Photo courtesy of James Carter
The Monticello Wine Trail awards honored wines from the Central Virginia region during a Gold Medal Celebration that featured all the gold-medal winning wines.
The top prize in the 2026 awards presented by the Monticello Wine Trail went to Hark Vineyards for its 2023 Cabernet Franc, the latest wine made from Virginia’s most planted grape to take home industry accolades.
Virginia Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Katie Frazier announced the winner of the Monticello Cup at the Gold Medal Celebration held at Boar’s Head Resort in Charlottesville.
“We continue to demonstrate what is possible when talented grape growers and winemakers work in partnership with the land,” she said. “The Monticello AVA has become a leader, not only in Virginia, but nationally, and across the globe, helping introduce visitors from around the world to the quality and diversity of wines that are produced right here.”
Frazier presented the silver cup to AJ Greely, winemaker at Hark Vineyards, a family-owned winery in Earlysville, northeast of Charlottesville in the rolling hills near the Blue Ridge Mountains. It was founded in 2015 by Candice and Aaron Hark.
Photo courtesy of James Carter
AJ Greely, winemaker at Hark Vineyards in Earlysville, took home the top prize for the 2023 Cabernet Franc wine.
“I always say the most important thing for me is to be part of this industry because of how close we are, how great the Virginia industry is, and because we work together to lift one another up,” said Greely, who is also president of the Virginia Vineyards Association.
Greely thanked the other members of the winemaking team at Hark, including Reid Dougherty, assistant winemaker; Luke Hintz, vineyard manager; Michael Fowler, tasting room manager; and Paul Hoover, who works in the cellar and vineyard.
“For me, it starts with Monticello because we're so big, and because we are so close, and I feel like this industry has lifted me up in so many ways,” Greely said, noting that she’s always made wine in the Central Virginia region. “It's because of a lot of the people on this stage, a lot of the people out there who have won gold medals, that I get to be where I'm at.”
Award-Winning Wine Within Driving Distance of Alexandria
Photo courtesy of James Carter
The Monticello Wine Trail recently announced the winners of the Monticello Cup competition at the Boar's Head Resort in Charlottesville.
This marks the 34th year for the annual competition held by the Monticello Wine Trail, located in the Central Virginia wine region, which includes the Monticello American Viticultural Area (AVA).
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 Virginia’s Piedmont area along the eastern slopes of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
To be entered into the competition, a wine must contain at least 85% fruit from the Monticello AVA and be produced by a member of the Monticello Wine Trail. The wines are evaluated through blind tasting by a panel of esteemed judges. This year, 26 gold medals were awarded.
“The wines honored this year are a testament to the talent, passion, and relentless commitment to quality that define the Monticello Wine Trail,” said Frank Morgan, director of judging for the annual competition.
Photo courtesy of James Carter
Cabernet Franc is the most widely planted grape in Virginia, resulting in wines like this award-winning vintage from Hark Vineyards.
He joined Secretary Frazier in announcing the top 12 wines comprising the Monticello Case. Those wines — an eclectic mix of red, white, rosé, and sparkling that underscore Virginia’s winemaking diversity — were:
Afton Mountain Vineyards — 2024 Rosé Sparkling Wine
Barboursville Vineyards — 2023 Nebbiolo Reserve
Chestnut Oak Vineyard — 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon
Eastwood Farm and Winery — 2025 Rosé
Fallen Tree Vineyard and Farm — 2021 Meritage
Flying Fox Vineyard and Winery — 2023 Trio
Hark Vineyards — 2023 Cabernet Franc (2026 Monticello Cup Winner)
Hark Vineyards — 2024 Roussanne
Hazy Mountain Vineyards — 2024 Albariño
King Family Vineyards — 2022 Mountain Plains Red
Southwest Mountains Vineyards — 2023 Cabernet Franc Reserve
Veritas Vineyards and Winery — 2023 Monticello White
You can find a complete list of all the medal-winning wines on the Monticello Wine Trail website.
Cheers to Cab Franc in Virginia
Cabernet Franc is the most widely planted — and widely lauded — grape variety in Virginia. It has earned an international reputation for quality in the Commonwealth, where it is used in single varietal wines or in red blends across various regions.
In the Monticello competition, two of the top 12 wines were Cab Francs, plus another three were Bordeaux-style red blends that included the French varietal.
In the Governor’s Cup competition earlier this year, Cab Franc wines earned 31 gold medals, the highest number for wine made from a single grape variety. They also took three of the 12 slots in the Governor’s Case, including the overall winner.
The Monticello Cup awards capped a week of events that included wine pairing dinners at Birdwood Mansion and UP on the Roof, a rosé festival at Hark Vineyards, and a sparkling wine brunch showcase at Hazy Mountain Vineyards.
In her remarks, Secretary Frazier summed up the impact of Virginia growing wine industry: “It is my pleasure to be able to support an industry that preserves farmland, drives tourism, creates jobs, and contributes so much viability to our rural communities.”
Photo courtesy of author
Jane Fullerton Lemons
Jane Fullerton Lemons is a Virginia-based writer and recovering Washington journalist focused on wine and travel. A 2026 fellow at the Wine Writers Symposium in Napa Valley, she shares stories of the people and places behind the bottles, while also helping American consumers understand agriculture and how it impacts their lives. You can follow her work here.
