The Top Wineries, Craft Beer, Spirits And More. The Results Are In For Our Annual Reader’s Choice Awards.
Thank you to all of the lovers of a good cocktail, beautiful spot to picnic, place for farm-to-table fare and so much more. We asked you, readers, to come forward and share your opinions on the best wines, craft beers and spirits in Virginia along with the places that serve them and the people that create them. We needed your vote, and you definitely answered our call for expert advice.
Thousands of readers participated in our first annual Savor Virginia’s Readers’ Choice contest that included an initial round of nominations and a second round of voting for our finalists. Our contest winners are those that received the most votes overall for the entire duration of the contest, including nominations.
So, if you are looking for a new place for a weekend getaway, a recommendation for a stand-out Cabernet Franc or the top spot for beer plus live music, look no further. All of our well-crafted results are below.
CIDER AND CIDERIES
Best Cidery for Flavored Cider
Gold: Winchester Ciderworks
Silver: Bold Rock Barrel Barn
Bronze: Sly Clyde Ciderworks
Best Cidery for Traditional Cider
Gold: Winchester Ciderworks
Silver: Bold Rock Hard Cider
Bronze: Albemarle CiderWorks
Best Cider Maker
Gold: Stephen Schuurman, Winchester Ciderworks
Silver: Ian Niblock, Bold Rock Hard Cider
Bronze: Brent Miles, Sly Clyde Ciderworks
Best Cidery Overall
Gold: Winchester Ciderworks
Silver: Bold Rock Hard Cider
Bronze: Sly Clyde Ciderworks
BEER AND BREWERIES
Best Brewery for Ale
Gold: The Vanguard Brewpub & Distillery
Silver: Old Bust Head Brewing Company
Bronze: Hardywood Park Craft Brewery—Richmond
Best Brewery for Amber
Gold: Old Bust Head Brewing Company
Silver: The Virginia Beer Company
Bronze: Buggs Island Brewing
Best Brewery for IPA
Gold: Montross Brewery
Silver: Devils Backbone Brewing Company
Bronze: Hardywood Park Craft Brewery—Richmond
Best Brewery for Lager
Gold: Hardywood Park Craft Brewery—Richmond
Silver: Devils Backbone Brewing Company
Bronze: Alewerks Brewing Company
Best Brewery for Saison
Gold: The Virginia Beer Company
Silver: Smartmouth Brewing Co.
Bronze: O’Connor Brewing Company
Best Brewery for Seasonal Beer
Gold: Hardywood Park Craft Brewery—Richmond
Silver: Old Bust Head Brewing Company
Bronze: Alewerks Brewing Company
Best Brewery for Sour
Gold: Coelacanth Brewing Company
Silver: Oozlefinch Craft Brewery
Bronze: Old Bust Head Brewing Company
Best Brewery for Stout
Gold: Wasserhund Brewing Co.
Silver: Blue Mountain Barrel House
Bronze: Hardywood Park Craft Brewery—Richmond
Best Craft Beer Overall
Gold: The Virginia Beer Company
Silver: Old Bust Head Brewing Company
Bronze: Blue Mountain Barrel House
Best Beer Label
Gold: Montross Brewery
Silver: Starr Hill Brewery
Bronze: Wild Wolf Brewing Company
Best Brewery for Families
Gold: Blue Mountain Brewery
Silver: Back Bay Farmhouse Brewing Co.
Bronze: 2 Silos Brewing Co.
Best Brewery for Food Truck Offerings
Gold: The Virginia Beer Company
Silver: O’Connor Brewing Company
Bronze: Billsburg Brewery
Best Brewery for Live Music
Gold: The Vanguard Brewpub & Distillery
Silver: 2 Silos Brewing Co.
Bronze: Wild Wolf Brewing Company
Best Brewery for Special Events
Gold: The Vanguard Brewpub & Distillery
Silver: 2 Silos Brewing Co.
Bronze: O’ Connor Brewing Company
Best Brewery for Tours
Gold: Devils Backbone Brewing Company
Silver: Blue Mountain Brewery
Bronze: Port City Brewing
Best Brewery Restaurant
Gold: The Vanguard Brewpub & Distillery
Silver: Devils Backbone Brewing Company
Bronze: Wasserhund Brewing Co.
