Announcing The Leading Vinos In Our 10th Annual Wine Classic Awards
It’s hard to believe that this year marks a decade of orchestrating the Annual Savor Virginia Wine Classic Awards. With each competition throughout the past 10 years, Virginia has continued to add more vineyards and vintages. It’s an ever-growing industry in the commonwealth, and with so many options out there, we are excited to offer you some insight on stand-out bottles to try.
In order to do so, each spring, a panel of wine experts converges at River Stone Chophouse in Suffolk—noted for its remarkable wine list, and the extensive wine list at its sister eatery, Vintage Tavern, also in Suffolk—and examines the offerings from many of Virginia’s finest wineries.
The judges evaluated dozens of the best wines produced across the state, each based on its own individual merit.
Evaluation was done double-blind in flights, each recording their findings on sheets printed with a grid of the UC Davis (University of California at Davis) 20 Point System. The Davis system assigns a certain number of points to each of its 10 categories ranging from bouquet to color to taste to aftertaste.
We present our findings to you below.
Platinum Level Winners
Bluestone Vineyard
2013 Houndstooth
Category: Red Other
Bold Rock Hard Cider
Crimson Ridge Vat. No. 1
Category: Cider/Mead
Bold Rock Hard Cider
Crimson Ridge Vintage Dry
Category: Cider/Mead
Bold Rock Hard Cider
IPA India Pressed Apple
Category: Cider/Mead
Bold Rock Hard Cider
Virginia Apple Granny Smith Cider
Category: Cider/Mead
Bold Rock Hard Cider
Citrus Cider
Category: Cider/Mead
Chateau Morrisette
2014 Cabernet Sauvignon
Category: Cabernet Sauvignon
Chateau Morrisette
2013 Archival
Category: Red Other
Effingham Manor Winery
2014 Tannat
Category: Red Other
Good Luck Cellars
2014 Runway Red
Category: Red Other
Gray Ghost Vineyards
2016 Adieu
Category: Dessert
Gray Ghost Vineyards
2014 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
Category: Cabernet Sauvignon
Ingleside Vineyards
2014 Sangiovese
Category: Red Other
Ingleside Vineyards
2014 Right Bank
Category: Red Other
Ingleside Vineyards
Chesapeake Cabernet Merlot
Category: Red Other
Ingleside Vineyards
2014 Virginia Gold
Category: Red Other
Ingleside Vineyards
2016 Albarino
Category: White Other
Morais Vineyards & Winery
2015 Touriga
Category: Red Other
Narmada Winery
2014 Melange
Category: Red Other
Narmada Winery
2014 Yash-Vir
Category: Red Other
Rosemont Vineyards
Virginia Red
Category: Red Other
Slater Run Vineyard
2014 Roots
Category: Red Other
Gold Level Winners
Bluestone Vineyard
2014 Petit Verdot
Category: Petit Verdot
Bluestone Vineyard
2015 Petit Manseng
Category: Petit Manseng
Bold Rock Hard Cider
Premium Dry Cider
Category: Cider/Mead
Bold Rock Hard Cider
Virginia Draft Amber Apple Cider
Category: Cider/Mead
Bold Rock Hard Cider
Pear Cider
Category: Cider/Mead
Bold Rock Hard Cider
Wild Cherry Cider
Category: Cider/Mead
Chateau Morrisette
2016 Vidal Blanc
Category: Vidal Blanc
Chateau Morrisette
2016 Viognier
Category: Viognier
Chateau Morrisette
Sweet Mountain Apple
Category: Fruit
Chateau Morrisette
4 White Grapes
Category: White Other
Chateau MerillAnne
2015 Palace Red
Category: Red Other
Cunningham Creek Winery
