Virginia Wineries Association

04/24/2026

*Urgent Request for Virginia Vineyards*

The VWA and VVA are working in coordination with the Department of Forestry and VDACS to address the major crop losses seen across the state during the early morning hours of Tuesday, April 21st.

To best address the aid needed, we need to estimate the loss across our state. Please take a few minutes to complete this survey before 5 pm on May 1, 2026. Coordinate with others in your organization to make sure only one survey is completed for each vineyard.

While we know it will take 2 to even 4 weeks for a complete picture of the depth of the loss to be known, this will help us all in our response to the impact of this severe weather event on our growers.

The VVA is working in coordination with the Department of Forestry and Agriculture, as well as the VWA to address the major crop losses seen across the state during the early morning hours of Tuesday, 4/21/26. To best address the aid needed, we need to estimate the loss across our state. Please take...

04/02/2026

03/13/2026

Congratulations to all and thanks to everyone who came out to celebrate Virginia wine! 🏆🥂

03/13/2026

The results are in… and it’s time to unveil the 12 highest-scoring wines from this year’s . Introducing the 2026 Virginia Governor’s Cup Case:

• 7 Lady Vineyards , 2023 Meritage
• Barboursville Vineyards , 2024 Vermentino
• CrossKeys Vineyards , 2024 Cabernet Franc
• Fifty-Third Winery and Vineyard, 2023 Two Springs
• Glen Manor Vineyards 2023 Vin Rouge
• Granite Heights Winery , 2024 Humility
• Michael Shaps Wineworks , 2023 Cabernet Franc
• Pollak Vineyards , 2023 Merlot Reserve
• Trump Winery 2018 Blanc de Noir
• Valley Road Vineyards , 2023 Cabernet Franc Reserve
• The Winery at La Grange , 2024 Petit Manseng
• Woodbrook Farm Vineyard , 2024 Petit Manseng

Cheers to this year’s winners! 🏆

03/11/2026

We are so excited to celebrate tomorrow at the Virginia Governor’s Cup® Gala in Richmond! Congratulations again to all medal winners.

The excitement is building for the reveal of the 2026 Governor’s Cup Case®!🏆 🥇 🍷

03/04/2026

The 2026 Virginia Governor’s Cup® medalists have been revealed! 🥂 After evaluating over 670 entries, a panel of world-class judges awarded 224 gold medals to 113 wineries and cideries across the Commonwealth. Here’s a look at this year’s outstanding lineup:

🥇 Meritage blends led the way with 50 gold medals, followed by Cabernet Franc with 30.
🥇 Gold medalists represent seven wine regions.
🥇 Red wines dominated, earning 62% of all gold medals.
🥇 Virginia Cider claimed 10 gold medals.
🥇 Winning wines span nine vintages and 25 different grape varieties.

The top 12 scoring wines will earn a place in the prestigious Governor’s Cup Case®. From this distinguished group, one wine will be awarded the coveted Governor’s Cup®. In addition, one exceptional cider will be honored as Cider of the Year. Both winners will be revealed at the Governor’s Cup® Gala on March 12th!

Full list of medalists: www.virginiawine.org/governors-cup/awards/2026

02/27/2026

Behind the Judging of the 2026 Virginia Governor’s Cup®
https://blog.virginiawine.org/blog/2026/02/26/behind-the-judging-of-the-2026-virginia-governors-cup/

The gold medal winners will be celebrated at the Virginia Governor’s Cup® Gala on March 12, where the Governor’s Cup Case® will be unveiled and Virginia’s top wines will take center stage. Join us to celebrate!

From the tasting room to the gala stage, the 2026 Virginia Governor’s Cup® is a celebration of excellence. And it all begins inside the judging room.

Go inside the 2026 Virginia Governor’s Cup Competition, where 670+ wines were judged blind by top experts to select the best wines in VA.

02/27/2026

Join us in one month in Richmond for the Eastern Winery Exposition + VWA Annual Conference. Check out the VWA sessions you won’t want to miss:

• VWA Regulation & Rules Round Up
• Understanding Consumers and Expanding Distribution: Data-Driven Strategies
• Harvesting Opportunity: Strategic Marketing and AI Innovation for Wineries

All conference attendees can attend the VWA sessions without needing to register for a separate pass. Additionally, you will have the chance to taste the brand new 2026 Governor’s Cup Case®!

VWA members receive a registration discount of 10%. Simply use code 26VWA. Last chance to save: Register now to lock in the preshow discount before rates increase. We’ll see you in Richmond!
https://easternwineryexposition.com/event-info-2026/

01/28/2026

WineBusiness Monthly is asking for our help in encouraging members to participate in their annual Tasting Room Survey. This survey provides valuable insights into the direct-to-consumer (DTC) landscape, including average order values, visitation trends, tasting fees, and more. The results help winery teams across the U.S. better understand the DTC market and make informed decisions to succeed in hospitality.

As DTC sales remain the most critical pathway for wineries to survive and thrive in an uncertain market, this topic will be a focus of the upcoming Eastern Winery Exposition + Conference, taking place March 24–26 in Richmond, Virginia. (If you haven't already, be sure to register for the conference: ( https://easternwineryexposition.com/registration-2026/ )Your support in participating will help ensure strong representation from wineries across the Eastern U.S.

Participants will receive a detailed report of the results, including regional segmentation and trends over time. Please provide your best estimate to answer questions regarding sales and skip questions that don't pertain to your business. We estimate the survey will take 5-10 minutes to complete. Please respond at your earliest opportunity.

All individual responses will remain anonymous. Click on the link below to access the survey. The survey will remain open through February.

Thank you in advance for your time and participation!

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/M36BFNB

Take this survey powered by surveymonkey.com. Create your own surveys for free.

01/15/2026

The preliminary round of the Virginia Governor’s Cup® judging is complete (including a random snow shower which is now a tradition) and now we gear up for the final round! Thank you to all of the judges for dedicating your time and expertise to the competition and to the Virginia wine industry!