Winners Announced In The Seventh Annual Readers’ Choice Awards
With about 275 wineries, 140 breweries and 28 distilleries in the commonwealth—and growing continually—it’s hard to decide what and where to drink, visit, buy and taste. We hope our Readers’ Choice Awards can help you make some wise choices by offering recommendations from fellow Savor Virginia readers.
Want to know who makes a terrific IPA? What about the best winery for picnics? Or the top Virginia distilleries for sampling? We’ll let you in on the favorite city for touring wineries, breweries with stellar food trucks, most awesome tasting room views and so much more. Of course, all of our Gold, Silver and Bronze winners were selected by you and your peers—and we consider our readers a discerning group with good taste.
We encourage you to get out there and savor all Virginia has to offer—and our list of award-winners provides a fantastic place to begin or continue your journey of raising a glass to the good life.
2017 BEST OF WINNERS |
|
|---|---|
WINES AND WINERIES |
|
| Best Winery | |
| GOLD | Pearmund Cellars |
| SILVER | Ingleside Vineyards |
| BRONZE | Trump Winery |
| Best Winery For Picnics | |
| GOLD | Pearmund Cellars |
| SILVER | Ingleside Vineyards |
| BRONZE | Hill Top Berry Farm & Winery (tie) and Trump Winery (tie) |
| Best Winery For Food Offerings | |
| GOLD | Trump Winery |
| SILVER | Potomac Point Winery |
| BRONZE | The Williamsburg Winery |
| Best Winery Dog | |
| GOLD | Pearmund Cellars |
| SILVER | Stone Mountain Vineyards |
| BRONZE | Ingleside Vineyards |
| Best Winery For Weddings | |
| GOLD | Trump Winery |
| SILVER | Potomac Point Winery |
| BRONZE | Effingham Manor Winery |
| Best Winery For Special Events | |
| GOLD | Trump Winery |
| SILVER | Ingleside Vineyards |
| BRONZE | Effingham Manor Winery |
| Best Winery Tasting Room | |
| GOLD | Pearmund Cellars |
| SILVER | Ingleside Vineyards |
| BRONZE | Trump Winery |
| Best Winery For Tours |
|
| GOLD | Pearmund Cellars |
| SILVER | Williamsburg Winery |
| BRONZE | Ingleside Vineyards |
| Best Winery With A View |
|
| GOLD | Trump Winery |
| SILVER | Stone Mountain Vineyards |
| BRONZE | Hill Top Berry Farm & Winery |
| Best Romantic Winery |
|
| GOLD | Pearmund Cellars |
| SILVER | Trump Winery |
| BRONZE | Potomac Point Winery |
| Best Winemaker |
|
| GOLD | Pearmund Cellars—Chris Pearmund |
| SILVER | Trump Winery—Jonathan Wheeler |
| BRONZE | Potomac Point Winery—David Pagan Castaño |
| Best Bottle Artwork | |
| GOLD | Effingham Manor Winery |
| SILVER | Hill Top Berry Farm & Winery |
| BRONZE | Ingleside Vineyards |
| Best Cabernet Franc | |
| GOLD | Ingleside Vineyards—Cabernet Franc |
| SILVER | Gauthier Vineyard—Cabernet Franc |
| BRONZE | Potomac Point Winery—Cabernet Franc |
| Best Cabernet Sauvignon | |
| GOLD | Ingleside Vineyards—Cabernet Sauvignon |
| SILVER | Saudé Creek Vineyards—Barrel 76 |
| BRONZE | Molon Lave Vineyards and Winery—Cabernet Sauvignon |
| Best Claret |
|
| GOLD | Ingleside Vineyards—Cabernet Merlot |
| SILVER | Lake Anna Winery—Spotsylvania Claret |
