Virginia’s 868 Estate Vineyards Earns 2020 Governor’s Cup® with 2017 Vidal Blanc Passito
Top-ranked dessert wine joins 11 other gold medal-winning wines in the 2020 Governor’s Cup Case®
RICHMOND—Governor Ralph Northam tonight awarded the Virginia Wineries Association’s 2020 Governor’s Cup® to 868 Estate Vineyards for their 2017 Vidal Blanc Passito. The winning wine was unveiled at the annual Governor’s Cup Celebration, which took place Tuesday evening at the Main Street Station in Richmond.
All wines in the Governor’s Cup competition must be made from 100 percent Virginia fruit, but the 868 Vidal ‘Passito’ represents the first winner made entirely from Loudoun County fruit. Produced by the Italian ‘appassimento’ technique of partially drying grapes to concentrate flavor, the winemaker halts the fermentation early to retain the natural grape sugar in the final product.
“I am thrilled to award the Governor’s Cup to Carl DiManno and congratulate the whole team at 868 Estate Vineyards on their sweet finish,” said Governor Northam. “The Vidal Blanc Passito embodies both the experimentation and artistry that has made Virginia the leading East Coast destination for wine. This year’s Governor’s Cup case is a strong reflection of our world-class wine industry and the distinctive wines being produced in our Commonwealth.”
Alongside 868 Estate Vineyards 2017 Vidal Blanc Passito, the 11 wines included in the 2020 Governor’s Cup Case are:
Afton Mountain Vineyards Tradition (2017)
Barboursville Vineyards Octagon (2014)
Barboursville Vineyards Vermentino Reserve (2018)
Delaplane Cellars Williams Gap (2017)
Lake Anna Winery Tannat (2017)
Michael Shaps Wineworks
This Article was originally published on Virginia Wine Time
