Raise your glasses, wine lovers! The 2026 Missouri Governor’s Cup Wine Competition results are in. 

This year saw 277 wines from 30+ wineries across Missouri competing for top honors. Eight expert judges spent two days blind tasting and evaluating each entry. 

Prestigious judges with a variety of different skill sets, experiences and qualifications from across the United States awarded 65 gold, 103 silver and 61 bronze medals. 

"It is always an honor to see the exceptional wines produced in the Show Me State at our competition. Recognizing and celebrating the quality wine from Missouri is essential,” stated Jim Anderson, Executive Director, Missouri Wine & Grape Board. “These wines will be showcased at state and local events highlighting the skill, dedication and passion of our wineries and winemakers, ensuring that Missouri wines are appreciated and enjoyed.”

Join us in congratulating and celebrating this year’s Best of Class winners for each of the following categories: 

Sparkling: Rosé Bubbly | Adam Puchta Winery

Dry White:  2025 Dry Vignoles | Adam Puchta Winery

Semi-Dry White: 2024 Vignoles | Noboleis Vineyards

Sweet White: 2025 Vignoles | Mathany Family Vineyards

Dry Red: 2025 Chambourcin | Adam Puchta Winery

Semi-Dry Red: 2025 Spicy Hadley Jo | Shamrock Hills Vineyard & Winery

Sweet Red: Mellow Red | Pirtle Winery 

Dry Rose: Dry Rosé | Adam Puchta Winery 

Semi-Dry Rose: 2025 Shamrock Rosé | Shamrock Hills Vineyard & Winery

Dessert: Nightshade | Dale Hollow Winery 

Fruit: Mango Chili Lime | Windy Wine Company

Late Harvest/Ice Wine: 2025 Late Harvest Vignoles | Hermannhof Winery

The winner of the 2026 Governor’s Cup is 2025 Dry Vignoles, Adam Puchta Winery.

Parker Puchta, 7^th Generation of Adam Puchta Winery, remarks “We are incredibly honored to receive the Governor's Cup once again. Awards like this are never the result of just one person. It's something we're all proud of because it reflects the hard work and dedication of so many people.

Over the past year, we have spent a lot of time evaluating our winemaking process. We made changes to our processing, experimented with different yeasts, enzymes, refined our techniques, and sought advice from friends and colleagues in the industry, who helped us work through challenges we'd faced in previous vintages. One of the things I appreciate about the wine industry is that there are always opportunities to learn from others and continue improving. Winemaking is a never-ending learning process, and building a community where we can help one another is part of what makes this industry so great.

I will say this recognition belongs to our entire team, our growers and to the customers who continue to support our family winery. We're incredibly grateful and humbled by this honor.

I'd also like to thank the Missouri Grape & Wine Board and its staff for the tremendous work they do organizing this competition and for their continued support of Missouri's wine industry. Cheers!”

The C.V. Riley Award for best Norton went to Les Bourgeois Vinyards, 2024 Norton. The C.V. Riley award recognizes the Best Norton, which is the state grape and is named after the first state entomologist, who also helped save the French wine industry. 

Rachel & Jacob Holman, owners of Les Bourgeois Vineyards in Rocheport, Missouri said “We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to Missouri Wine and to all the judges whose time, expertise, and dedication make this competition possible each year. We know the care and commitment that goes into evaluating so many outstanding wines, and we truly appreciate the work that happens behind the scenes to recognize excellence across Missouri's wine industry.

We are incredibly honored and humbled to be selected as the producer of the Best Norton in the State of Missouri. We know we are surrounded by so many talented winemakers producing exceptional Norton wines throughout the state. This award reflects not only our team's passion and hard work but also the strength, quality, and continued growth of Missouri's wine industry as a whole. We look forward to celebrating this incredible honor with our fellow wineries, industry partners, and wine lovers from across the state this fall. Congratulations to this year's winners, and cheers to another outstanding year for Missouri wine!”

The Husmann-Jaeger award for best white varietal was won by: Defiance Ridge Vineyards, 2025 Poppy’s Vidal Blanc. This award is named after George Husmann and Hermann Jaeger. Both influential men who were crucial in the early development of the Missouri wine industry. 

“It is an honor and a privilege to be awarded the best white wine in Missouri this year.  It is especially an honor for our family because Poppy's Vidal Blanc was named after John Shillington who was instrumental in the founding of Defiance Ridge Vineyards and loved dry white wines. Our winemaking team of Tom Murph and Nick Schumacher deserve the high praise for making this delicious wine”, said Chuck Gillentine, owner of Defiance Ridge Vineyards.

In addition to Governor’s Cup, C.V. Riley, Husmann-Jaeger, and Best of Class distinctions, judges awarded gold, silver, and bronze medals. Find the complete list of the 2026 Award Winning Wines. 

Cheers to this year’s Label Competition winners for each of the following categories: 

Best Traditional Label: 2022 Norton | Noboleis Vineyards

Best Contemporary Label: 2025 Chambourcin | Edg-Clif Farms & Vineyards

Best Wine Series: 2022 Norton Kleine Himmel, 2024 Vidal Blanc, 2024 Villagio, 2025 St. Vincent Rosé | Mount Pleasant Estates

Best Alternative Packaging: Atomic Hard Cider | Pirtle Winery 

Best Celebrations of 2026: 2022 Libertas Norton | Röbller Vineyard

People’s Choice Award: Lauren Sweet Vignoles | Defiance Ridge Vineyards 

Each year Missouri Wines hosts the annual Governor’s Cup Wine Competition in July. This is where wineries who chose to enter compete for the bestowed Governor’s Cup award. All wines will be awarded medals by elite judges from around the country. Meet one of this year’s judges: Andrey Ivanov, Master Sommelier! 

Andrey Ivanov is the President & CEO of Bliss Wine Imports, a Master Sommelier, and seasoned wine industry leader with over a decade of experience in top restaurants and wine programs across the U.S. and Mexico. 

Originally from Yakutsk, Siberia, Andrey immigrated to the U.S. in 1992 and earned a BSBA in International Business, Economics, and Russian Studies from Saint Louis University.

His career began in St. Louis at acclaimed establishments such as Brasserie by Niche and Elaia & Olio, (2014 & 2015 Wine Enthusiast “Top 100 Wine Restaurants in America” awards). As Executive Beverage Director at Reeds American Table, he continued this success, securing the consecutive streak of Wine Enthusiast’s same awards in 2016 and 2017. In 2018, Andrey moved to San Francisco, leading the wine team at Lazy Bear, a Two Michelin Star restaurant under his direction. Lazy Bear received Wine Spectator’s Award of Excellence, a James Beard Wine Service nomination, and was recognized for the World’s Best Designed Wine List in North America (2022). 

Beyond restaurants, Andrey co-founded Bliss Wine Imports in 2015 and became owner of the U.S. based company in 2022 as President & CEO. He oversees wholesale distribution in the U.S. and Mexico, continuously sourcing exceptional wines worldwide. Andrey achieved the prestigious Master Sommelier title in 2018, one of fewer than 300 individuals worldwide to do so. He holds multiple national and international sommelier competition titles, including Wine & Spirits Magazine’s Best New Sommelier, Wine Enthusiast’s “Top 40 Under 40 Tastemakers” and Food & Wine’s “Top Sommeliers of the Year”.

Now based in Mexico City—the only Master Sommelier in Mexico—Andrey continues to shape the future of fine wine and hospitality while also serving as Beverage Director of Nisei (One Michelin Star) in San Francisco.

We could not be happier to have his talents at this year’s Missouri Governor’s Cup Wine Competition. Stay tuned for the results here soon!