| Best Meritage | |
| GOLD | Pearmund Cellars—Ameritage Reserve |
| SILVER | Trump Winery—Meritage |
| BRONZE | Ingleside Vineyards—Virginia |
| Best Norton |
|
| GOLD | Potomac Point Winery—Norton |
| SILVER | The Winery at Bull Run—Norton |
| BRONZE | New Kent Winery—Virginia White Norton |
| Best Petit Verdot |
|
| GOLD | Ingleside Vineyards—Petit Verdot |
| SILVER | The Williamsburg Winery—Wessex Hundred Petit Verdot |
| BRONZE | Gauthier Vineyard—Petit Verdot |
| Best Red Other |
|
| GOLD | Trump Winery—New World Reserve |
| SILVER | Ingleside Vineyards—Blue Crab Red |
| BRONZE | Potomac Point Winery—Coyote Cave Red |
| Best Viognier | |
| GOLD | Pearmund Cellars—Viognier |
| SILVER | Trump Winery—Viognier |
| BRONZE | Potomac Point Winery—Viognier |
| Best Petit Manseng | |
| GOLD | Pearmund Cellars—Petit Manseng |
| SILVER | Ingleside Vineyards—Petit Manseng |
| BRONZE | Prince Michel Vineyard & Winery—Tres Bien |
| Best Oaked Chardonnay |
|
| GOLD | Pearmund Cellars—Old Vine Chardonnay |
| SILVER | Ingleside Vineyards—Chardonnay Reserve |
| BRONZE | Gauthier Vineyard—Oaked Chardonnay |
| Best Steel-Fermented Chardonnay |
|
| GOLD | Ingleside Vineyards—Chardonnay Reserve |
| SILVER | The Winery at Bull Run—Stainless Chardonnay |
| Best Traminette |
|
| GOLD | Gauthier Vineyard—Traminette |
| SILVER | Blue Ridge Vineyard—Traminette |
| BRONZE | Saudé Creek Vineyards—Traminette |
| Best Pinot Grigio | |
| GOLD | Barboursville Vineyards—Pinot Grigio |
| SILVER | Ingleside Vineyards—Pinot Grigio |
| BRONZE | Prince Michel Vineyard & Winery—Pinot Grigio |
| Best Sauvignon Blanc | |
| GOLD | Upper Shirley Vineyards—Sauvignon Blanc |
| SILVER | Fox Meadow Vineyards—Le Renard Gris |
| BRONZE | James Charles Winery & Vineyard—Fume Blanc |
| Best White Other | |
| GOLD | Ingleside Vineyards—Albariño |
| SILVER | Potomac Point Winery—La Belle Vie White |
| BRONZE | Naked Mountain Winery & Vineyards—Chardonnay Riesling (tie) and Gauthier Vineyard—Gazebo Blanc |
| Best Rosé | |
| GOLD | Ingleside Vineyards—Rosato di Sangiovese |
| SILVER | Potomac Point Winery—La Belle Vie Rosé |
| BRONZE | Gauthier Vineyard—Aimee Reneé Rosé |
| Best Fruit Wine | |
| GOLD | Hill Top Berry Farm & Winery—Blue Heeler |
| SILVER | Mattaponi Winery—Odeimin |
| BRONZE | The Winery at Bull Run—Peach |
| Best Dessert Wine | |
| GOLD | Ingleside Vineyards—October Harvest |
| SILVER | Trump Winery—CRU |
| BRONZE | Barrel Oak Winery—Chocolate Lab Dessert Wine |
| Best Sparkling Wine |
|
| GOLD | Trump Winery—Sparkling Reserve |
| SILVER | Ingleside VIneyards—Virginia Brut |
| BRONZE | Gauthier Vineyard—Sparkling Aimeé Reneé Rosé |
BEERS, BREWERIES AND CIDER |
|
| Best Craft Brewery |
|
| GOLD | Devils Backbone Brewing Company |
| SILVER | Old Bust Head Brewing Company |
| BRONZE | Blue Mountain Brewery |
| Best Brewery Food Offerings |
|
| GOLD | Devils Backbone Brewing Company |
| SILVER | Blue Mountain Brewery |
| BRONZE | Spencer Devon Brewing |
| Best Brewery For Food Truck Offerings |
|
| GOLD | Hardywood Park Craft Brewery |
