Wine competitions are a dime a dozen these days, and it seems like every winery in the world is boasting about how they’ve won this or that medal. Yet some competitions stand out from the crowd with their use of rigorous judging processes that, ultimately, help consumers discover great wines. The Virginia Governor's Cup is one of them.

Since its inception in 1982, the Virginia Governor’s Cup competition has grown in stature and is now one of the most prestigious wine contests in the United States. Each year, highly qualified judges (sommeliers, wine writers and educators, Masters of Wine, distributors, and retailers) gather in Virginia to blind-taste, over several days, a wide range of the state’s offerings. Medals are awarded based on a wine’s appearance, aroma, flavor, overall quality, and commercial suitability.

The 2023 competition was record-breaking, with 614 entries and 142 gold medals awarded to wines that scored an average of 90 points or higher on a 100-point scale. The top-scoring wine was recognized as the Governor's Cup winner, with the top twelve making up the Virginia Governor’s Cup Case.

The competition highlights how far Virginia wine has come since the colonists planted the state’s first grapevines in 1609. Today the Virginia wine community is producing quality wines that embody the state’s experimental spirit in eight unique winemaking AVAs.

Ready to explore Virginia Wine Country and discover why it’s a top U.S. destination for wine lovers? The Gold Medal Wine Trail website offers a mobile pass for visiting Virginia’s winning wineries. And as you make your way along the trail, you will have a chance to participate in monthly raffles and other prize-winning offers.

Following are tasting notes for four gold-medal winning wines I received as samples, including the best-in-show, Delfosse Vineyards and Winery 2021 Screaming Hawk Meritage.

For the full list of gold medalists, visit virginiawine.org.

Whites

Barboursville Vineyards 2021 Vermentino Reserve, Monticello AVA. 100% Vermentino (SRP $23).

Tasting Notes: Intense aromas of tropical fruits, peach, lemon, grapefruit, and white flowers. Creamy textured, with flavors of lemon curd; bright, crisp acidity, flinty minerality, and a fresh, herbal finish. Pair with seafood, like tomato-based shellfish stew.

Jefferson Vineyards 2021 Petit Manseng, Monticello AVA. 100% Petit Manseng (SRP $29.95).

Tasting notes: Fermented and aged in neutral French oak barrels for six months. Aromatic with fragrant notes of honey, tropical fruit, and white flowers. Full-bodied on the palate with flavors of pineapple, stone fruit, and citrus zest, wrapped in crisp acidity. Lengthy finish with hints of almonds. Try it with swordfish drizzled with a lemon caper butter sauce.

Reds

Delfosse Vineyards and Winery 2021 Screaming Hawk Meritage, Monticello AVA. 50% Petit Verdot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 10% Malbec (SRP $59.95).

Tasting Notes: Vibrant nose of fresh, tangy red fruits and subtle herbal notes. On the palate, light on its feet with freshness and barely perceptible oak; medium-plus acidity, medium-plus tannins, and a long, clean, persistent finish. Ideal pairings: roasted duck and pasta Bolognese sauce with aged Provolone.

Jefferson Vineyards 2019 Meritage, Monticello AVA. 45% Merlot, 40% Petit Verdot, 12% Cabernet Franc, 3% Malbec (SRP $49.95).

Tasting Notes: Elegant aromas of cherry, vanilla, cedar, and herbs (mint and rosemary). Flavors of tangy ripe red fruits, cocoa, plum, and vanilla oak; velvety tannins and a round, lingering finish. Try it with braised red meat dishes such as osso buco or beef stew.

Note: Another winery I’ve written about, Early Mountain Vineyards, earned gold medals for 4 of its wines: 2020 Eluvium, 2020 Quaker Run Cabernet Franc, 2021 Madison County Cabernet Franc, and 2021 Shenandoah Valley Cabernet Franc.