Petit Manseng
Category: Petit Manseng
Cunningham Creek Winery
2015 Viognier
Category: Viognier
Cunningham Creek Winery
2014 Rivanna Red
Category: Red Other
Effingham Manor Winery
2014 Traminette
Category: White Other
Good Luck Cellars
2014 Chardonel
Category: White Other
Good Luck Cellars
2015 Vignoles
Category: White Other
Good Luck Cellars
2016 Four Blonds
Category: White Other
Good Luck Cellars
2013 Inheritage
Category: Red Other
Good Luck Cellars
2015 Traminette
Category: White Other
Gray Ghost Vineyards
2015 Cabernet Sauvignon
Category: Cabernet Sauvignon
Gray Ghost Vineyards
2016 Seyval Blanc
Category: Seyval Blanc
Gray Ghost Vineyards
2016 Gewürztraminer
Category: White Other
Horton Vineyards
2014 Late Harvest
Category: Dessert
Horton Vineyards
2016 Viognier
Category: Viognier
Horton Vineyards
2016 Private Reserve Nebbiolo Rose
Category: Rose
Horton Vineyards
2014 Private Reserve Petit Verdot
Category: Petit Verdot
Ingleside Vineyards
2014 Left Bank
Category: Red Other
Ingleside Vineyards
2015 Chardonnay Reserve
Category: Chardonnay
Morais Vineyards & Winery
2015 Morello Cherry Wine
Category: Dessert
Morais Vineyards & Winery
2015 Battlefield
Category: White Other
Morais Vineyards & Winery
2015 Verdelho
Category: White Other
Narmada Winery
2014 Reflection
Category: Chambourcin
Pearmund Cellars
2014 Ameritage Reserve
Category: Red Other
Pearmund Cellars
2016 Vidal Blanc
Category: Vidal Blanc
Pearmund Cellars
2015 Viognier
Category: Viognier
Pearmund Cellars
2014 Petit Verdot
Category: Petit Verdot
Slater Run Vineyard
2014 First Bridge
Category: Red Other
Slater Run Vineyard
2016 Rose
Category: Rose
Twin Oaks Tavern Winery
2014 Raven Rocks Red
Category: Red Other
Vint Hill Craft Winery
2014 Enigma
Category: Red Other
Vint Hill Craft Winery
2016 Monticello AVA
Category: White Other
The Winery at Bull Run
2016 Pinot Gris
Category: White Other
The Winery at Bull Run
2016 Riesling
Category: Riesling
The Winery at Bull Run
2014 Meritage
Category: Red Other
Silver Level Winners
Bluestone Vineyard
2013 Rose
Category: Rose
Bluestone Vineyard
2015 Viognier
Category: Viognier
Chateau Morrisette
2016 Petit Manseng
Category: Petit Manseng
Chateau Morrisette
2014 Chardonnay Reserve
Category: Chardonnay
Chateau Morrisette
2016 Vin Gris
Category: Rose
Chateau MerrillAnne
2015 Cabernet Franc
Category: Cabernet Franc
Chateau MerrillAnne
2015 Petit Verdot
Category: Petit Verdot
Effingham Manor Winery
2015 Merlot
Category: Merlot
Effingham Manor Winery
2015 Viognier
Category: Viognier
Effingham Manor Winery
2015 Rock Mills
Category: Rose
Good Luck Cellars
2013 Chambourcin
Category: Chambourcin
Gray Ghost Vineyards
2016 Riesling
Category: Riesling
Gray Ghost Vineyards
2015 Ranger Reserve
Category: Red Other
Gray Ghost Vineyards
2016 Cabernet Franc
Category: Cabernet Franc
Gray Ghost Vineyards
2015 Reserve Chardonnay
Category: Chardonnay
Gray Ghost Vineyards
2015 Petit Verdot
Category: Petit Verdot
Horton Vineyards
2014 Cabernet Franc Reserve
Category: Cabernet Franc
Ingleside Vineyards
Blue Crab Red
Category: Red Other
Ingleside Vineyards
2016 Pinot Grigio
Category: White Other
Ingleside Vineyards
Chesapeake Chardonnay
Category: Chardonnay
Morais Vineyards & Winery
2015 Merlot
