A Snapshot of Virginia Wines

The wine industry is thriving in Virginia. Although post-Prohibition pioneers who planted vinifera grapes in the 1970s saw mixed results, they set the stage for the boom to come; by 2015, more than 250 wineries—more than double the number a decade earlier—were farming more than 3,500 acres of grapes.

To check on the progress, I recently tasted a dozen wines from the state's Governor's Cup wine competition. Here are some of my non-blind scores and notes.