Bite Virginia's 2024 Class of Wines

The 42nd Virginia Wineries Association’s Virginia Governer’s Cup raised a glass to celebrate the winemakers and growers who have contributed their hands in the dirt, grapes on their boots, and art in a glass. A panel of judges blind tastes each wine, and their cumulative scores create the year's top twelve wines, referred to as the Governer’s Case. The awards gala featured 77 wineries and cideries lined across Main Street Station, pouring over 750 snippets of their most prized inventory for a ballroom of fortunate guests. Amongst them were some of Richmond’s top up and coming chefs, who were delivering some prizes of their own.

Sprinkled amongst the booths of Virginia’s most decorated wines were a handful of Richmond chefs sharing local fare to indulge alongside your favorite glass. Help us celebrate our conjurers of cuisine as we recount the evening's one-bite delights and their pairings of the 2024 Governer’s Cup Case selection.

Enjoy.

The Roosevelt 

Chef Leah Branch

Country Pâté

King Family Vineyards, 2019 Meritage: 2024 Governer’s Cup Winner

Consider this a celebration of French-facing classics that deserve a seat at the bistro. These two mirror one another in balance and tradition. A hearty, creamy pâté on country white finds its footing with a sweet dollop of huckleberry jam, to be brought home by coarse mustard and a paper-thin pickle. Much like the paté, Finot’s Meritage leans on rich flavors; shots of dark fruit and linear acidity set the stage for its creeping tannins and light tobacco finish. These two, hand in hand, bridge the gap between Virginia and Crozes-Hermitage by way of a well-traveled foothill.

Lobster Hushpuppies

Buskey Cider, 2022 Ruby Crab Apple: 2024 Governer’s Cup Best In Show Cider

A celebration of the low country, a savory handheld propped to its feet with a lively, citrusy spritz. Taste a striking foot-stomper of a bite you can only get in a cast-iron kitchen. Its creamy remoulade and hints of truffle elevate the stone-ground shellfish delight. Enjoy these with a pop of zesty fruit-forward cider to cut the richness and fall into a porch-swinging sensation. 

Conejo

Chef Danny Mena

Rockfish Ceviche

October One Vineyard, 2022 Albariño 

A pairing made to cut through the humid afternoons of mid-summer. Mena achieves a fresh take on a seafood staple by incorporating the Chesapeake’s crown jewel: the rockfish. The flaky bass serves as a canvas to showcase an avocado jalapeño aioli amongst a tart combination of red onion, chile tomatoes, and diced apple. This plays well off of Nate Walsh’s stainless steel Albariño, which adds a blanket layer of soft honey complexity and rounds out with a crisp finish to settle the ceviche’s tingling punch.

Taco Campechano

Hark Vineyards, 2019 Spark 

Corn tortillas, chicharron salsa roja, cilantro, onion, and a heaping, slow-cooked masterpiece of campechano- a beautiful blend of brisket and house-made chorizo. These are the tacos you come home for, these are the bites you take an extra breath as you savor the fatty, fiery escape of chicharron salsa verde falling through a pillow of goodness. AJ Greenly’s 2019 Spark deepens the hearty beef flavors and cools down the palate with every lifting sip.

ACACIA Midtown 

Chef Dale Reitzer

Passionfruit Panna Cotta

Barboursville Vineyards, 2019 Paxxito 

Do not apologize for decadence. Small bites of the velvety passion fruit panna cotta lift you southbound to a tropical evening, winding down into a warm slumber. A soothing dessert that packs enough zing to remind you that you’re indulging in an airy, tropical treat. Paschina’s 2019 Paxxito invites your indulgence with a sweet bouquet that lifts the velvety notes of pineapple, pitted fruit, and toasty honey—a pairing destined to cap off your night.

Manny Eats 

Chef Manny Baiden 

Mushroom & Squash Garden Taco

Breaux Vineyards, 2019 The Fog Nebbiolo Reserve 

Here is a delectable combination of funghi and garden veggies that will trick your stubborn uncle into skipping red meat for a meal. This bite infuses fresh Latinx flavors to fuel a savory taco that’ll yearn for a big red. The dynamic balance of these tacos holds its own in the face of a bold Nebbiolo that is propped up by deep red fruit and an aroma that’ll take you to a fine cigar shop. To break up these bold flavors, you need a dish that sneaks in a couple of jabs of its own; look no further than Baiden’s smoky mole and tangy queso fresco.