Celebrating the Winning Vintages in Our 11th Annual Wine Classic Awards
A spring day tasting some of the best wines Virginia has to offer is always well spent. We look forward each year to the Savor Virginia Wine Classic Awards that give us the opportunity to sip and savor so many wonderful vintages and chat with some of the commonwealth’s most savvy wine critics. Our 11th year brought us plenty of seasoned entrants with both new and improved varietals and also several new wineries that pleasantly surprised our tasting palates.
In order to do come up with our results, each May, 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
868 Estate Vineyards
2017 Viognier
Category: Viognier
Barboursville Vineyards
2014 Paxxito
Category: Dessert
Barboursville Vineyards
2014 Petit Verdot Reserve
Category: Petit Verdot
Barboursville Vineyards
2015 Octagon
Category: Red Other
Barboursville Vineyards
2016 Sauvignon Blanc Reserve
Category: Sauvignon Blanc
Bluestone Vineyard
2015 Chardonnay
Category: Chardonnay
Bluestone Vineyard
2014 Cadenza
Category: Red Other
Casanel Vineyards & Winery
2015 Estate Petit Verdot
Category: Petit Verdot
Casanel Vineyards & Winery
2015 K2 Red Blend
Category: Red Other
Casanel Vineyards & Winery
2015 Carmenere
Category: Red Other
Effingham Manor Winery
2016 King’s Ransom
Category: Red Other
Effingham Manor Winery
2016 Tannat
Category: Red Other
Effingham Manor Winery
2017 Chambourcin
Category: Rosé
Fox Meadow Winery
2016 Cabernet Sauvignon
Category: Cabernet Sauvignon
Fox Meadow Winery
2017 Riesling
Category: Riesling
Gray Ghost Vineyards
2016 Cabernet Sauvignon
Category: Cabernet Sauvignon
Horton Vineyards
2014 Tannat
Category: Red Other
Ingleside Vineyards
Coastal White
Category: Chardonnay
Ingleside Vineyards
2015 Petit Verdot
Category: Petit Verdot
Ingleside Vineyards
Coastal Red
Category: Red Other
Ingleside Vineyards
Red Drum
Category: Red Other
Narmada Winery
2014 Cabernet Franc Reserve
Category: Cabernet Franc
Narmada Winery
2014 Midnight
Category: Chambourcin
Narmada Winery
2017 Mom White
Category: White Other
Narmada Winery
2016 Reserve Chardonel
Category: White Other
Pearmund Cellars
2015 Ameritage
Category: Red Other
Philip Carter Winery
2015 Gov. Fauquier
Category: Seyval Blanc
Potomac Point Winery & Vineyard
2016 Cabernet Franc
Category: Cabernet Franc
Potomac Point Winery & Vineyard
2015 Merlot
Category: Merlot
Rosemont of Virginia Winery
2015 Kilravock
Category: Red Other
Stanburn Winery
2015 Chambourcin
Category: Chambourcin
Stanburn Winery
2014 Big A Red
Category: Red Other
Stanburn Winery
2016 Vidal Blanc
Category: Vidal Blanc
GOLD LEVEL WINNERS
868 Estate Vineyards
2016 Chardonnay
Category: Chardonnay
868 Estate Vineyards
2017 Merlot
Category: Merlot
868 Estate Vineyards
2016 Petit Verdot
Category: Petit Verdot
Barboursville Vineyards
2016 Vermentino Reserve
Category: White Other
Bluestone Vineyard
2016 Chambourcin
Category: Chambourcin
Bluestone Vineyard
2016 Vidal Blanc
Category: Vidal Blanc
Casanel Vineyards & Winery
2015 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
Category: Cabernet Sauvignon
Casanel Vineyards & Winery
2016 Estate Chardonnay
Category: Chardonnay
Casanel Vineyards & Winery
2015 Red Spark
Category: Sparkling
Casanel Vineyards & Winery
2016 Patricia Marie
Category: White Other
Effingham Manor Winery
2017 Traminette
Category: White Other
Fox Meadow Winery
2015 Le Renard Rouge
Category: Red Other
Fox Meadow Winery
2016 Syrah
Category: Red Other
Fox Meadow Winery
2017 Pinot Gris
Category: White Other
Gray Ghost Vineyards
2017 Cabernet Franc
Category: Cabernet Franc
Gray Ghost Vineyards
2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve
Category: Cabernet Sauvignon
Gray Ghost Vineyards
2017 Adieu
Category: Dessert
Gray Ghost Vineyards
2017 Riesling
Category: Riesling
Gray Ghost Vineyards
2016 Ranger Reserve
Category: Red Other
Gray Ghost Vineyards
2017 Seyval Blanc
Category: Seyval Blanc
Gray Ghost Vineyards
2017 Gewürztraminer
Category: White Other
Horton Vineyards
2016 Chardonnay
Category: Chardonnay
Horton Vineyards
Late Harvest Rkatsiteli
