A Toast to the Leading Vintages in Our Annual Savor Virginia Wine Classic
For the 13th year, we invited a panel of expert judges to taste and rate wines submitted from around Virginia for our annual Savor Virginia Wine Classic Awards.
With approximately 300 wineries and thousands of wines coming from vineyards around the Commonwealth, Virginia vinos are thriving—even in challenging times. While the state’s wineries began to reopen gradually for public events this summer, winemakers never stopped pursuing their passion, working the land and crafting vintages befitting our 400-year wine history as well as a modern wine movement that has put the state on the map among oenophiles.
To arrive at our results for 2020, our judging panel converged in early summer at River Stone Chophouse in Suffolk, known for its sophisticated wine program, refined setting and menu of custom-cut steaks, seafood and raw bar. The judges evaluated dozens of wines produced across the state, each based on its individual merit.
Tasting was conducted in double-blind flights, each judge 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 results on the following pages. Congratulations to all of our honorees.
Platinum Level Winners
Delfosse Winery
2015 Joie De Vivre Sparkling Chardonnay
Maggie Malick Wine Caves
2019 Albarino
Veramar Winery
Bogati Bodega Fat Ass Red
Bluestone Vineyard
2014 Estate Grown Cadenza
Narmada Winery
2017 Yash-Vir
Narmada Winery
2017 Melange
Gold Level Winners
Casanel Vineyards & Winery
2017 Red Spark
Narmada Winery
2019 MOM
Twin Oaks Tavern Winery
2017 Vidal Blanc
Gray Ghost Vineyards
2019 Seyval Blanc
Lake Anna Winery
2019 Seyval Blanc
Gray Ghost Vineyards
2019 Riesling
Veramar Vineyard
2019 Justin Bogaty Viognier
Narmada Winery
2019 Viognier
Potomac Point Vineyard & Winery
2019 Richland Reserve Viognier
Phillip Carter Winery
2019 Sabine Hall Viognier
Bluestone Vineyard
2018 Petit Manseng
Maggie Malick Wine Caves
2019 Petit Manseng
Bluestone Vineyard
2018 Estate Grown Stainless Steel Chardonnay
Ingleside Vineyards
Coastal White
Ingleside Vineyards
Blue Crab Blanc
Ingleside Vineyards
2018 Chardonnay Reserve
Casanel Vineyards & Winery
2018 Chardonnay Reserve
Good Luck Cellars
2017 Chardonel
Good Luck Cellars
2017 Traminette
Narmada Winery
2018 Chardonel Reserve
Revalation Vineyards
2017 Pinot Gris
Ingleside Vineyards
2019 Pinot Grigio
Ingleside Vineyards
2019 Albarino
Casanel Vineyards & Winery
2019 Ellianna Pinot Gris
Veramar Winery
2019 Justin Bogaty Rosé
Ingleside Vineyards
2019 Rosato di Sangiovese
Casanel Vineyards & Winery
2019 José Rosé
Bluestone Vineyards
2015 Estate Grown Blue Ice
Honey & Hops Brew Works
2020 Blueberry Meade
Honey & Hops Brew Works
2020 Hopped Blood Orange Meade
Cunningham Creek
2016 Petit Verdot (Estate)
Maggie Malick Wine Caves
2017 Petit Verdot
Ingleside Vineyards
2015 Petit Verdot
Lake Anna Winery
2017 Petit Verdot
Casanel Vineyards & Winery
2017 Petit Verdot
Narmada Winery
2017 Reflection
Delfosse Winery
2015 Merlot
Revalation Vineyards
2017 Mélange à Quatre
Twin Oaks Tavern Winery
2017 Merlot
Potomac Point Winery
2019 Norton
Narmada Winery
2017 Cabernet Franc Reserve
Narmada Winery
2017 Cabernet Franc Premium
Gray Ghost Vineyards
2019 Cabernet Franc
Gray Ghost Vineyards
2018 Cabernet Sauvignon
