12th Annual Norton Wine & BlueGrass Festival

Plan to visit Chrysalis Vineyards during their gorgeous harvest! Enjoy returning and new bands, exciting artisan crafts and new delicious food vendors. Always included are tour-driven hay rides and a special 9-wine tasting that includes ALL of Chrysalis' Norton wines with a commemorative take home glass.

Enjoy finger-picking bluegrass bands of Jackass Flats, King Street Bluegrass, Circa Blue, and A Good Natured Riot throughout the weekend.

Enjoy delicious food offerings including Uncle Fred's BBQ, Paella to GO!, featuring tacos and tapas, Country Pride Cheese, Jubilee's Confections, featuring cupcakes and cake pops, custom Norton grape chocolate, and more!

Exquisite artisan crafts and top-notch designers will also be on hand including DEW Wood Products (made right here at Locksley Estate), Karen Holick handcrafted wine lamps, Carried Away Gifts wine gifts, Jacqueline Handley Designs handmade handbags, NovaGem Jewelry, Sparkle Event photobooth (Sunday only), and more!

Saturday, October 6th from 10am - 6:30pm
Sunday, October 7th from 10am - 6pm

Admissions at the door are $20 per person or $15 in advance. VIP Club members celebrate for FREE!

For more information, directions and/or to buy your advance tickets click here!

2009 Hodder Hill Meritage Wins 2012 Governor's Cup

"I raise my glass to Glen Manor Vineyards, whose 2009 Hodder Hill Meritage is a stunning representation of the best in Virginia Wines," said Governor McDonnell."

Glen Manor's award winning wine is a blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 6% Pertit Verdot.

The 2012 Virginia Governor's Cup Competition was conducted in two stages: the preliminary round took place in mid-January in Alexandria. The final round was judged in late January in Richmond. The Governor's Cup award winner was selected from the 2012 Governor's Cup Case, the top 12 scoring wines of the competition, which were selected from more than 400 entries.

In addition the Glen Manor's 2009 Hodder Hill Meritage, the other 11 wines that form the Governor's Cup Case include:

• Bluestone Vineyard 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon
• Delfosse Vineyards & Winery 2007 Meritage Blend
• Jefferson Vineyards 2010 Cabernet Franc
• Keswick Vineyards 2009 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
• Keswick Vineyards 2010 Merlot
• King Family Vineyards 2008 Meritage Blend
• Potomac Point Winery 2009 Heritage Reserve Meritage Blend
• Tarara Winery 2010 Honah Lee White Vinifera Blend
• Trump Winery 2008 Kluge SP Blanc de Blanc Sparkling
• Veritas 2010 Vintner's Reserve Meritage Blend
• White Hall Vineyards 2010 Gewurztraminer

Click here to read the full press release at Virginia.gov.

Barboursville Wine Honored in International Competition

Virginia wines scored well at two high-level competitions last month.

At the Winemaker Challenge International Wine Competition in San Diego.

• Barboursville: 2010 Viognier Reserve, best in class; 2009 Cabernet Franc Reserve, best in class; 2009 Octagon, gold medal; 2008 Octagon, silver; 2009 Nebbiolo Reserve, silver; 2009 Petit Verdot Reserve, silver
•  Jefferson Vineyards: 2010 Cabernet Franc Monticello, gold; 2008 Meritage Monticello, silver; 2010 Petit Verdot Monticello, silver

At the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition

• Barboursville: 2008 Cabernet Franc, best in class; 2010 Viognier Reserve, 2007 Octagon, both silver
• Barrel Oak Winery: 2010 Chardonnay Reserve, double gold; 2010 Chardonnay, 2010 Viognier, both silver; 2009 Cabernet Franc, 2009 Petit Verdot, both bronze
• Barren Ridge Vineyards: 2009 Tinkling Spring, silver; 2008 Meritage, bronze
• Doukenie Winery: 2009 Cabernet Franc, 2010 Chardonnay, 2009 Merlot, all silver; 2009 Vintners Reserve, bronze
• Gray Ghost Vineyards: 2010 Late Harvest Adieu, silver; 2010 Chardonnay Reserve, bronze
• Keswick Vineyards: 2010 Merlot, 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Reserve, both silver
• Philip Carter Winery: 2010 Cabernet Franc, 2010 Chardonnay, both bronze
• Rappahannock Cellars: 2009 Cabernet Franc, silver; 2010 Viognier, bronze