| SILVER | Old Bust Head Brewing Company (tie) and Adventure Brewing Co. (tie) |
| BRONZE | AMMO Brewing (tie) and The Virginia Beer Company (tie) |
| Best Brewery For Families | |
| GOLD | Blue Mountain Brewery |
| SILVER | Wild Wolf Brewing Company |
| BRONZE | Legend Brewing Company (tie) and Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery (tie) and Old 690 Brewing Company (tie) |
| Best Brewery For Games/Activities | |
| GOLD | Center of the Universe Brewing Company |
| SILVER | Adventure Brewing Company |
| BRONZE | Strangeways Brewing |
| Best Brewery For Live Music |
|
| GOLD | Devils Backbone Brewing Company |
| SILVER | Hardywood Park Craft Brewery |
| BRONZE | Brew Republic Bierwerks |
| Best Brewery For Special Events |
|
| GOLD | Hardywood Park Craft Brewery |
| SILVER | Devils Backbone Brewing Company |
| Best Brewery Tasting Room |
|
| GOLD | Bold Rock Cider |
| SILVER | Hardywood Park Craft Brewery (tie) and Port City Brewing Co. (tie) |
| BRONZE | Old Bust Head Brewing Company |
| Best Brewery For Tours | |
| GOLD | Port City Brewing Co. |
| SILVER | Hardywood Park Craft Brewery |
| BRONZE | Stone Brewing |
| Best Brewery With A View | |
| GOLD | Blue Mountain Brewery |
| SILVER | Devils Backbone Brewing Company |
| BRONZE | Pro Re Nata Farm Brewery (tie) and Legend Brewing Company (tie) |
| Best Eco-Friendly Brewery | |
| GOLD | Fair Winds Brewing Company |
| SILVER | Old Bust Head Brewing Company |
| Best Beer Label | |
| GOLD | Starr Hill Brewery |
| SILVER | Chaos Mountain Brewing |
| BRONZE | Old Bust Head Brewing Company |
| Best Amber | |
| GOLD | Capitol City Brewing Company—Amber Waves |
| Best Bourbon Barrel Beer | |
| GOLD | Blue Mountain Brewery—Dark Hollow |
| Best IPA | |
| GOLD | Reaver Beach Brewing Co.—Hoptopus |
| Best Sour | |
| GOLD | Strangeways Brewery—Überlin |
| Best Stout | |
| GOLD | Hardywood Park Craft Brewery—Gingerbread Stout |
| Best Seasonal Beer | |
| GOLD | Blue Mountain Brewery—Dark Hollow |
| SILVER | Alewerks Brewing Company—Pumpkin Ale |
| Best Pumpkin Beer | |
| GOLD | Alewerks Brewing Company—Pumpkin Ale |
| Best Oktoberfest | |
| GOLD | Legend Brewing Company—Oktoberfest |
| SILVER | Port City Brewing Co.—Oktoberfest |
| Best Summer Beer | |
| GOLD | Blue Mountain Brewery—Rockfish Wheat |
| Best Traditional Cider | |
| GOLD | Bold Rock Cider |
| SILVER | Castle Hill Cider |
| BRONZE | Blue Toad Hard Cider |
| Best Flavored Cider | |
| GOLD | Bold Rock Cider |
| SILVER | Cobbler Mountain Cellars |
| BRONZE | Blue Bee Cider |
SPIRITS AND DISTILLERIES |
|
| Best Distillery | |
| GOLD | Silverback Distillery |
| SILVER | Bondurant Brothers Distillery (tie) and Virginia Distillery Co. (tie) and A. Smith Bowman Distillery (tie) |
| Best Distillery For Tastings | |
| GOLD | A. Smith Bowman Distillery |
| SILVER | Virginia Distillery Co. |
| BRONZE | Copper Fox Distillery |
| Best Distillery For Tours | |
| GOLD | Copper Fox Distillery |
| SILVER | A. Smith Bowman Distillery (tie) and Virginia Distillery Co. (tie) |
| BRONZE | MurLarkey Distilled Spirits, LLC |
| Best Meadery | |