Best Brewery Tasting Room
Gold: Montross Brewery
Silver: Maker’s Craft Brewery
Bronze: Dirt Farm Brewing
Best Craft Brewery Overall
Gold: The Vanguard Brewpub & Distillery
Silver: Montross Brewery
Bronze: The Virginia Beer Company
DISTILLERIES AND SPIRITS
Best Distiller
Gold: George “Papi Zwetkow,” MurLarkey Distilled Spirits
Silver: Todd Emr, Caiseal Beer & Spirits Co.
Bronze: Mark Rangos, Blue Sky Distillery
Best Distillery for Tours
Gold: MurLarkey Distilled Spirits
Silver: Blue Sky Distillery
Bronze: A. Smith Bowman Distillery
Best Distillery Overall
Gold: MurLarkey Distilled Spirits
Silver: Caiseal Beer & Spirits Co.
Bronze: Blue Sky Distillery
Best Distillery Tasting Room
Gold: Blue Sky Distillery
Silver: Silverback Distillery
Bronze: Virginia Distillery Company
Best Mead
Gold: Hill Top Berry Farm and Winery
Silver: Silver Hand Meadery
Bronze: Haley’s Honey Meadery
Best Distillery for Bourbon
Gold: A. Smith Bowman Distillery
Silver: KO Distilling
Bronze: Ragged Branch Distillery
Best Distillery for Classic Moonshine
Gold: MurLarkey Distilled Spirits
Silver: Belle Isle Moonshine
Bronze: Belmont Farm Distillery
Best Distillery for Flavored Moonshine
Gold: Belle Isle Moonshine
Silver: Belmont Farm Distillery
Bronze: Five Mile Mountain Distillery
Best Distillery for Gin
Gold: Caiseal Beer & Spirits Co.
Silver: KO Distilling
Bronze: Silverback Distillery
Best Distillery for Rum
Gold: Blue Sky Distillery
Silver: A. Smith Bowman Distillery
Bronze: Vitae Spirits
Best Distillery for Vodka
Gold: MurLarkey Distilled Spirits
Silver: A. Smith Bowman Distillery
Bronze: Dida’s Distillery
Best Distillery for Whiskey
Gold: Caiseal Beer & Spirits Co.
Silver: Copper Fox Distillery
Bronze: KO Distilling
Best Spirits Overall
Gold: Caiseal Beer & Spirits Co.
Silver: KO Distilling
Bronze: Dida’s Distillery
TRAVEL AND TOURISM
Best Bed and Breakfast
Gold: Clifton Inn, Charlottesville
Silver: The Inn at Montross, Montross
Bronze: Skyline Vineyard Inn, Washington
Best Beer Festival
Gold: Smithfield Wine & Brew Fest
Silver: Microfestivus Craft Beer Fest, Roanoke
Bronze: Blacksburg Brew Do
Best Cheese Shop
Gold: The Cheese Shop, Williamsburg
Silver: Wegmans
Bronze: Feast, Charlottesville
Best City for Touring Breweries
Gold: Richmond
Silver: Charlottesville
Bronze: Hampton
Best City for Touring Distilleries
Gold: Charlottesville
Silver: Richmond
Bronze: Williamsburg
Best City for Touring Wineries
Gold: Charlottesville
Silver: Leesburg
Bronze: Northern Neck
Best Farm to Table Restaurant
Gold: Harvest, Virginia Beach
Silver: The Farmhouse at Veritas, Afton
Bronze: 1608 Crafthouse, Virginia Beach
Best Resort/Inn
Gold: Tides Inn, Irvington
Silver: Omni Homestead Resort, Hot Springs
Bronze: Salamander Resort & Spa, Middleburg
Best Restaurant Craft Beer List
Gold: Mekong Restaurant, Richmond
Silver: Charlottesville Draft Taproom
Bronze: The Water Dog, Lynchburg
Best Restaurant Wine List
Gold: The Inn at Little Washington, Washington
Silver: Opus 9 Steakhouse, Williamsburg
Bronze: The Downtown Grille, Charlottesville
Best Restaurant/Bar for Cocktails Made With Virginia Spirits
Gold: The Confident Rabbit, Fredericksburg
Silver: Amber Ox Public House, Williamsburg
Bronze: Becca Restaurant and Garden
Best Spirits Festival
Gold: Virginia Craft Spirits Roadshow
Silver: Smithfield Bacon, Bourbon & Beach Music Fest
Bronze: Belle Grove Plantation Spirits Festival, King George
Best Tour or Limo Company