Click here to read more of the article By: Jack Berninger | Richmond Times Dispatch

Virginia Wines Awarded 22 Medals at 2012 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition

Twenty-two awards went to Virginia wines at the 2012 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition last week, including one Best in Class and one Double Gold. This competition is the largest competition of American wines in the world.

To read entire press release click here.

For a complete list of Virginia medals in the 2012 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, visit www.virginiawine.org/industry/documents. A full list of results can be found on http://www.winejudging.com. 

By: Mary Catherine Searson ~ Virginia Wine Board Marketing Office ~ Jan 13, 2012

Colonial Virginia Wine Trail

The New Kent Winery, Williamsburg Winery, Saude Creek Vineyards and others are working to establish a "Colonial Virginia Wine Trail."

Read more in the article Virginia is now on the wine world's radar - By Jon Cawley | DailyPress.com

Virginia Fares Well in 2011 Atlantic Seaboard Wine Competition

Virginia wines fared very well in the 2011 Atlantic Seaboard Wine Competition. This was the 7th annual competition held July 23 & 24.  10 Best in Category, 14 Gold Medals, 70 Silver Medals and 81 Bronze Medals. Go #VAWine!

Best in Category

• Blush/Rose Hybrid/NA - 2010 Gulabi by Narmada Winery, VA
• Bordeaux-Style Red Blends - 2007 Octagon by Barboursville Vineyards, VA
• Other Red Vinifera Varietals - 2008 Sangiovese by Ingleside Plantation Vineyards, VA
• Other White Vinifera Varietals - 2008 Petit Manseng by Horton Cellars Winery, VA
• Petit Verdot - 2009 Petit Verdot Reserve by Barboursville Vineyards, VA
• Seyval Blanc - 2010 Seyval Blanc by Barrel Oak Winery, VA
• Sparkling Vinifera Wines - NV Scintilla by Veritas Winery, VA
• Vidal Blanc - 2010 Cold Harbor White by James River Cellars, VA
• Viognier - 2009 Viognier by Lazy Days Winery, VA
• White Vinifera Blends - 2009 Reserve d'Oriane by DelFosse Winery, VA

 Gold Medal Winners

• 2009 Cabernet Franc Reserve by Afton Mountain Vineyards, VA
• 2007 Octagon by Barboursville Vineyards, VA
• 2009 Petit Verdot Reserve by Barboursville Vineyards, VA
• 2009 Cabernet Franc by Fabbioli Cellars, VA
• 2008 Cabernet Franc by Flying Fox Vineyard, VA
• 2009 Reserve Chardonnay by Gray Ghost Vineyards, VA
• 2006 Petit Verdot by Ingleside Plantation Vineyards, VA
• 2008 Sangiovese by Ingleside Plantation Vineyards, VA
• 2009 Petit Verdot by Keswick Vineyards, VA
• 2009 Viognier by Lazy Days Winery, VA
• 2008 Johann by Notaviva Vineyards LLC, VA
• 2010 Viognier Reserve by Potomac Point Vineyard & Winery, VA
• 2007 Meritage by Rockbridge Vineyard, VA
• NV Scintilla by Veritas Winery, VA

Read a complete list of awards...

James River Cellars offers four Civil War-themed labels

James River now has four Civil War-themed labels, each a work of art, each with a story on the back talking about the specific scene. Lee's Last Stand is featured on two labels. The battle of Cold Harbor is the scene on another, and the fourth label depicts the Monitor vs. CSS Virginia battle of ironclads. Read more...

By: Jack Berninger | Richmond Times Dispatch