Adventure in Every Glass: Celebrate the Exceptional Wines of the 2026 Governor's Cup

A glass of Colorado wine isn't just something to drink. It's a lens into where it came from and how it makes you feel when you're there. Every vineyard sits on land shaped by elevation, carved by water, and kissed by sunshine. And every bottle is an invitation to seek out something different, something bold, and something to celebrate what it means to live in Colorado. Come find your new favorite as The Colorado Wine Industry Development Board (CWIDB) announces the results of the 2026 Governor's Cup Wine Competition at the annual Colorado Uncorked event.

This year's competition included 259 entries from 46 producers, including 39 Colorado wineries and meaderies. Submissions from outside of Colorado included two Idaho wineries and five New Mexico wine and mead producers. In total, a record 51 Gold medals, 125 Silver medals, 67 Bronze medals were awarded.

"These 50 world-class Gold Medal-winning wines being showcased at this year's Colorado Uncorked event are truly exceptional bottles," said Kyle Schlachter, Executive Director of the Colorado Wine Industry Development Board. "The judges were blown away by not only the high quality of the wines they tasted, but also the diversity of varieties, styles, and flavors. This year's event will provide wine lovers even more opportunities to explore the bold and interesting wines crafted in our state."

The judges evaluated all the Gold Medal wines and selected 12 wines that will comprise the Governor's Cup Collection. The winning wines will be revealed during the annual Colorado Uncorked event on October 17, at The History Colorado Center. New this year, all Gold Medal wines are invited to pour at the event. This means a larger selection of wines to explore and more opportunities to discover a new favorite!

The Governor's Cup competition is judged through a blind tasting, meaning that judges only know the grape variety or category of a wine and the vintage, but not the producer or any other identifying information. The 16-person judging panel was made up of Colorado sommeliers and wine professionals, as well as highly acclaimed wine writers and wine experts from around the country.

Notable judges included:

• Caroline Clark, Director of Beverage + Hospitality at Id Est who operates Basta, The Wolf's Tailor, Brutø, OK Yeah, Dry Storage, and Hey Kiddo in Colorado;
• Liz Thach, Master of Wine and Distinguished Professor of Wine and Management at Sonoma State University;
• Scott Thomas, Wine Director at Restaurant Olivia in Denver; and
• Tonya Pitts, sommelier and wine reviewer at Wine Enthusiast Magazine

The full list of judges can be found at ColoradoWine.com/governors-cup.

"Serving as a first-time judge at the Colorado Governor's Cup, I was thoroughly impressed by both the high quality of the wines and the event's flawless organization," said Master of Wine Liz Thach. "Colorado wineries are clearly excelling at high-altitude viticulture, crafting wonderfully fresh and complex wines."

The CWIDB uses the Governor's Cup Collection to represent Colorado wine around the state and across the country. The award-winning wines will also be used for educational purposes at Colorado winemaker roundtable discussions to recognize and improve the overall quality of Colorado wines.

"The judges were very impressed with the high quality of Colorado wines this year - evidenced by the record number of Gold wines," added Schlachter. "I can't wait for people to experience the 50 wines at Colorado Uncorked and to learn the identities of the 12 Governor's Cup Collection wines."

For an opportunity to taste all 50 Gold Medal winning wines, along with small bites from the state's best restaurants, Colorado Wine's annual Uncorked event takes place October 17th at the History Colorado Center. A full list of participating restaurants will be posted to ColoradoWine.com/uncorked soon.

Tickets for Colorado Uncorked are $95 ($103.22 including fees) for General Admission, $135 ($145.90 including fees) for Early Entry, and $175 ($188.58 including fees) for the VIP experience and can be purchased at ColoradoWine.com. Early Entry allows access to the venue at 6:00 pm - an hour before General Admission. The VIP experience includes early entry, along with access to the VIP-only area, and additional samples of library wines along with more food options. Complete information can be found at Uncorked - Colorado Wine.

View the images of the wines selected for the 2025 Governor's Cup Collection or view all medals awarded at the 2026 competition.

Colorado Uncorked Event Information

Saturday, October 17, 2026

Early Entry and VIP: 6:00 p.m.
Doors open at 7:00 p.m.

History Colorado Center
1200 Broadway, Denver, CO 80203

Tickets and more information at ColoradoWine.com/Uncorked.