Out of a field of over 500 entries and 64 gold medal Virginia wines, 868 Estate Vineyards in Purcelville, Loudoun County, won the 2020 Virginia Governor’s Cup for their  2017 Vidal blanc passito, a dessert-style wine, awarded by Governor Ralph Northam, to 868 owner Carl DiManno at a tasting of gold medal wines at a ceremony in Richmond on Feb. 25th.

Carl DiManno of 868 Estate Vineyards accepting the Governor’s Cup from Virginia Governor Ralph Northam

Made from 100% Vidal Blanc, the 2017 868 Vidal passito was harvested at 22.5 Brix and then dried for one month to concentrate flavors and by reducing water content, increase the sugars to 32 Brix. The juice was fermented to 8 Brix and then chilled to stop fermentation, and aged in neutral French oak for 14 months. The wine is vibrant and fresh, with brisk acidity (10.8 g/l)  to match the 8% residual sugar, and with a pleasing mid-palate density reminiscent of Sauternes.

The Governor’s Case

These are the top twelve wines in the Governor’s Cup competition by highest average score given by the 13 judges of the final round  of top-scoring wines in the competition.

  • 868 Estate Vineyards 2017 Vidal blanc passito (Cup winner)
  • Afton Mountain Vineyards 2017 “Tradition” (meritage-style blend)
  • Barboursville Vineyards 2014 Octagon (meritage-style blend)
  • Barboursville Vineyards 2018 Vermentino Reserve
  • Delaplane Cellars 2017 Williams Gap (meritage-style blend)
  • Lake Anna Winery 2017 Tannat
  • Michael Shaps 2016 Meritage
  • Pollak Vineyards 2017 Cabernet Franc Reserve
  • Pollak Vineyards 2017 Smuggler (meritage-style blend)
  • Rockbridge Vineyards 2017 V d’Or (cryo-extraction white dessert blend)
  • Shenandoah Vineyards 2017 Shenandoah Reserve (Tannat/meritage blend)
  • Virginia Cellars/Pippin Hill Farm & Vineyards 2017 Petit Verdot