| GOLD | Hill Top Berry Farm and Winery |
| SILVER | Black Heath Meadery |
| BRONZE | Silver Hand Meadery |
| Best Bourbon | |
| GOLD | A. Smith Bowman Distillery |
| SILVER | Silverback Distillery |
| Best Gin | |
| GOLD | Silverback Distillery |
| SILVER | Copper Fox Distillery |
| BRONZE | A. Smith Bowman Distillery |
| Best Rum | |
| GOLD | Mt. Defiance Cidery & Distillery |
| Best Vodka | |
| GOLD | Silverback Distillery |
| SILVER | MurLarkey Distilled Spirits, LLC |
| Best Whiskey | |
| GOLD | Virginia Distillery Co. |
| SILVER | Copper Fox Distillery |
| BRONZE | MurLarkey Distilled Spirits, LLC |
| Best Moonshine | |
| GOLD | MurLarkey Distilled Spirits, LLC |
| SILVER | Tim Smith’s Climax Moonshine |
TRAVEL AND LEISURE |
|
| Best Wine Trail | |
| GOLD | Monticello Wine Trail |
| SILVER | Chesapeake Bay Wine Trail |
| BRONZE | Nelson 151 |
| Best Beer Trail | |
| GOLD | Nelson 151 |
| SILVER | Charlottesville Brew Ridge Beer Route |
| BRONZE | Grapes and Grains Trail |
| Best Wine Festival | |
| GOLD | Stratford Hall Wine and Oyster Festival |
| SILVER | Virginia Wine & Craft Festival |
| BRONZE | Virginia Wine Expo |
| Best Beer Festival | |
| GOLD | Hoptoberfest |
| SILVER | Blacksburg Brew Do |
| BRONZE | Top of The Hops Beer Fest |
| Best City For Touring Wineries | |
| GOLD | Charlottesville |
| SILVER | Leesburg |
| BRONZE | Gordonsville (tie) and Warrenton (tie) |
| Best City For Touring Breweries | |
| GOLD | Charlottesville |
| SILVER | Richmond |
| Best City For Touring Distilleries | |
| GOLD | Charlottesville |
| SILVER | Fredricksburg |
| BRONZE | Richmond (tie) and Little Washington (tie) |
| Best Farm | |
| GOLD | Hill Top Berry Farm & Winery |
| SILVER | Cox Farms |
| Best Wine And Beer Shop | |
| GOLD | Total Wine and More |
| SILVER | Wegmans |
| BRONZE | Market Street Wine Shop |
| Best Wine Accessory Shop | |
| GOLD | Total Wine and More |
| SILVER | Barboursville Vineyards Gift Shop |
| BRONZE | Potomac Point Winery Gift Shop |
| Best Gourmet Shop (Not A Winery) For Virginia Wine |
|
| GOLD | Once Upon A Vine |
| SILVER | The Cheese Shop |
| BRONZE | Gordonsville (tie) and Warrenton (tie) |
| Best Cheese Shop | |
| GOLD | Wegmans |
| SILVER | The Cheese Shop |
| BRONZE | Thyme Market |
| Best Bed & Breakfast For A Wine Weekend | |
| GOLD | Albemarle Estate at Trump Winery |
| SILVER | The Farmhouse at Veritas |
| BRONZE | Peaks of Otter Lodge (tie) and The Suites at Prince Michel (tie) |
| Best Weekend Wine-Themed Getaway Spot |
|
| GOLD | Charlottesville |
| SILVER | Middleburg (tie) and Northern Neck (tie) |
| BRONZE | Nelson County (tie) and Little Washington (tie) |
| Best Wine/Beer/Spirits Tour Or Limo Company |
|
| GOLD | Point to Point Limousines |
| SILVER | James River Transportation |
| BRONZE | Chantilly Air |
| Best Restaurant Wine List | |
| GOLD | Firebirds Wood Fired Grill |
| SILVER | The Inn at Montross |
| BRONZE | Bonefish Grill |
| Best Restaurant With Local Food Offerings |
|
| GOLD | Blue Mountain Brewery |
| SILVER | Upper Shirley Vineyards |
| BRONZE | Jack’s Shop Kitchen |
