Photo by Justin Ide
Winemaker Damien Blanchon of Afton Mountain Vineyards, center, won the Monticello Cup. He's joined by Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Matthew Lohr, right, and Director of Judging Frank Morgan, left.
CHARLOTTESVILLE — The Monticello Wine Trail recently presented its annual awards to wines from the Central Virginia region — and the top prize went to Afton Mountain Vineyards for its 2024 Albariño, a white grape variety gaining popularity in Virginia.
Like the annual statewide competition for the Governor’s Cup, this regional competition honored 12 top entries — a mix of red, white, and sparkling wines. In announcing the winner of the Monticello Cup, Virginia Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Matthew Lohr underscored how the industry has worked together to improve the quality and reputation of wines produced in the Commonwealth.
“What makes this industry so unique is that everyone here is a friend and everyone here is wanting to grow the industry as a whole,” he told the crowd gathered at The Bradbury in Charlottesville. “It's not just about an individual winery; it’s how can we work to grow the industry.”
Winemaker Damien Blanchon, who has been with Afton Mountain since 2011, offered a similar message in accepting the award for the wine he made with 100% Albariño grapes grown at the vineyard west of Charlottesville.
Photo by Justin Ide
Winemaker Damien Blanchon of Afton Mountain Vineyards holds the Monticello Cup.
“We’re very proud to be part of this industry, definitely in the Monticello area,” he said. “I’ve been here for 18 years, and the support that we have, from all the winemakers and the wine world, has been really exceptional compared to lots of other wine regions. I think this is our strength as we develop and go forward to make better quality wine.”
Road Trip for World-Class Wine and History
There are more than 350 wineries across the Commonwealth, growing grapes on more than 5,000 acres in 10 geographic wine regions that include eight designated American Viticultural Areas (AVA).
This year marks the 33rd year for the annual competition held by the Monticello Wine Trail, designed to honor the best wines of one of those AVAs — the Monticello AVA, which is situated in central Virginia’s Piedmont area along the eastern slopes of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
This year, there were 70 entries in the competition, and 27 wines received gold medals, said Frank Morgan, director of judging for the annual competition. You can find a complete list of all the medal-winning wines on the Monticello Wine Trail website.
Photo by Justin Ide
Monticello Wine Trail logo
Virginia’s wine industry continues to garner national and international recognition, including the Monticello AVA being named the Wine Region of the Year by Wine Enthusiast.
The Central Virgina wine region encompasses Charlottesville and Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, and it’s about a three-hour drive from Alexandria — making it ideal for a weekend getaway where you can visit wineries nestled in the foothills of the Shenandoah Mountains.
Albariño on the Rise in Virginia
This is the second 2025 competition won by a white wine. Earlier this year, Barboursville Vineyards took home the Governor’s Cup for its 2023 Vermentino.
Albariño typically produces a medium-bodied wine with elevated acidity and tropical fruit notes — which is to say, it’s a food friendly wine that goes well with shellfish and soft cheese, but it’s also great for chilling on a hot summer day.
The up-and-coming variety has been steadily gaining popularity in Virginia in recent years. There were 12 Albariño wines entered in the Governor’s Cup this year — including five Gold Medal winners — up from eight entries in 2024 and four in 2023.
In the Monticello Cup competition, the top 12 wines in the Monticello Case also included:
Barboursville Vineyards, 2017 Octagon: a red blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot.
Chestnut Oak, 2019 Chestnut One: a red blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot.
Chiswell Farm & Winery, 2023 Sauvignon Blanc: a single variety white.
Cunningham Creek Winery, 2023 Viognier: a single variety white.
King Family Vineyards, 2021 Meritage: a red blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec.
Knights Gambit, 2023 Alexandra's Cuvee Petit Verdot: a red blend of Petite Verdot and Merlot.
Michael Shaps, 2022 Petit Manseng: a white blend of Petit Manseng and Roussanne.
Pollak Vineyards, 2022 Meritage: a red blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Petit Verdot.
Trump Winery, 2019 Blanc de Blanc: a sparkling Chardonnay.
Valley Road Vineyards, 2022 Cabernet Franc: a red blend of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.
Veritas, 2023 Monticello White Blend: a white blend of Chardonnay, Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc, and Petit Manseng.
Photo by Justin Ide
Top 12 winners
The Monticello Wine Trail partnered with AHsomm, a Charlottesville company that provides digital profiles of wines, typically via a QR code on the bottle. Each wine profile includes detailed information about the producer, the grape variety, how the wine was made, tasting notes, what food to pair with it, and even suggestions on what type of glass to use.
To see individual profiles of all 12 wines in the Monticello Case, go to this link via your smartphone.