Category: Dessert
Horton Vineyards
2016 Petit Manseng
Category: Petit Manseng
Horton Vineyards
2015 Petit Verdot
Category: Petit Verdot
Ingleside Vineyards
2015 Cabernet Franc
Category: Cabernet Franc
Ingleside Vineyards
2017 Viognier
Category: Viognier
Ingleside Vineyards
2017 Pinot Grigio
Category: White Other
Ingleside Vineyards
2017 Albarino
Category: White Other
Ingleside Vineyards
2017 Blue Crab Blanc
Category: White Other
Narmada Winery
2015 Cabernet Franc
Category: Cabernet Franc
Narmada Winery
2017 Gulabi
Category: Rosé
Narmada Winery
2015 Melange
Category: Red Other
Narmada Winery
2015 Yash-Vir
Category: Red Other
Narmada Winery
2017 Dream
Category: White Other
New Kent Winery
2014 Merlot
Category: Merlot
New Kent Winery
Meritage
Category: Red Other
New Kent Winery
2016 Vidal Blanc
Category: Vidal Blanc
Pearmund Cellars
2016 Petit Manseng
Category: Petit Manseng
Pearmund Cellars
2016 Petit Verdot
Category: Petit Verdot
Philip Carter Winery
2016 Nomini Hall
Category: Cabernet Franc
Philip Carter Winery
2015 Cleve
Category: Red Other
Potomac Point Winery & Vineyard
2016 Merlot
Category: Merlot
Potomac Point Winery & Vineyard
2016 Richland Reserve Viognier
Category: Viognier
Rosemont of Virginia Winery
Virginia Red
Category: Red Other
Stanburn Winery
2015 Barbera
Category: Red Other
Stanburn Winery
2016 Bull’s Blush
Category: Rosé
Stanburn Winery
2016 Highfly
Category: White Other
Three Fox Vineyards
2015 Piemontese Nebbiolo
Category: Red Other
SILVER LEVEL WINNERS
Bluestone Vineyard
2016 Viognier
Category: Viognier
Casanel Vineyards & Winery
The Full Nelson Port
Category: Dessert
Casanel Vineyards & Winery
2017 José
Category: Rosé
Gray Ghost Vineyards
2016 Reserve Chardonnay
Category: Chardonnay
Gray Ghost Vineyards
2016 Petit Verdot
Category: Petit Verdot
Ingleside Vineyards
2017 Rosato di Sangiovese
Category: Rosé
Narmada Winery
2017 Viognier
Category: Viognier
New Kent Winery
2015 White Merlot
Category: Rosé
Pearmund Cellars
2015 Old Vine Chardonnay
Category: Chardonnay
Pearmund Cellars
2016 Viognier
Category: Viognier
Philip Carter Winery
2015 Shirley Chardonnay
Category: Chardonnay
Philip Carter Winery
2014, 1762
Category: Dessert
Potomac Point Winery & Vineyard
2017 Petit Manseng
Category: Petit Manseng
Rosemont of Virginia Winery
2017 Cabernet Franc
Category: Cabernet Franc
Rosemont of Virginia Winery
2017 Virginia White
Category: White Other
Stanburn Winery
2014 Cabernet Franc Reserve
Category: Cabernet Franc
Stanburn Winery
2016 Chardonnay
Category: Chardonnay
Three Fox Vineyards
2016 Travatella
Category: Merlot
BRONZE LEVEL WINNERS
Casanel Vineyards & Winery
2017 Ellianna
Category: White Other
Rosemont of Virginia Winery
2017 Chambourcin Rosé
Category: Rosé
Three Fox Vineyards
2017 Cano Pazzo
Category: Rosé
Three Fox Vineyards
2017 La Boheme Viognier
Category: Viognier
Three Fox Vineyards
2017 Calabrese Pinot Grigio
Category: White Other
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–2points
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
80 percent or higher
Gold
65–79 percent
Silver
50–64 percent
Bronze
49 percent or lower
The Critics
Crystal Cameron-Schaad—sommelier and owner, Crystal Palate Wine & Gourmet, Norfolk
Matthew Emborski—sommelier and owner, Origin Wine Social, Norfolk
Lisa Hamaker—owner, Taste Virginia, which conducts culinary tours, including winery, brewery and spirits tours
Stanley R. Lawson—independent wine consultant, select Virginia wine distributors and wines stores in Coastal Virginia
Marisa Marsey—food, wine and travel writer
Scott Miles—owner of Great Bottles wine and craft beer shop, Suffolk
Tina Morey—sommelier, producer of #winestudio and teacher of Drinking The Garden Series local farm classes
Bethany Morris—sommelier, The Main, Norfolk
David Parkerson—sommelier, Tidewater regional manager for Z Wine Guy LLC
Melissa M. Stewart—Savor Virginia magazine executive editor
Greg Zimpel—owner, Z Wine Guy LLC
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 11th 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
Photos by Ryan Miller
Author: VisitVirginia
