top 25 Most Awarded Virginia Wineries
Virginia's wine industry has grown from just six wineries in the late 1970s to more than 300 today, producing world-class Cabernet Franc, Viognier, Petit Verdot, and Bordeaux-style blends that regularly earn national recognition. Each year, the Virginia Governor's Cup Competition evaluates hundreds of wines through rigorous blind tasting by nationally recognized judges. Wines scoring 90 points or higher earn Gold Medals, and the top 12 enter the prestigious Governor's Cup Case.
The rankings below are based on nine years of Governor's Cup results (2018–2026), sorted by prestige—Governor's Cup wins first, then Case selections, Best in Show honors, Gold Medals, and total awards. This is the same approach used in Olympic medal counts: a single Gold outranks any number of Silvers.
Virginia Governor's Cup Medal Count: 2018–2026
| # | Winery | Cup | Case | BIS | Gold | Silver | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Barboursville Vineyards | 2 | 13 | — | 39 | 32 | 86 |
| 2 | King Family Vineyards | 2 | 5 | — | 33 | 34 | 74 |
| 3 | Mountain & Vine Vineyards and Winery | 1 | 2 | — | 13 | 55 | 71 |
| 4 | Cana Vineyards and Winery of Middleburg | 1 | 2 | — | 6 | 29 | 38 |
| 5 | Valley Road Vineyards | 1 | 1 | — | 7 | 28 | 37 |
| 6 | 868 Estate Vineyards | 1 | — | — | 9 | 23 | 33 |
| 7 | Horton Vineyards | 1 | — | — | 5 | 19 | 25 |
| 8 | Michael Shaps Wineworks | — | 9 | — | 60 | 77 | 146 |
| 9 | Trump Winery | — | 6 | — | 30 | 39 | 75 |
| 10 | Pollak Vineyards | — | 5 | 1 | 31 | 24 | 61 |
| 11 | Jefferson Vineyards | — | 4 | 1 | 24 | 61 | 90 |
| 12 | Paradise Springs Winery | — | 4 | 1 | 24 | 44 | 73 |
| 13 | Breaux Vineyards | — | 3 | 1 | 18 | 44 | 66 |
| 14 | 50 West Vineyards | — | 3 | 1 | 6 | 16 | 26 |
| 15 | Veritas Winery | — | 3 | — | 23 | 41 | 67 |
| 16 | CrossKeys Vineyards | — | 3 | — | 14 | 44 | 61 |
| 17 | Early Mountain Vineyards | — | 2 | — | 24 | 34 | 60 |
| 18 | The Barns at Hamilton Station Vineyards | — | 2 | — | 19 | 41 | 62 |
| 19 | Shenandoah Vineyards | — | 2 | — | 18 | 26 | 46 |
| 20 | Bluestone Vineyard | — | 2 | — | 17 | 75 | 94 |
| 21 | Afton Mountain Vineyards | — | 2 | — | 14 | 25 | 41 |
| 22 | Rockbridge Vineyard | — | 2 | — | 11 | 43 | 56 |
| 23 | Potomac Point Winery & Vineyard | — | 2 | — | 8 | 31 | 41 |
| 24 | Glen Manor Vineyards | — | 2 | — | 7 | 2 | 11 |
| 25 | The Winery at La Grange | — | 2 | — | 5 | 25 | 32 |
Data covers the 2018–2026 Virginia Governor's Cup competitions. Cup = Governor's Cup Winner (top overall wine). Case = Governor's Cup Case (top 12 wines). BIS = Best in Show (top wine in category, introduced 2025). Gold = 90+ point score. Silver = 87–89 point score. Click any winery to see their complete award history.
About the Virginia Governor's Cup
Now in its 44th year, the Virginia Governor's Cup is widely regarded as one of the nation's most rigorous state wine competitions. All entries must be made from 100 percent Virginia-grown fruit. Wines are evaluated blind over preliminary and final rounds using a 100-point scoring system by panels that include Masters of Wine, Master Sommeliers, and top industry professionals.
