RICHMOND, Va., March 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The 44th annual Virginia Governor’s Cup® Competition reached a new milestone in 2026, receiving a record 677 wine, cider, and mead submissions from 156 producers across the Commonwealth. This marked the largest field of entries and one of the most competitive years in the event’s history.
Following multiple rounds of rigorous blind tasting by nationally recognized wine professionals, 224 gold medals were awarded to 113 producers. The competition’s selectivity reflects the exceptional quality required to earn a Governor’s Cup gold medal.
Now in its 44th year, the Virginia Governor’s Cup® Competition is widely regarded as one of the nation’s most stringent wine competitions. Organized by the Virginia Wineries Association in partnership with the Virginia Wine Board and the Virginia Vineyards Association, the competition is open exclusively to wines and ciders made from 100 percent Virginia-grown fruit.
Entries are evaluated blind over preliminary and final rounds using a 100-point scoring system. Panels of sommeliers, wine writers, and industry professionals judge each submission, with scores averaged after the lowest score is discarded. Wines receiving 90 points or higher are awarded a gold medal.
Frank Morgan served for the third consecutive year as Director of Judging. A longtime Virginia wine writer and Governor’s Cup judge, Morgan noted the unprecedented scale and caliber of the 2026 competition.
“It is an honor to serve as Director of Judging for the Virginia Governor’s Cup Wine Competition, and I am grateful to the extraordinary volunteers and distinguished judges who make this event possible — including several Masters of Wine, a Master Sommelier, accomplished writers, and respected wine professionals from across the industry,” Morgan stated. “The 2026 competition represents another record-setting year, with more participating wineries than ever before and an unprecedented number of gold medals awarded.”
This year’s gold medals spanned seven Virginia Wine regions, highlighting the breadth of quality across the Commonwealth. Central Virginia accounted for 43% of gold medal-winning producers, followed by Northern Virginia with 37% and the Shenandoah Valley with 14%. Red wines earned 62% of the gold medals, while white wines accounted for 31%. More than half of the gold medals were awarded to wines from the most recent vintages submitted. The 2023 vintage showed remarkable success, accounting for 38% of all gold medals and underscoring the momentum and quality of Virginia’s current releases.
In total, more than 25 grape varieties across 9 vintages were represented among the gold medal winners. Among the most awarded categories were Meritage blends, earning 50 gold medals, followed by Cabernet Franc with 30, Chardonnay with 19, Merlot with 15, and Petit Manseng with 14. The full list of gold medalists can be found at www.virginiawine.org/governors-cup/awards/2026.
The Virginia Governor’s Cup® Gala will take place March 12, 2026, at Main Street Station in Richmond. Hosted by the Virginia Wine Board, the sold-out event will announce the Governor’s Cup winner, unveil the Governor’s Cup Case featuring the twelve highest-scoring wines, and name the Cider of the Year.
Ahead of the Gala, Virginia Wine will launch the 2026 Gold Medal Wine Trail, a complimentary mobile passport that guides consumers to participating gold medal-winning wineries across the state. Participants may register in advance and, once the trail goes live in March, begin checking in to earn prizes and access exclusive offers.
About the Virginia Governor’s Cup® Competition
The Virginia Governor’s Cup® Competition is held annually by the Virginia Wineries Association in partnership with the Virginia Wine Board and the Virginia Vineyards Association. Award-winning wines are featured in statewide, national and international marketing efforts promoting Virginia Wine.
For more information and a full list of winners, visit VirginiaWine.org/governors-cup.
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SOURCE Virginia Wine
