When we think of Virginia wine country, we tend to focus on the eastern foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, extending from south of Charlottesville northward through Fauquier and Loudoun counties. We shouldn’t forget the Shenandoah Valley, which has seen impressive growth over the past decade as wineries look for higher-elevation sites to plant vineyards.

Some fun trivia: The Shenandoah Valley was Virginia’s first officially designated American Viticultural Area, in 1982. And of the 269 AVAs in the United States, the Shenandoah Valley is one of only 17 that cross state boundaries — the Shenandoah Valley AVA includes Berkeley and Jefferson counties in West Virginia’s panhandle. (Virginia also shares the Appalachian High Country AVA with North Carolina and Tennessee.)

I recently had the opportunity to taste several of the top-scoring wines from the 2023 Shenandoah Cup wine competition, and here are a few of my favorites. These are available from the wineries and through limited distribution. Keep these wineries in mind when planning your local wine exploration this year.

Bluestone Vineyard Merlot 2021

Shenandoah Valley, Va., $26

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Winemaker Lee Hartman has crafted a stylish merlot, with plum and tobacco flavors and a sweet-tart berry note that reverberates like a mountain echo. Hartman has just opened Rootstock Wine Bar in Harrisonburg, Va., to highlight Bluestone’s wines and others from the Shenandoah Valley. Alcohol by volume: 13.2 percent. Bottle weight: 482 grams (Light).

Jump Mountain Vineyard Livia 2021

Shenandoah Valley, Va., $27

Jump Mountain won the 2023 Shenandoah Cup with Borderland 2019, a red blend somewhat emblematic of Virginia, with 50 percent tannat and equal parts cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc from an excellent vintage. As good as Borderland is, I give my nod to Livia, a quirky blend of refosco, cabernet franc, lagrein and sagrantino. There’s no template for a wine like that, though inspiration comes from the mountainous wine regions of northern Italy. Spicy, juicy and peppery, with flavors of raspberry and pomegranate, this is a delightful, exciting wine. ABV: 13 percent. BW: 600 grams (Average).

Briedé Sparkling Winchester 2020

Shenandoah Valley, Va., $53

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Yes, we’re talking champagne prices here for what is essentially a novelty wine, but what a delicious novelty it is! This is made from cayuga, a hybrid grape developed in Geneva, N.Y., during the 1940s. In this sparkling version, made in the traditional champagne method of second fermentation in the bottle, it resembles riesling or grüner veltliner, with scents of white flowers and lemon curd. It’s dry with a minerally, chalky palate-cleansing texture that will leave you with a smile, ready for the next sip. ABV: 11.6 percent. BW: 900 grams (Heavy).

Prices are approximate. For availability, check Wine.com, Wine-searcher.com and the websites and social media feeds of the wineries, importers, distributors, and your favorite local wine store. You can also ask your local retailer to order wines from the distributors listed. Have wine questions for Dave McIntyre? Send them to Food@washpost.com.

Legend

★ Good: The wine delivers what it promises at a fair price. If it says chardonnay, it tastes like chardonnay.

★★ Excellent: A wine with character and added interest. May elevate your eyebrows at the first sip.

★★★ Extraordinary: An exciting wine that stands out from others in its class. Fist-pumping, table-thumping good.

★★★★ Sublime: Otherworldly. May have you thinking, “So this is what they were talking about.”

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