Date & Time
5:30pm EST - 7:00pm EST
Price
About This Event
Please join us for special reception on October 29, 2026 at Barboursville Vineyards to celebrate Virginia Wine Month and the release of Cornus Virginicus Edition V.
Barboursville Vineyards, winner of the 2025 Governor's Cup, crafted this year's limited-release blend—continuing a tradition that pairs the Commonwealth's top winemaking talent with a mission to celebrate and support Virginia agriculture.
A Legacy of Celebrating Virginia Agriculture
Launched in 2022 by then-First Lady Youngkin, Cornus Virginicus was created as an annual limited-release wine celebrating Virginia’s farmers, growers, and winemakers. Each edition of Cornus Virginicus – which is Latin for “flowering tree of Virginia” as a nod to Virginia’s state flower and tree, the Dogwood — brought together the First Lady of Virginia, the Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry, and the winemaker behind the previous year’s Governor’s Cup winner.
The blend for each edition was selected by a tasting panel that included the First Lady, Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Matthew Lohr, and the participating winemaker. Proceeds from each release benefited agricultural nonprofit organizations selected by the First Lady.
To date, the project has contributed more than $30,000 to organizations including the Virginia FFA Foundation, Virginia 4-H, Virginia Agriculture and the Classroom, the State Fair of Virginia Applied Youth Scholarship Program, and Wheatland Farm’s Faith and Family Foundation.
A New Chapter
In the spring of 2026, compelled by the meaningful impact Cornus Virginicus has generated across Virginia's agricultural community, former First Lady Youngkin and former Secretary of Agriculture Matt Lohr made the decision to continue the project beyond their time in office.
What began as an initiative of the Youngkin administration will now continue as a lasting celebration of Virginia agriculture. The Virginia FFA Foundation has partnered with Cornus Virginicus to carry forward the project’s mission—honoring the people who grow, produce, and steward the Commonwealth’s agricultural heritage while investing in its next generation of agricultural leaders. Together, they have established an endowment fund to provide multiple annual educational scholarships to Virginia FFA members, with a unique focus on aspiring vintners, winemakers, and agricultural leaders who support Virginia’s wine industry. Cornus Virginicus proceeds will benefit this permanent endowment each year, increasing the impact and reach of these scholarships.
About Virginia FFA Foundation:
Virginia FFA Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization committed to supporting over 45,000 students enrolled in agricultural education across the Commonwealth and the over 16,000 student members of the Virginia FFA Association who are focused on learning to do, doing to learn, earning to live, and living to serve. For over 100 years, Virginia FFA has been preparing the next generation of agriculturalists, innovators, and community leaders through classroom instruction, hands‑on experiences, and statewide leadership development programs. Virginia FFA continues to expand opportunities that empower students to explore career pathways in agriculture, develop technical and leadership skills, and contribute meaningfully to their communities. This endowment ensures that those opportunities will grow for generations to come. To learn more about the Virginia FFA Foundation, please visit www.supportffa.org
If you wish to contribute to the endowment fund, please visit https://secure.qgiv.com/for/youngkinfamilylegacyfund/.
About Edition V:
This limited edition of 900 bottles is blended from barrels originally intended for Barboursville’s flagship red Octagon. It is a blend from the 2024 and 2025 vintage, 38% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Franc and 30% Petit Verdot, all from Estate-grown fruit and aged in French oak barrels, shows intense floral and blackberry aromas leap out of the glass along with a hint of spice from the oak. The wine has great concentration of fruit and already elegant tannins, giving this Bordeaux style blend stunning balance and purity of flavor. Approachable to drink now, yet with as much as two decades of ageing potential. Cornus Virginicus Edition V is available for tasting and purchase only at Barboursville Vineyards and through their website online.
About This Event
Please join us for special reception on October 29, 2026 at Barboursville Vineyards to celebrate Virginia Wine Month and the release of Cornus Virginicus Edition V.
Barboursville Vineyards, winner of the 2025 Governor's Cup, crafted this year's limited-release blend—continuing a tradition that pairs the Commonwealth's top winemaking talent with a mission to celebrate and support Virginia agriculture.
A Legacy of Celebrating Virginia Agriculture
Launched in 2022 by then-First Lady Youngkin, Cornus Virginicus was created as an annual limited-release wine celebrating Virginia’s farmers, growers, and winemakers. Each edition of Cornus Virginicus – which is Latin for “flowering tree of Virginia” as a nod to Virginia’s state flower and tree, the Dogwood — brought together the First Lady of Virginia, the Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry, and the winemaker behind the previous year’s Governor’s Cup winner.
The blend for each edition was selected by a tasting panel that included the First Lady, Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Matthew Lohr, and the participating winemaker. Proceeds from each release benefited agricultural nonprofit organizations selected by the First Lady.
To date, the project has contributed more than $30,000 to organizations including the Virginia FFA Foundation, Virginia 4-H, Virginia Agriculture and the Classroom, the State Fair of Virginia Applied Youth Scholarship Program, and Wheatland Farm’s Faith and Family Foundation.
A New Chapter
In the spring of 2026, compelled by the meaningful impact Cornus Virginicus has generated across Virginia's agricultural community, former First Lady Youngkin and former Secretary of Agriculture Matt Lohr made the decision to continue the project beyond their time in office.
What began as an initiative of the Youngkin administration will now continue as a lasting celebration of Virginia agriculture. The Virginia FFA Foundation has partnered with Cornus Virginicus to carry forward the project’s mission—honoring the people who grow, produce, and steward the Commonwealth’s agricultural heritage while investing in its next generation of agricultural leaders. Together, they have established an endowment fund to provide multiple annual educational scholarships to Virginia FFA members, with a unique focus on aspiring vintners, winemakers, and agricultural leaders who support Virginia’s wine industry. Cornus Virginicus proceeds will benefit this permanent endowment each year, increasing the impact and reach of these scholarships.
About Virginia FFA Foundation:
Virginia FFA Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization committed to supporting over 45,000 students enrolled in agricultural education across the Commonwealth and the over 16,000 student members of the Virginia FFA Association who are focused on learning to do, doing to learn, earning to live, and living to serve. For over 100 years, Virginia FFA has been preparing the next generation of agriculturalists, innovators, and community leaders through classroom instruction, hands‑on experiences, and statewide leadership development programs. Virginia FFA continues to expand opportunities that empower students to explore career pathways in agriculture, develop technical and leadership skills, and contribute meaningfully to their communities. This endowment ensures that those opportunities will grow for generations to come. To learn more about the Virginia FFA Foundation, please visit www.supportffa.org
If you wish to contribute to the endowment fund, please visit https://secure.qgiv.com/for/youngkinfamilylegacyfund/.
About Edition V:
This limited edition of 900 bottles is blended from barrels originally intended for Barboursville’s flagship red Octagon. It is a blend from the 2024 and 2025 vintage, 38% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Franc and 30% Petit Verdot, all from Estate-grown fruit and aged in French oak barrels, shows intense floral and blackberry aromas leap out of the glass along with a hint of spice from the oak. The wine has great concentration of fruit and already elegant tannins, giving this Bordeaux style blend stunning balance and purity of flavor. Approachable to drink now, yet with as much as two decades of ageing potential. Cornus Virginicus Edition V is available for tasting and purchase only at Barboursville Vineyards and through their website online.
Date & Time
5:30pm EST - 7:00pm EST