Virginia Wines Take Center Stage in 2025 Governor’s Cup
Standout bottles showcase the state’s diversity, innovation, and growing winemaking excellence.
The 2025 Virginia Governor’s Cup showcased the impressive range and rising quality of wines across the state. From crisp whites to complex blends, winemakers are leaning into both traditional and emerging varietals that thrive in Virginia’s unique terroir. The following were the top white’s in the completion and were tasted today with winemakers and owners.
Barboursville Vineyards Vermentino Reserve 2023 ($23): The top wine in the 2025 Virginia Governor’s Cup competition; a well-deserved honor.
Estate Director and winemaker Luca Paschina hails from Alba, Italy, and was born into a family with a long line of winemakers. The Vermentino was planted in 2009, and he raved about how well the slow-ripening grape performs in Virginia’s climate.
“There are intense, complex aromatics,” Paschina said. “There’s a smooth entry, a briny, salty, mineral finish, and a long aftertaste.”
Intense aromatics rose from the glass—aromas of pear, lemon zest, and lime zest ushered in the same flavors, along with green olive, brine, and sea salt that sail on with an extensive finish.
Potomac Point Albariño 2023 ($39): An expanding varietal in Virginia, Albariño didn’t appear in the Governor’s Cup four years ago. Since then, entries have grown—first to four, then eight and now twelve.
It’s easy to see why Albariño is on the rise. This easy-drinking wine is loaded with flavors of peach, lime, pink grapefruit, and a salty lime finish.
“Albariño is well planted and thriving throughout the state,” said tasting host and Director of Judging for the Governor’s Cup, Frank Morgan.
The wine is 95% Albariño and 5% Viognier, planted in sandy loam soils just a half-mile from the Potomac River.
“I added the Viognier right before bottling,” assistant winemaker Jordan Cleary said. “I wanted a little more mouthfeel and length. You can’t blend too much into it though, or you lose the Albariño.”
Veritas Winery Monticello White 2023 ($35): Golden-colored in the glass, aromas of warm apple pie and toasted almonds rise beautifully. On the palate, warm apple pie, clove and cinnamon flavors are embraced by underlying citrus and shaved ginger notes. A fascinating collection of flavors.
Valley Road Petit Manseng 2023 ($29.95):
A deep gold color in the glass stands out, and an acidic pop highlights the first taste. There’s a sweet embrace of yellow apple, warm honey and a full mouthfeel. The orange zest and dried apricot note on the finish is a real surprise.
Michael Shaps Mild Meadow Vineyard Chardonnay 2022 ($28): Peach and subtle hints of pineapple open the way to a creamy mouthfeel. The wine dances with a touch of buttery richness before tart citrus and a wet-rock note cut in on the finish.
The Winery at LaGrange Catherine’s Vineyard Petit Manseng 2023 ($25): Planted on poor dirt and rock on a hillside—soil that was dumped there after construction—this site forces the vines to struggle, according to winemaker Seth Chambers.
The result is a lighter-bodied wine with warm pineapple, cinnamon and piña colada notes.
