Port of Leonardtown wins its 3rd Maryland Governor’s Cup with 2023 Cabernet Franc Reserve
The southern Maryland cooperative took Best in Show after judges assessed 163 wines from 27 wineries, while Layton’s Chance earned the Jack Aellen Cup for its 2026 BoBerry Strawberry.
Port of Leonardtown Winery won the Maryland Governor’s Cup Best in Show trophy with its 2023 Cabernet Franc Reserve, the Maryland Wineries Association announced on November 5. It was the 3rd time the southern Maryland cooperative had received the state’s leading wine honor. The announcement came during an event co-sponsored by Edible DC at Windridge Vineyards in Darnestown; Windridge had won the previous year with its 2022 Cabernet Franc.1
Port of Leonardtown is jointly owned by 6 vineyard owners. Its winemaker, Lauren Zimmerman, had previously won the Governor’s Cup for Barbera and Chambourcin. She said the latest victory brought welcome encouragement after a difficult vintage and described Maryland Cabernet Franc as capable of complex, deep and dark fruit. The grapes for the winning wine came from Six Wickets Vineyard in Myersville and Stonemur Vineyard.1
Cabernet Franc has now won the competition in 2 consecutive years. The source noted that the sequence may reflect strong vintages, while also suggesting that the variety could make a case as the region’s strongest grape.1
A severe freeze and a detailed judging process
The celebration followed a punishing Mid-Atlantic growing season. A hard freeze in the early hours of April 21 devastated vineyards across the region, and Maryland Wineries Association executive director Janna Howley said the statewide crop was about 25% of normal.1
The Governor’s Cup judging took place in Baltimore on September 20. A panel drawn from sommeliers, distributors, wine writers, retailers and hospitality professionals evaluated 163 wines from 27 wineries. The Best of Class wines were then poured at the November 5 event.1
All 10 Best of Class winners
The complete Best of Class selection comprised 10 wines: Sparkling — Big Cork Vineyards, 2025 Brut Rosé; White Blend — Windridge Vineyards, 2025 White Blend; White Varietal — Mazzaroth Vineyard, Vidal Blanc; Blush/Rosé — Big Cork Vineyards, 2025 Syrah Rosé; Red Blend — Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard, 2025 Circe; Red Varietal — Port of Leonardtown Winery, 2023 Cabernet Franc Reserve; Sweet/Dessert — Linganore Winecellars, NV Aria; Mead — Loew Vineyards, NV Mechaya; Cider — The Crossvines, 2025 Hit it Hard Cider “Strawbirdie”; and Fruit — Layton’s Chance Vineyard + Winery, 2026 BoBerry Strawberry.1
Layton’s Chance wins the Jack Aellen Cup
The Jack Aellen Cup for the best fruit wine, cider or mead went to Layton’s Chance Vineyard & Winery for 2026 BoBerry Strawberry. While accepting the award, William Layton explained that the strawberries are capped individually by hand and that getting the entire crop into the tank takes weeks. He said the labor can prompt doubts about whether the process is worthwhile, but that a win of this kind provides the answer.1
2 producers highlighted as sleeper winners
Beyond Port of Leonardtown’s 3rd overall victory, the source singled out 2 Best of Class producers as possible contributors to Maryland wine’s next stage. Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyards won the red-blend class with 2025 Circe, a Bordeaux-style blend described as ready to drink immediately or during the next 5 years. Winemaker Manolo Gomez was credited with quietly producing some of Maryland’s most sophisticated and complex wines.1
Loew Vineyards’ Rachel Lipman continued her record of award-winning mead with NV Mechaya, the Best of Class winner and Maryland’s 1st kosher-certified mead. The source also drew attention to her grape wines, including the recently released 2025 Chenin Blanc.1
Sources
Written by the Dionysus editors from the sources above.
