It’s the second time Keswick Vineyards has won the Governor’s cup. The winery picked up its first cup in 2009, and last night, Feb. 22, at Hotel John Marshall, Keswick won for its 2014 Cabernet Franc Estate Reserve. The tasting notes describe the wine as “light and graceful, but also powerful — dense with black pepper and exotic spices that turn into darker fruits as the wine is aerated.”
“With clean ripe fruit harvested,” said Keswick winemaker Stephen Barnard in a press release from Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s office, “our intention was to stand back and let the soul of the vineyard shine through in the wine.”
Michigan native Al Schornberg, owner of Keswick Vineyards said, “It has always been my dream to make a great red wine from the soils of Virginia.”
Keswick’s 2014 Cabernet Franc Estate Reserve is available online or in the vineyard’s tasting room near Charlottesville at 1575 Keswick Winery Drive.
McAuliffe also recognized the following wines, which will be included in the 2016 Governor’s Cup Case:
Barboursville Vineyards, 2014 Vermentino
Bluestone Vineyards, 2014 Chardonnay
Cardinal Point Winery, 2014 Clay Hill Cabernet Franc
Fabbioli Cellars, 2012 Cabernet Franc
Glen Manor Vineyards, 2013 Hodder Hill (red blend)
Granite Heights Winery, 2010 Evening Serenade (red blend)
Horton Vineyards, 2014 Petit Manseng
Keswick Vineyards, 2014 Cabernet Franc Estate Reserve
Michael Shaps, 2014 Petit Manseng
Naked Mountain Winery, 2012 Petit Verdot
North Gate Vineyard, 2013 Meritage
Stone Tower Winery, 2013 Hogback Mountain (red blend)
