Barboursville Vineyards Wins 2025 Virginia Governor’s Cup with Vermentino
Barboursville Vineyards has once again secured its place at the top of Virginia’s wine industry, winning the 2025 Virginia Governor’s Cup for its 2023 Vermentino Reserve. This marks the sixth time Barboursville has claimed the top prize since the competition began in 1982 and the fifth win under Winemaker Luca Paschina, who has led the estate since 1991.
White wines rarely take home the Governor’s Cup, with the competition historically favoring reds. In fact, for several years, the Virginia Wineries Association held separate competitions for red and white wines due to concerns that white wines weren’t getting a fair shot. That format was abandoned in 2011, and since then, only a handful of whites have triumphed—making this year’s win even more remarkable.
“I’m so happy for Vermentino,” Paschina shared. “It has all the characteristics a wine drinker looks for—intense, complex aroma, smooth texture, a briny, salty finish, and a long aftertaste.”
Barboursville’s Vermentino has been a standout for years, regularly earning gold medals and making the Governor’s Case in 2016, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023—more than any other wine. The affordable price tag makes it one of the best values in Virginia wine. Paschina first planted Vermentino in 2009 after a visit to Italy, inspired by the white wines of Sardinia, Liguria, and the Tuscan coast. While the grape thrived initially, a brutal polar vortex in 2014 devastated many vineyards across central Virginia, discouraging wineries from replanting it. However, Barboursville’s original plantings survived, and Paschina continued producing Vermentino, making it one of the few wineries in Virginia to offer the varietal today.
The Virginia Governor’s Cup has become one of the country’s most respected regional wine competitions, judged by a panel of wine experts, including four Masters of Wine, a Master Sommelier, and top industry professionals. This year’s competition saw a strong showing for white wines, with five earning a place in the Governor’s Cup Case—a sign that Virginia’s wine industry continues to diversify and evolve. Barboursville received recognition for other standouts in their portfolio, including:
- Governor’s Case Selection: 2017 Octagon
- Gold Medals:
- 2017 Cabernet Franc
- 2017 Nebbiolo
- 2021 Nebbiolo
- 2021 Octagon
Barboursville’s wins not only reinforces its reputation for excellence but also highlights Virginia’s potential as a premier wine region. With each vintage, the state’s winemakers are proving that Virginia wines belong on the national and international stage.
For the full list of winners, visit virginiawine.org.
