KING FAMILY VINEYARDS WINS 2004 GOVERNOR’S CUP AWARD

Contact: Nan Johnson (804) 358-8011
nanjohnson@dsignr.com
Mary Davis-Barton (804) 371-7685

June 3, 2004 RICHMOND, VA -- From of a field of nearly 300 entries in this year’s Virginia Governor’s Cup competition, 32 judges have awarded 189 medals of distinction and the coveted Governor’s Cup to the most outstanding Virginia wines.

Ellen and David King and winemaker Michael Shaps of King Family Vineyards in Crozet, Virginia, accepted the Governor’s Cup from Governor Mark Warner at a special awards ceremony and wine tasting at the State Capitol in Richmond today.

“We’re surprised and pleased to have produced a wine worthy of this award,” said David King. “The winemaking standards are so high here in Virginia, it’s nice to have this success.” Part of the credit, he says, goes to the collegial atmosphere amongst his neighboring vineyards. “There are a lot of nice wineries making nice wines and we’ve always looked to them for advice.”

Both natives of Texas, Ellen and David King honeymooned in Charlottesville where David’s love of history kicked into high gear. Ellen’s father and brother both graduated from UVA so she already had a familiarity with the rolling hills and gentle way of life. The family moved to Charlottesville in 1995.

“We knew we wanted a farm,” said Ellen King. “The vineyard grew out of our need for a drought tolerant crop.” It was definitely a three-step process, she said, from the farm to the vineyard and the first vintage, to the winery and tasting room.

Veteran winemaker Michael Shaps was “pretty excited” to learn that his King Family Vineyards 2002 Michael Shaps Cabernet Franc had not only won a gold medal but was named the Governor’s Cup recipient in this year’s Virginia Governor’s Cup competition. “It’s nice to see a wine made in the traditional style with 100% estate grown fruit receive this recognition.”

Shaps is no stranger to winning awards for his special winemaking skills. He has earned over a hundred medals in local and national competitions. In the June 2000 issue of The Wine Spectator, he received three 87-point ratings for his Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, the highest score of over thirty East Coast wineries.

The entire King family, says Shaps, spends countless hours in the vineyard carefully tending to the grapes that he crafted into the two gold medal winners: the King Family Vineyard 2002 Meritage and the 2002 Michael Shaps Cabernet Franc. “It’s this commitment and dedication to producing the finest fruit that leads to the finest wines.”

Governor Warner also presented the following gold medals at today’s ceremony:

Virginia’s dynamic wine industry has experienced rapid expansion in recent
years, making it one of the fastest growing agricultural sectors in the state. In 1979, there were only six wineries in Virginia. By 1994, the number had grown to 43. Today, there are more than 85 wineries and 250 grape producers in the Commonwealth and the industry continues to expand under the direction of a new Virginia Wine Board, which takes effect July 1, 2004.

Visit Virginia’s wineries on the web at www.virginiawines.org or call 1-800-VA-VINES (828-4637) for further information about events, tours and tastings.

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