The 2026 competition received a record of more than 670 entries from 113 wineries and cideries, awarding 224 Gold Medals. The competition has become a bellwether for the quality and ambition of Virginia wine as a whole.
Virginia's Wine Regions
Virginia is home to eight American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) spread across ten distinct wine regions, from the sandy shores of the Chesapeake Bay to the mountain slopes of the Blue Ridge. The Monticello AVA near Charlottesville, named for Thomas Jefferson's estate and designated in 1984, is the oldest and most celebrated, home to many of the state's most awarded producers including Barboursville Vineyards, King Family Vineyards, Michael Shaps Wineworks, and Valley Road Vineyards.
Northern Virginia and the Middleburg AVA, just 50 miles from Washington, D.C., have emerged as a powerhouse in recent years. Loudoun County alone hosts more than 40 wineries, with producers like Cana Vineyards, Breaux Vineyards, Paradise Springs Winery, and Sunset Hills Vineyard earning consistent recognition. The Shenandoah Valley AVA, protected by mountain ranges on both sides, produces exceptional Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, and Riesling, with Bluestone Vineyard and CrossKeys Vineyards leading the way.
Governor's Cup Winners: 2018–2026
2026: Valley Road Vineyards — 2023 Cabernet Franc Reserve
Winemaker Corry Craighill's 100% Cabernet Franc from Grayson Vineyard in the Monticello AVA took the top honor with notes of violets and black cherry, a spicy peppery palate, and balanced tannins.
2025: Barboursville Vineyards — 2023 Vermentino Reserve
Luca Paschina's sixth Governor's Cup win. A white wine triumph in a competition that historically favors reds, the Vermentino showcased lemon-blossom character, lychee, and pear with racy acidity and a long mineral finish.
2024: King Family Vineyards — 2019 Meritage
Winemaker Matthieu Finot's Bordeaux-style blend of 48% Merlot, 28% Petit Verdot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Malbec, showing aromas of dried herbs, tobacco leaf, dark fruits, and oak spice.
2023: Mountain & Vine — 2021 Screaming Hawk Meritage
A Petit Verdot-dominant blend (50% PV, 30% Cab Sauv, 10% Cab Franc, 10% Malbec) from the former Delfosse Vineyards, crafted by winemaker Andrew Bilenkij using 100% estate-grown fruit in the Monticello AVA.
2022: Cana Vineyards — 2019 Unitè Reserve
Winemaker Melanie Natoli became the first woman to win the Governor's Cup in the competition's modern history with this signature estate red blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot from Loudoun County.
2021: Barboursville Vineyards — 2015 Paxxito
A passito-style dessert wine made from air-dried Moscato Ottonel and Vidal grapes, fermented naturally in oak for over two years. Winemaker Luca Paschina's opulent and age-worthy creation.
2020: 868 Estate Vineyards — 2017 Vidal Blanc
Winemaker Carl DiManno's dessert wine in the Italian passito style, made by partially drying the grapes to concentrate flavors — vibrant and fresh, with brisk acidity balancing the residual sweetness. The first Governor's Cup winner made entirely from Loudoun County fruit.
2019: Horton Vineyards — 2016 Petit Manseng
An intense explosion of flavors across the palate with a lingering acidic finish, from winemakers Michael Heny and Andrew Reagan. The first Petit Manseng ever to win the Virginia Governor's Cup, punctuating the legacy of Horton Vineyards' pioneering founder Dennis Horton.
2018: King Family Vineyards — 2014 Meritage
Matthieu Finot's blend of 50% Merlot, 23% Petit Verdot, 21% Cabernet Franc, and 6% Malbec: a complex nose of bright red fruit, violets, and dried rose petals, with a bright, focused palate of cherry and raspberry alongside oak spice. Aged 18 months in French oak.
