Virginia Governor’s Cup 2025: Celebrating Local Wine, Cider, and Mead Excellence
This past week, Richmond hosted the Virginia Governor’s Cup, one of the most prestigious wine, cider, and mead competitions on the East Coast. Each year, Virginia’s top winemakers, cideries, and meaderies submit their best offerings for a blind-judged competition, where experts evaluate each entry on appearance, aroma, taste, and overall quality.
Virginia continues to shine as a premier winemaking destination, ranking 5th in U.S. wine production with over 300 wineries producing exceptional Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Viognier, and more. But this competition isn’t just about wine—it also recognizes the incredible craftsmanship behind Virginia’s ciders and meads, two growing categories that are drawing more attention each year.
This year’s Governor’s Cup featured outstanding submissions from across the state, but today, let’s focus on the local winners within 35 miles of Williamsburg.
What is Mead? 🍯
Before we dive into the winners, let’s talk about mead—one of the world’s oldest fermented beverages. Mead is made by fermenting honey with water, often with the addition of fruits, spices, herbs, or grains to create unique flavor profiles. With a history dating back thousands of years, mead has experienced a modern resurgence, especially here in Virginia, where Silver Hand Meadery is leading the charge.
Unlike beer (made from grains) or wine (made from grapes), mead’s base ingredient—honey—gives it a distinctive sweetness and depth, though styles range from dry to semi-sweet to dessert-like.
Local Gold Medal Winners 🏆
These wineries took home the highest honors in this year’s competition.
🏅 Ecco Adesso Vineyards (Lexington, VA) — Website
• 2022 New World Cabernet Franc
• Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Ecco Adesso is known for bold reds and Italian varietals. They recently purchased Williamsburg Winery, making them a key player in the local wine scene.
🏅 Williamsburg Winery (Williamsburg, VA) — Website
• 2019 Trianon
• 2021 Gabriel Archer Reserve
• Williamsburg’s largest and most well-known winery, featuring award-winning reds, whites, and blends, plus an on-site boutique hotel and fine dining restaurant.
Local Silver Medal Winners 🥈
These local wineries, cideries, and meaderies also made a strong showing.
🍷 Jolene Family Winery (New Kent, VA) — Website
• Lakeview Red, 2022 Cabernet Franc, 2022 Chambourcin, 2022 Rosé, 2022 Vidal Blanc
• A relaxed, family-friendly winery with live music and outdoor fire pits.
🍷 New Kent Winery (New Kent, VA) — Website
• Norton, 2021 Cabernet Franc, 2023 Vermentino
• A Tuscan-inspired winery producing smooth reds and crisp whites.
🍷 Saudé Creek Vineyards (Lanexa, VA) — Website
• Traminette, 2019 Tannat, 2021 Vidal Blanc, 2023 Pamunkey Fall
• A stunning hilltop vineyard with bold reds and refreshing whites, offering spectacular views of the Pamunkey River.
🍯 Silver Hand Meadery (Williamsburg, VA) — Website
• Raspberry Passion, Virginia Tonight
• Williamsburg’s premier meadery, crafting honey-based wines with rich flavors and unique ingredients.
Spotlight: Silver Hand Meadery – Williamsburg’s Award-Winning Meadery
📍 224 Monticello Ave, Williamsburg, VA
While Williamsburg is known for its colonial history and wineries, it’s also home to one of the best meaderies in Virginia—Silver Hand Meadery.
The Art of Meadmaking
Silver Hand Meadery specializes in small-batch, handcrafted meads, made from high-quality honey, fruits, and spices. Their goal is to honor mead’s ancient roots while bringing new, innovative flavors to the modern palate.
Award-Winning Meads
🥈 Silver Medal Winners
• Raspberry Passion – A bright and fruit-forward mead bursting with tangy raspberries.
• Virginia Tonight – A smooth, well-balanced mead inspired by local honey and floral notes.
🥉 Bronze Medal Winners
• All That Glitters – A light, citrusy mead with a hint of effervescence.
• Almost Heaven – A semi-sweet mead featuring a blend of honey and stone fruits.
The Silver Hand Experience
A visit to Silver Hand Meadery isn’t just a tasting—it’s a journey into the world of honey and fermentation. Guests can enjoy:
• Guided Mead Tastings – Learn about different honey varietals and flavor profiles.
• Pairings with Local Cheeses and Chocolates – Experience the perfect food and mead combinations.
• Live Music Nights & Special Events – A fun and welcoming atmosphere for both seasoned mead lovers and newcomers.
Local Bronze Medal Winners 🥉
Still amazing wines and meads worth trying!
• Silver Hand Meadery – All That Glitters, Almost Heaven
• Zoll Vineyards – Cranberry Lime Sangria, 2023 Pineapple Strawberry Lemonade
Best in Show Winners 🏅
These wineries, while located outside the Williamsburg area, earned the highest scores in the competition:
• 7 Lady Vineyards – 2017 Petit Manseng
• Breaux Vineyards – 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon
• Carriage House Wineworks – 2022 Petit Verdot Reserve
• Jefferson Vineyards – 2023 Viognier
• Pollak Vineyards – 2022 Merlot Reserve
Plan Your Virginia Wine (and Mead!) Adventure
With so many award-winning wineries, cideries, and meaderies nearby, now is the perfect time to explore Virginia’s rich craft beverage scene. Whether you prefer bold reds, crisp whites, refreshing ciders, or honey-infused meads, there’s something for every taste.
What’s Your Favorite Virginia Wine, Cider, or Mead? 🍷🍏🍯
You can explore all the wineries in Virginia here
Now that you’ve seen this year’s top local winners, I’d love to hear from you!
• What’s your go-to Virginia wine or mead?
• Do you have a favorite local spot to sip and relax?
Drop your thoughts in the comments—let’s talk about Virginia’s amazing drinks!
About Me
I’m John Womeldorf, aka Mr. Williamsburg, a local real estate expert with a passion for sharing the best of Williamsburg and Virginia’s wine and craft beverage scene. Whether you’re a longtime resident or considering moving to Virginia wine country, I’d love to help you find the perfect home near your favorite winery, cidery, or meadery!