Gold: Brew Ridge Tours
Silver: Cville Hop On Tours
Bronze: Wine Pro Tours
Best Virginia Beer Trail
Gold: The Nelson 151
Silver: Williamsburg Tasting Trail
Bronze: Virginia’s Blue Ridge Cheers Trail
Best Virginia Farmers Market
Gold: Tom Leonard’s Farmer’s Market, Glen Allen
Silver: Virginia Beach Farmers Market
Bronze: Smithfield Farmers Market
Best Virginia Made Product
Gold: A. Smith Bowman Distillery Bourbons
Silver: Whitley's Peanut Factory Peanuts
Bronze: Silverback Distillery Blackback Honey Rye Whiskey
Best Virginia Wine Trail
Gold: Chesapeake Bay Wine Trail
Silver: Monticello Wine Trail
Bronze: Loudoun Wine Trail
Best Virginia Weekend Getaway Spot (City/Town)
Gold: Charlottesville
Silver: Williamsburg
Bronze: Cape Charles
Best Wine and Beer Shop
Gold: Bon Vivant Wine & Brew, Smithfield
Silver: Vintage Cellar, Blacksburg
Bronze: The Cheese Shop, Williamsburg
Best Wine Festival
Gold: Stratford Hall Wine & Oyster Festival, Stratford
Silver: Smithfield Wine & Brew Fest
Bronze: Vintage Virginia Wine & Food Festival, Centreville
WINE AND WINERIES
Best Winery for Cabernet Franc
Gold: Barboursville Vineyards
Silver: Rappahannock Cellars
Bronze: Glen Manor Vineyards
Best Winery for Cabernet Sauvignon
Gold: Gray Ghost Vineyards
Silver: Keswick Vineyards
Bronze: Casanel Vineyards
Best Winery for Chardonnay
Gold: Ingleside Vineyards
Silver: The Williamsburg Winery
Bronze: Early Mountain Vineyards
Best Winery for Dessert Wine
Gold: Barboursville Vineyards
Silver: Horton Vineyards
Bronze: Rappahannock Cellars
Best Winery for Meritage
Gold: Jefferson Vineyards
Silver: Rappahannock Cellars
Bronze: King Family Vineyards
Best Winery for Merlot
Gold: Rosemont of Virginia
Silver: Barboursville Vineyards
Bronze: Gray Ghost Vineyards
Best Winery for Norton
Gold: Horton Vineyards
Silver: Chrysalis Vineyards
Bronze: The Winery at Bull Run
Best Winery for Petit Verdot
Gold: The Williamsburg Winery
Silver: Veritas Vineyard
Bronze: Pearmund Cellars
Best Winery for Rose
Gold: Rosemont of Virginia
Silver: Early Mountain Vineyards
Bronze: The Williamsburg Winery
Best Winery for Sparkling Wine
Gold: Trump Winery
Silver: Rappahannock Cellars
Bronze: Three Fox Vineyards
Best Winery for Viognier
Gold: Little Washington Winery
Silver: Rappahannock Cellars
Bronze: Three Fox Vineyards
Best Bottle Artwork
Gold: Blenheim Vineyards
Silver: SummerWind Vineyard
Bronze: Veritas Vineyard
Best Virginia Wine Overall
Gold: Ingleside Vineyards
Silver: Little Washington Winery
Bronze: Rosemont of Virginia
Best Winery Overall
Gold: Little Washington Winery
Silver: Ingleside Vineyards
Bronze: Rosemont of Virginia
Best Wine Dog
Gold: Barrel Oak Winery
Silver: Chateau Morrisette Winery
Bronze: Three Fox Vineyards
Best Virginia Wine Maker
Gold: Carl Henrickson, Little Washington Winery
Silver: Mark Misch, Ingleside Vineyards
Bronze: Luca Paschina, Barboursville Vineyards
Best Winery for Picnics
Gold: Three Fox Vineyards
Silver: King Family Vineyards
Bronze: Veritas Vineyards
Best Winery for Tours
Gold: Barboursville Vineyards
Silver: The Williamsburg Winery
Bronze: Gray Ghost Vineyards
Best Winery for Weddings
Gold: Pippin Hill Farm & Vineyards
Silver: Rosemont of Virginia
Bronze: Early Mountain Vineyards
Best Winery With A View
Gold: Three Fox Vineyards
Silver: Bluemont Vineyard
Bronze: Afton Mountain Vineyards
Best Winery Tasting Room
Gold: Ingleside Vineyards
Silver: Little Washington Winery
Bronze: Early Mountain Vineyards
