Charlottesville Area Nominated for Wine Region of the Year in Wine Enthusiast's Wine Star Awards

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – The Charlottesville Albemarle Convention and Visitors Bureau (CACVB) is excited to announce that the Charlottesville area and the Monticello American Viticultural Area (AVA) have been nominated for Wine Region of the Year in Wine Enthusiast’s annual Wine Star Awards. The Charlottesville area is just one of five wine regions nominated around the world for this prestigious award. The winner will be determined by the Wine Enthusiast media team and announced later this month. The Wine Star Awards celebrate the innovation of individuals and companies that have significantly contributed to the success of the wine and alcoholic beverage world.

The region’s history with wine dates to the days of Thomas Jefferson, who believed Charlottesville and Albemarle County’s terroir to be ideal for growing grapevines. While Jefferson’s intuition about the land was correct, the varieties of grapes he chose were not. After several failed grape-growing experiments at Jefferson’s mountaintop home of Monticello, the region didn’t see successful vineyard ventures until the mid-1970s, when winemakers began experimenting with grapes better suited for the land. Since that time, the Monticello Wine Trail was created and has flourished, currently boasting more than 40 vineyards within a 25-mile radius of Charlottesville. The Monticello Wine Trail regularly receives major accolades in the annual Virginia Governor’s Cup wine competition
and in 2023, won nearly half of all the gold medals awarded.

“I am so excited to hear that our region has been nominated for Wine Region of the Year in this year’s Wine Star Awards,” said Stephen Barnard, President of the Monticello Wine Trail. “This is a testament to all the talented growers, winemakers and industry professionals in our region, who have flown the flag of Virginia wine so brightly. It truly is an honor to be recognized by professionals outside of our region, validating what we all know – that world-class wine is being made in our part of Virginia.”

“We are so humbled and honored by this recognition by Wine Enthusiast,” said Courtney Cacatian, Executive Director of the Charlottesville Albemarle Convention & Visitors Bureau. “We know our vineyards and wineries are truly special in their abundance of character, collaborative spirit, and exceptional product. Now the world will know it too. I’m confident that this honor will attract more visitors to experience our unique wine region from all over the world.”

Click here for a selection of high-resolution images from the Monticello Wine Trail. (Photo credit: Charlottesville Albemarle Convention & Visitors Bureau or www.visitcharlottesville.org)

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About the Charlottesville Albemarle Convention & Visitors Bureau

The Charlottesville Albemarle Convention & Visitors Bureau (CACVB) welcomes thousands of visitors to the region each year from all over the world who are seeking a variety of unique experiences in history, food, wine, spirits, and adventure. The CACVB serves as the global resource for marketing the tourism assets of the City of Charlottesville and County of Albemarle, and assists tour operators, meeting planners, and other groups in planning visits to the destination. The CACVB’s mission is to enhance the economic prosperity of the people of the City and County by promoting, selling, and marketing the area as a destination, in pursuit of the meetings and tourism markets.