{"id":24041,"date":"2022-03-28T20:14:40","date_gmt":"2022-03-29T03:14:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dailyovation.com\/?p=24041"},"modified":"2022-03-29T08:24:14","modified_gmt":"2022-03-29T15:24:14","slug":"winemaker-melanie-natoli-cana-vineyards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyovation.com\/2022\/03\/28\/winemaker-melanie-natoli-cana-vineyards\/","title":{"rendered":"Winemaker Melanie Natoli, Cana Vineyards Wins 2022 Virginia Governor’s Cup"},"content":{"rendered":"

Winemaker Melanie Natoli, Cana Vineyards Wins 2022 Virginia Governor’s Cup with 2019 Unit\u00e9 Reserve<\/em><\/p>\n

Winemaker Melanie Natoli<\/strong> Becomes the First Woman to Receive Coveted Cup on the Competition’s 40th Anniversary<\/p>\n


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During the annual celebration held at Main Street Station, Governor\u00a0Glenn Youngkin<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0awarded the 2022 Virginia Governor’s Cup\u00ae to Cana Vineyards & Winery of\u00a0Middleburg<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0for its 2019 Unit\u00e9 Reserve\u2014a signature estate red blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.<\/p>\n

\"Winemaker<\/p>\n

The competition received a record-breaking number of entries this year\u2014615 wines from over 100 Virginia wineries.<\/p>\n


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Related:\u00a0 Celebrate the Second Annual #WomeninWine Day March 25<\/a> with Sonoma County\u2019s Papapietro Perry Winery<\/span><\/p>\n


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Winemaker\u00a0Melanie Natoli<\/span>\u00a0received the prestigious Governor’s Cup\u00ae<\/strong> on behalf of Cana Vineyards, becoming the first woman in the competition’s history to receive the award.<\/p>\n

\"Virginia<\/p>\n

Cana Vineyards’ first plantings were in 2012 with Natoli\u00a0joining as winemaker and vineyard manager in 2015. The 2019 Unit\u00e9\u00a0Reserve is a particularly special wine for her as she notes, “it’s in my hands from bud break to bottle.”<\/p>\n

“It is an honor to present this year’s\u00a0Virginia<\/span>\u00a0Governor’s Cup\u00ae<\/p>\n

to Cana Vineyards and Winery of\u00a0Middleburg<\/span>\u00a0and\u00a0Melanie Natoli<\/span>,<\/p>\n

the first woman winemaker to receive this award,”<\/p>\n

said Governor Youngkin.<\/b><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

“The 40th anniversary of the competition saw the most diverse selection of award-winning wines to date, demonstrating the passion and experimental spirit of\u00a0Virginia<\/span>\u00a0driving our wine industry to new heights.”<\/p>\n

Cana Vineyards’ 2019 Unit\u00e9 Reserve earned the highest average score<\/strong> from a panel of esteemed judges who evaluated the wines based on appearance, aroma, flavor, commercial suitability and overall quality.<\/p>\n

The 2019 Unit\u00e9 Reserve will be featured alongside 11 other wines in the\u00a0Virginia<\/span>\u00a0Governor’s Cup\u00ae Case, a collection of the competition’s 12 highest scoring wines. Cana Vineyards also placed a second meritage blend in the case with its 2019 Le Mariage.<\/p>\n

The full case includes:<\/p>\n