Something happened in Paris earlier this month that Virginia winemakers should be proud of.
To mark the 50th anniversary of the Judgment of Paris, the famed culinary institution Le Cordon Bleu hosted a blind tasting pitting Virginia wines against some French benchmarks.
Top-tier vineyards like Michael Shaps, Valley Road, Pollak and others represented the state — and they showed up in a big way. The results are in the “Awards & Reviews” section below.
In this week’s edition
🎉 Events: SummerSupperSomm charity dinners, a pét-nat tasting and deep dive, Bluemont’s pop-up market, and more
🍾 Bottle of the Week: King Family Vineyards’ 2019 Meritage
🏆 Awards: Virginia dominates “Old World, New Roots” blind tasting in Paris
🍷 New Releases: Greenhill’s 2024 Superstition and a Bluestone Chardonnay from a new vineyard site series
📰 News: Two Shenandoah Valley producers appointed to the Virginia Wine Board; a Virginia Tech grape entomologist honored
🌱 Behind the Scenes: Walsh on the 2026 vintage and SMV’s biodiversity efforts
💰 Deals: Barrel Oak’s “Virginia 250” mixed case at a huge discount
Events
🍅 It’s ‘SummerSupperSomm’ season!
23 dinners across Virginia: Now in its sixth year, SummerSupperSomm runs 23 multi-course heirloom tomato and Virginia wine dinners across the commonwealth from July 8 through August 23. Every dinner features rare heirloom tomatoes from Village Garden RVA paired with Virginia wines.
Seven dates fall within the next two weeks:
July 8 — Daisy's, Richmond
July 10 — DuCard Vineyards, Etlan
July 11 — Early Mountain Vineyards, Madison
July 13 — Shagbark, Richmond
July 15 — Penny's Wine Shop, Richmond
July 17 — Echelon Wine Bar & Lost Creek Vineyards, Richmond
July 19 — Mockingbird, Charlottesville
This Week (July 8–15):
Pét-WHAT? Pétillant naturel (or “pét-nat”) is an ancient way of making sparkling beverages that’s different from the more traditional Champagne method. The Short Hill Independent Producers (SHIP) are hosting a hands-on pét-nat tasting and deep dive at Walsh Family Wine on July 10. Special bundles will be available for purchase.
Casino Royale at SMV: Southwest Mountains Vineyards is hosting a casino night benefiting Ronald McDonald House of Charlottesville on July 10, featuring casino games, wine cocktails, live music, and Vegas-style prizes.
Lowcountry Boil at Slater Run: Slater Run Vineyards is hosting a Lowcountry Boil on July 11 prepared by T.T. Wall's of Winchester. Get all-you-can-eat shrimp, corn, potatoes, and smoked sausage followed by key lime pie. Live music from Shane Gamble.
SOMMinar: Stone Tower Winery is hosting a guided SOMMinar on July 11. The event is a structured tasting exploring celebrated wine regions around the world, with each flight set against Stone Tower's estate wines for direct comparison.
Key West Festival: Breaux Vineyards is hosting their annual Key West Fest on July 11, featuring Caribbean music all day, island-themed food and craft vendors.
Vintage & Views: Bluemont Vineyard is hosting a curated pop-up market on July 12. Hunt for vintage fashion, handmade goods, accessories, and home décor with Blue Ridge views as the backdrop.
Next Week (July 15–22):
Living Garden Wine Dinner: Pippin Hill Farm & Vineyards is hosting an after-hours wine dinner on July 17 — five courses al fresco with Blue Ridge views and Chef Victoria Cosner's seasonal menu.
Norton MiniFest: Potomac Point Winery is hosting a Norton MiniFest & Grape Stomping on July 18. It is a “dedicated celebration of Virginia’s official native grape“ in partnership with the Virginia Norton Network along with Ducard Vineyards and Nokesville Winery.
Picnic party at the Botanical Garden: Present Company, a low-intervention winery from Charlottesville, is teaming up with Fine Creek Brewing for an evening picnic party at the Botanical Garden of the Piedmont on July 18.