Governor’s Cup Gold Medals

Producing Winery Name  Brand Name Winery Name Name of Wine Vintage MEDAL
Hark Vineyards Hark Vineyards 2017 Merlot 2017 GOLD
Sunset Hills Vineyard Sunset Hills Vineyard 2017 Mosaic 2017 GOLD
Fifty-Third Winery and Vineyard Fifty-Third Winery and Vineyard 2018 Viognier Monticello AVA 2018 GOLD
CrossKeys Vineyards CrossKeys Vineyards Ali d’Oro 2016 GOLD
Afton Vineyards & Winery LLC Afton Mountain Vineyards AMV (Tradition) 2017 GOLD
Trump Winery Trump Winery Blanc de Blanc 2014 GOLD
Bluestone Vineyard Bluestone Vineyard Blue Ice 2015 GOLD
Chester Gap Cellars Chester Gap Cellars Cabernet Franc 2017 GOLD
Lost Creek Winery Lost Creek Winery Cabernet Franc 2017 GOLD
Muse Vineyards Muse Vineyards Cabernet Franc 2015 GOLD
Pollak Vineyards Pollak Vineyards Cabernet Franc 2017 GOLD
Rosemont Vineyards Rosemont of Virginia Cabernet Franc 2017 GOLD
Pollak Vineyards Pollak Vineyards Cabernet Franc Reserve 2017 GOLD
Madison County Wines, LLC Chisholm Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 GOLD
Trump Winery Trump Winery Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 GOLD
Pollak Vineyards Pollak Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 GOLD
Keswick Vineyards Keswick Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Reserve 2016 GOLD
DuCard Vineyards DuCard Vineyards C’est Trop 2017 GOLD
Narmada Winery Narmada Winery Chardonel Reserve 2017 GOLD
Lake Anna Winery Lake Anna Winery chardonnay 2018 GOLD
Chestnut Oak Vineyard Chestnut Oak Vineyard Chestnut One 2017 GOLD
Cardinal Point Winery Cardinal Point Winery Clay Hill Cabernet Fran 2017 GOLD
Virginia Wineworks Pippin Hill Farm & Vineyards Easton Blue 2016 GOLD
Virginia Cellars Hamlet Vineyards Eltham 2017 GOLD
Zephaniah Farm Vineyard Zephaniah Farm Vineyard Friendship 2017 GOLD
Cunningham Creek Winery Cunningham Creek Winery Her Dog Red 2017 GOLD
Glen Manor Vineyards Glen Manor Vineyards Hodder Hill 2015 GOLD
Jefferson Vineyards Jefferson Vineyards Jefferson’s Own Estate Reserve Red Wine 2017 GOLD
Keswick Vineyards Keswick Vineyards Les Vents d Anges 2018 GOLD
King Family Vineyards King Family Vineyards Loreley 2017 GOLD
Jefferson Vineyards Jefferson Vineyards Meritage 2017 GOLD
Pollak Vineyards Pollak Vineyards Meritage 2017 GOLD
Virginia Cellars The Barns at Hamilton Station Vineyards Meritage 2017 GOLD
Breaux Vineyards Breaux Vineyards Merlot 2016 GOLD
Michael Shaps Michael Shaps Michael Shaps Cabernet Franc 2017 GOLD
Michael Shaps Michael Shaps Michael Shaps L. Scott 2017 GOLD
Michael Shaps Michael Shaps Michael Shaps Meritage 2016 GOLD
Michael Shaps Michael Shaps Michael Shaps Meritage 2017 GOLD
Michael Shaps Michael Shaps Michael Shaps Petit Manseng 2018 GOLD
Michael Shaps Michael Shaps Michael Shaps Petit Verdot 2017 GOLD
Michael Shaps Michael Shaps Michael Shaps Raisin d’Etre Blanc 2016 GOLD
King Family Vineyards King Family Vineyards Mountain Plains Red 2017 GOLD
Greenhill Vineyards Greenhill Vineyards Mythology 2016 GOLD
Breaux Vineyards Breaux Vineyards Nebbiolo 2015 GOLD
Barboursville Vineyards Barboursville Vineyards Octagon 2014 GOLD
Barboursville Vineyards Barboursville Vineyards Octagon 2017 GOLD
Early Mountain Early Mountain Petit Manseng 2018 GOLD
Virginia Wineworks Honah Lee Vineyard Petit Manseng 2017 GOLD
DuCard Vineyards DuCard Vineyards Petit Verdot 2017 GOLD
Lake Anna Winery Lake Anna Winery Petit Verdot 2017 GOLD
Virginia Wineworks Pippin Hill Farm & Vineyards Petit Verdot 2017 GOLD
Potomac Point winery Potomac Point Winery Petit Verdot 2017 2017 GOLD
Delaplane Cellars Delaplane Cellars Rusticity 2017 GOLD
Shenandoah Vineyards Shenandoah Vineyards Shenandoah Reserve Red 2017 GOLD
Early Mountain Early Mountain Shenandoah Springs Cabernet Franc 2017 GOLD
Pollak Vineyards Pollak Vineyards Smuggler 2017 GOLD
Lake Anna Winery Lake Anna Winery tannat 2017 GOLD
Paradise Springs Winery Paradise Springs Winery The Moment 2016 GOLD
Winery 32 Winery 32 Thoroughbred Blend 2016 GOLD
Rockbridge Vineyard Rockbridge Vineyard Vd’Or 2017 GOLD
Barboursville Vineyards Barboursville Vineyards Vermentino Reserve 2018 GOLD
868 Estate Vineyards 868 Estate Vineyards Vidal Blanc 2017 GOLD
Virginia Wineworks Pippin Hill Farm & Vineyards Wild Common Reserve 2017 GOLD
Delaplane Cellars Delaplane Cellars Williams Gap 2017 GOLD