Category: Merlot
Narmada Winery
2015 Dream
Category: White Other
Narmada Winery
2013 Reserve Cabernet Franc
Category: Cabernet Franc
Narmada Winery
2014 Midnight
Category: Chambourcin
Narmada Winery
2014 Cabernet Franc
Category: Cabernet Franc
Pearmund Cellars
2015 Old Vine Chardonnay
Category: Chardonnay
Rosemont Vineyards
Virginia White
Category: White Other
Rosemont Vineyards
2016 Rose
Category: Rose
Slater Run Vineyards
2015 Cabernet Franc
Category: Cabernet Franc
Slater Run Vineyards
2015 Chardonnay
Category: Chardonnay
Twin Oaks Tavern Winery
2014 Vidal Blanc
Category: Vidal Blanc
Vint Hill Craft Winery
2015 Estate Chardonnay
Category: Chardonnay
Vint Hill Craft Winery
2015 Chardonnay
Category: Dessert
The Winery At Bull Run
2016 Chambourcin
Category: Rose
Bronze Level Winners
Chateau Morrisette
2014 Cabernet Franc
Category: Cabernet Franc
Chateau MerrillAnne
2015 Governor Spotswood
Category: Red Other
Good Luck Cellars
2015 Chardonnay
Category: Chardonnay
Good Luck Cellars
2014 Cabernet Franc
Category: Cabernet Franc
Narmada Winery
2015 Mom
Category: White Other
Rosemont Vineyards
2014 Cabernet Franc
Category: Cabernet Franc
Rosemont Vineyards
2014 Merlot
Category: Merlot
Twin Oaks Tavern Winery
2014 Chardonnay
Category: Chardonnay
Twin Oaks Tavern Winery
2015 Norton
Category: Norton
Vint Hill Craft Winery
2015 Honey Mead
Category: Cider/Mead
The Criteria
The UC Davis 20 Point System evaluates wine on its own merits, looking at the following criteria and assigning the following points value:
Clarity – 2 points
Color – 2 points
Bouquet – 4 points
Total Acidity – 1 point
Sweetness – 1 point
Body/Texture – 2 points
Flavor/Taste – 2 points
Bitterness – 1 point
Finish – 1 point
Quality – 4 points
We tallied each judge’s evaluation sheet, came up with an average and placed each in one of four categories:
Platinum
90 percent or higher
Gold
70–89 percent
Silver
50–69 percent
Bronze
49 percent or lower
The Critics
Lindsay Bennett—sommelier, owner of Press 626 Café & Wine Bar, Norfolk
Lisa Hamaker—owner, Taste Virginia, which conducts culinary tours, including winery, brewery and spirits tours
Brett Helk—sommelier, managing partner of Press 626 Café & Wine Bar, Norfolk
Kiera Hill—sommelier, bar manager of Press 626 Café & Wine Bar, Norfolk
Marisa Marsey—food, wine and travel writer
Scott Miles—owner of Great Bottles wine and craft beer shop, Suffolk
Bethany Morris—sommelier, The Main, Norfolk
David Parkerson—sommelier, Tidewater regional manager for Z Wine Guy LLC
Don Paul—sommelier, general manager of Salacia Prime Seafood and Steaks, Virginia Beach
Adam Steely—sommelier, co-owner of Blue Talon Bistro, Williamsburg
Melissa M. Stewart—Savor Virginia magazine executive editor
Special Thanks
A special thank you to owners Brian and Teresa Mullins and their staff at River Stone Chophouse in northern Suffolk for their hospitality in hosting the 10th annual Savor Virginia Magazine Wine Classic judging. Their beautiful arts-and-crafts-style restaurant was the perfect venue for the judging. We encourage you to stop by and sample the award-winning cuisine and outstanding wine list.
River Stone Chophouse
8032 Harbour View Blvd., Suffolk
757-638-7990
RiverStoneChophouse.com
Author: Chris Murphy