Bottle of the Week
King Family Vineyards — 2019 Meritage
Monticello AVA • Bordeaux Blend • $75.00
Why it’s here
King’s 2019 Meritage was ranked the best Bordeaux blend at the Le Cordon Bleu tasting in Paris (See “Awards”). The blend is 48% Merlot, 28% Petit Verdot, 20% Cabernet Franc, 4% Malbec, and spent 18 months in new and used French oak. 2019 is widely regarded as one of the best vintages for Virginia wines. With a beautiful purity of fruit flavor and a long finish, this bottle showcases the best that the vintage has to offer.
Tasting notes
🌿 Dried herbs & tobacco • 🍇 Dark fruit • 🪵 Oak spice • ⚡ Firm tannins with a long finish
Awards & Reviews
Virginia dominates blind tasting in Paris
The tasting consisted of four flights: Chardonnay, Petit Manseng, Cabernet Franc, and Bordeaux-style red blends. Each one pitted three Virginia wines against three French counterparts.
The top wines in each category were as follows, as David Velazquez of The Daily Progress reports.
Chardonnay: Michael Shaps Winery — 2023 Chardonnay
Petit Manseng: Veritas Vineyard and Winery — 2023 Petit Manseng
Cabernet Franc: Valley Road Vineyards — 2023 Cabernet Franc Reserve
Red Blend: King Family Vineyards — 2019 Meritage
As Paul Vigna of The Wine Classroom reports, the event was organized by Frank Morgan, Director of Judging for the Virginia Governor's Cup, and chaired by Xavier Thuizat, Best Sommelier of France and Meilleur Ouvrier de France.
In other words, these are not your everyday palates.
Read the full article to see the tasting rankings by category:
New Releases
Bluestone’s ‘Air and Old Mountains’ Chardonnay 2019: Bluestone Vineyard is releasing their 2019 Chardonnay from the new Vineyard Site Series — Air and Old Mountains — available this weekend in the tasting room. Winemaker Lee Hartman left this wine a single barrel until earlier this year, “exposing it to minute amounts of air for over six years.”
Greenhill’s 2024 Superstition: Greenhill Winery has added their 2024 Superstition. An enticing blend of Syrah, Mourvedre and Tannat, you can expect red fruit, spice and smoke that’s perfect for a summer BBQ.
Wine News
Two Shenandoah Valley producers appointed to VA Wine Board: Governor Spanberger has appointed Stephanie Pence, owner of Brix & Columns Vineyards, and Lee Hartman, winemaker at Bluestone Vineyard, to the Virginia Wine Board. (Shenandoah Valley Wine Trail)
Virginia Tech entomologist honored: Douglas Pfeiffer, professor of entomology at Virginia Tech, has been conferred emeritus status by the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors after more than 44 years at the university. Pfeiffer made significant contributions to grape entomology in Virginia. (Virginia Tech News)
Behind the Scenes
Walsh on the 2026 vintage: Walsh Family Wine has published their July growing season update and the picture is cautiously optimistic. According to them, May and June were 15% drier and two degrees warmer than average — excellent conditions during flowering.
Wildflower field blooming at Southwest Mountains: Southwest Mountains Vineyards reports their wildflower field is beginning to bloom — part of an active effort to support biodiversity and build a healthier vineyard ecosystem.
Deals & Promotions
Virginia 250 mixed case: Barrel Oak Winery & Brewery is marking America's 250th birthday with a 12-bottle Virginia 250 case — 2 each of Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, Meritage, Barrel Chardonnay, Rosé, and Petit Manseng, plus a bonus 4-pack of Colonial Amber Lager brewed from George Washington's original recipe. A $434 value for $250, available through July 31.
Wine & Win Wednesdays at Rosemont: Rosemont of Virginia is launching a weekly Wednesday series starting July 8 — 10% off wine by the glass along with board games in their tasting room.
15% off event rentals at Cana Vineyards: Cana Vineyards is offering 15% off rental fees for events booked before August 15.