Gray Ghost Vineyards
2017 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
Veramar Vineyards
2018 Bogati Bodega Malbec
New Kent Winery
Meritage
Cunningham Creek
2016 Meritage
Cunningham Creek
2016 Rivanna Red
Maggie Malick Wine Caves
2017 Captain’s Cuvee
Maggie Malick Wine Caves
2017 Fortissimo
Delfosse Winery
2016 Grinning Fox
Potomac Point Winery
2017 Richland Reserve Heritage
Gray Ghost Vineyards
2018 Ranger Reserve
Ingleside Vineyards
2018 Left Bank
Casanel Vineyards and Winery
2017 K2 Red Blend
Casanel Vineyards and Winery
2017 Carménère
Stanburn Winery
2017 Big A Red
Silver Award Winners
New Kent Winery
2017 Vidal Blanc
Stanburn Winery
2018 Vidal Blanc
Good Luck Cellars
2018 Seyval Blanc
Cunningham Creek
2018 Viognier
Ingleside Vineyards
2018 Viognier
Phillip Carter Winery
2018 Sabine Hall Viognier
Potomac Point Winery
2019 Petit Manseng
Veramar Vineyard
2019 Justin Bogaty Chardonnay
Bluestone Vineyard
2017 Estate Grown Oaked Chardonnay
New Kent Winery
2017 Chardonnay
Twin Oaks Tavern Winery
2017 Chardonnay
Lake Anna Winery
2019 Barrel Select Chardonnay
Good Luck Cellars
2018 Baleen Beauty
Gray Ghost Vineyards
2019 Gewürztraminer
Stanburn Winery
2017 Highfly
Good Luck Cellars
2017 Rip Rap Rosé
Narmada Winery
2019 Gulabi
New Kent Winery
2018 White Merlot
Maggie Malick Wine Caves
2019 Rosé
Cunningham Creek
2017 Sweet Home
Gray Ghost Vineyards
2019 Adieu Late Harvest
Honey & Hops Brew Works
2020 Blueberry Lime Session Meade
Gray Ghost Vineyards
2018 Petit Verdot
Good Luck Cellars
2016 Chambourcin
Narmada Winery
2017 Midnight
Stanburn Winery
2017 Chambourcin
Maggie Malick Wine Caves
2017 Merlot
Lake Anna Winery
2017 Morgan Merlot
New Kent Winery
2017 Cabernet Franc
Casanel Vineyard & Winery
2017 Cabernet Sauvignon
Good Luck Cellars
2015 Inheritage
Maggie Malick Wine Caves
2017 Malbec
Maggie Malick Wine Caves
2017 Kaleidoscope
Maggie Malick Wine Caves
2017 Tannat
Delfosse Winery
2015 Malbec
Revalation Winery
2018 Tannat
Ingleside Vineyards
2018 Right Bank
Stanburn Winery
2018 Barbera
Bronze Award Winners
Good Luck Cellars
2016 Vidal Blanc
Delfosse Winery
2017 Sauvignon Blanc
Revalation Vineyards
2016 Quatre Blancs
Good Luck Cellars
2017 Unoaked Chardonnay
Gray Ghost Vineyards
2018 Chardonnay
Phillip Carter Winery
2016 Shirley Chardonnay
Potomac Point Winery
2019 La Bella Vie Rosé
Honey & Hops Brew Works
2020 Hopped Strawberry Session Meade
Honey & Hops Brew Works
2020 Ginger Session Meade
Good Luck Cellars
2017 Norton
Twin Oaks Tavern Winery
2017 Raven Rocks Red
Phillip Carter Winery
2016 Cleve
Phillip Carter Winery
2017 Ten Vines Red
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 – 2 points
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% or higher
Gold
65–79%
Silver
50–64%
Bronze
49% or lower
The Critics
Josh Fisher – Manager, Yianni’s Wine Shop in Virginia Beach
Lisa Hamaker – Owner, Taste Virginia culinary, winery, brewery and spirits tours
Chris Hill – Chef, author and speaker
Matt LaBarge – Beverage director, Four Eleven York in Norfolk
Bethany Morris – Certified sommelier; general manager and wine director, Heirloom Restaurant in Virginia Beach
Charles Rizzo – Certified sommelier, River Stone Chophouse in Suffolk
Marc Sauter – Certified sommelier, Zoës Steak & Seafood in Virginia Beach
