Sweet Briar College Farm wins five medals in Virginia Governor’s Cup

By AI, Created 11:17 AM UTC, May 20, 2026, /AGP/ – Sweet Briar College Farm’s five entered wines all earned silver or bronze medals in the 2026 Commonwealth of Virginia Governor’s Cup. The results extend a second straight year of recognition for the college’s vineyard and winemaking program.

Why it matters: - Sweet Briar College Farm’s sweep shows its wines can compete statewide across sparkling, white, red, and rosé categories. - The result also reinforces the college’s hands-on agriculture and sustainability program as a real-world learning platform.

What happened: - All five Sweet Briar College Farm wines entered in the 2026 Commonwealth of Virginia Governor’s Cup won medals. - Silver medals went to the 2023 Leading the Way Chardonnay, 2024 Briar Bubbly, and 2024 Celebration Sparkling Chardonnay. - Bronze medals went to the 2023 Constitution Oaks Cabernet Sauvignon and 2024 Earned the Rosé. - The recognition marks the second straight year Sweet Briar College Farm has celebrated award-winning wines.

The details: - Sweet Briar’s wines come from grapes grown on nearly 18 acres of vineyard tracts in two campus locations. - The vineyards include merlot, chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon, and cabernet franc grapes. - Governor’s Cup judging uses a single-blind format in the preliminary round. - Six judges taste each wine over three days. - Judges know the grape or category, but not the vintage, winery, or name. - Sweet Briar College Farm, LLC is the college’s agricultural entity for wholesale produce, honey production, and winemaking. - The farm is led by Belinda Burke, Dr. Lisa Powell, and John Thomas. - Sweet Briar College Farm wines are made with Michael Shaps Wineworks and bottled in Charlottesville, Va. - More information on the farm’s products and wine purchases is available here.

Between the lines: - The medal results suggest Sweet Briar’s campus vineyard operation is producing commercially competitive wine, not just student training material. - The mix of medals across multiple styles points to breadth in the farm’s wine program. - The college’s promotion of student experience in viticulture and sustainable agriculture indicates the winery is part of a broader academic and recruitment strategy.

What’s next: - Sweet Briar College says visitors can use the farm website for updates on agricultural products and projects. - Prospective students interested in experiential learning and sustainability-focused education can learn more through Sweet Briar admissions or admissions@sbc.edu.