34th Annual
Maryland Governor’s Cup Wine Competition
The Maryland Governor’s Cup Wine Competition is the premier judging of locally-grown wines in the Free State. Wineries from across the state enter their wines for evaluation by judges, representing all segments of the industry.
Whether traditional vintages or creative blends of fruit or honey, all wines presented are proudly Maryland grown and Maryland made.
The top locally-grown grape wine earns the Governor’s Cup Best in Show, while the highest-scoring sweet, mead, fruit wine or cider earns the Jack Aellen Cup Best in Show.
The judging takes place at The Royal Sonesta Baltimore.
View & Taste
The Results
View results from last year’s competition below.
Join us in the Explorer Village at the Maryland Wine Festival Sept 13th to taste some of the judging’s top wines.
The Competition
Learn More about the Judging
The competition brings together top wines and qualified judges for a day of analysis, conversation and scoring.
1. Initial Round
Every wine is tasted by a panel of judges, who assign scores based on appearance, aroma, mouthfeel and finish.
2. Semi-Finals
Wines earning Gold are then judged to rank the determine which should move forward to the final round.
3. Final Round
The top wines are entered into a final tasting. The top-scoring wines are honored as Best in Show & Best in Class.
Meet the Organizers
Joe Fiola, PhD, Viticulturist
Dr. Joseph A. Fiola has over 30 years of academic experience in research and extension in viticulture, winemaking, and small fruit production. He is currently the Specialist in Viticulture and Small Fruit for the University of Maryland Extension (since 2001),...
Janna Howley, Executive Director
Food, wine, farms and economic development have been Janna’s passions for decades. She currently serves as the Executive Director of the Maryland Wineries Association, and is co-owner of Cultivate + Craft, a firm that supports craft alcohol and value added agriculture...
Meet the Judges
Sarita Cheaves
Sarita Cheaves is a proud Washington, DC native and storyteller with a deep passion for food, wine, and culture. She is the founder of VineMeUp Media and the producer and co-host of The Swirl Suite...
Todd Cooper, WSET III and Wine Educator
Todd Cooper is a wine educator who works in wine and spirits retail and as a special event sommelier. He earned his WSET Level III Certificate with Distinction. As the primary wine educator for...
Tim Riley
A Maryland native, Tim brings an intense passion and an extensive knowledge of wine to the Maryland Governor's Cup Wine Awards. An honors graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Tim has...
Ethan Gladner, Sommelier
Ethan, a native of Montgomery County, Maryland, holds a degree in Hospitality Management from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where he also gained valuable experience working as a Sommelier....
Tim O’Hare, Certified Sommelier
Tim O’Hare, CWE, and Certified Sommelier has a favorite quote from Ernest Hemingway that just about sums up his relationship with wine and grapes. “Wine is one of the most civilized things in the...
Alisha Blackwell-Calvert, Advanced Sommelier
Alisha Blackwell-Calvert is an Advanced Sommelier and Beverage Director of Madrina Restaurant. Formerly of Cinder House at the Four Seasons Hotel STL, awards include Wine Enthusiast Magazine’s 2021...
Maria Denton, CSS CSW CWE
Maria E. Denton, CSS CSW CWE, is the Food & Beverage Training Manager for the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, part of the Marriott International family of hotels. She brings...
David Denton, Sommelier
David D. Denton, CWE CSW CSS, is the sommelier at Cut by Wolfgang Puck at the Georgetown Rosewood Hotel in Washington, D. C. He is an Advanced Sommelier with the Court of Master Sommeliers, a...
Alicia Cypress
Alicia Cypress is a journalist who spent most of her career at The Washington Post and NPR. She’s now managing editor for the World Resources Institute. Her curiosity in wine led her to a WSET...
Carlo DeVito, Winemaker & Writer
Carlo DeVito has more than 20 years experience as a publishing executive. His authors include Kevin Zraly, Oz Clarke, Matt Kramer, Tom Stevenson, as well as Wine Spectator and the New York...
Jeryl Cole, WSET II & Retailer
Jeryl is the owner of Off the Rocks fine wine retailer in Baltimore, and holds a WSET Level 2. Born and raised in East Baltimore and currently resides in Patterson Park with his three boys and wife....
Brett Drucker, WSET & Sommelier
Brett Drucker, founder and sommelier of Own Your Palate, holds certifications from both WSET and the National Wine School. Brett's passion for learning about wine from vine to glass emerged as a...
Kathy Wiedemann, WSET III & Blogger
Kathy Wiedemann has been pursuing the study of wine for over 10 years now. She is enrolled in the Wine and Spirit Education Trust Diploma (WSET IV) program...
Titus Green, Sommelier
Titus Green is accredited under the Court of Masters Sommelier. He reigns from Washington DC with one of the best wine lists in the city earning multiple Wine...
Desiree Harrison-Brown, Wine Educator
Born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, Desiree graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park with a Bachelor's degree in Communication. In 2017,Desiree Harrison-Brown left her...
David Schwartz
David Schwartz has enjoyed being a part of various aspects of the wine industry for 35 years. A wine enthusiast, David's first foray into wine was purchasing wine futures from France in...
The Maryland Wineries Association was founded in 1984 and represents member wineries throughout the Old Line state.
Address
Maryland Wineries Association
1783 Forest Drive #343
Annapolis, MD 21401
Phone
(301) 873-3182