Governor McDonnell Announces New Virginia Wine Region Signs

Governor Bob McDonnell has announced the unveiling of a new Virginia wine region sign program aimed at attracting more visitors to Virginia wineries. The signs will announce to travelers on selected primary and secondary roads that they have entered a particular Virginia American Viticultural Area (AVA) or wine region. The first phase of this program consists of seventeen signs in four Virginia AVAs and one well-known wine region.

Speaking about the new wine region signs, Governor McDonnell said, “In addition to having one of the fastest growing wine industries, the Commonwealth is blessed with some of the country’s most beautiful wineries and wine regions. The new signs will draw attention to the diverse wine regions and encourage travelers and tourists to see and taste what the Virginia wine industry has to offer.”

The first sign was unveiled earlier today in the Monticello AVA at King Family Vineyards in Crozet by First Lady Maureen McDonnell, Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Todd Haymore, Interim Virginia Tourism Corporation Director Rita McClenny, and David King, co-owner of King Family Vineyards and a member of the Virginia Wine Board. As one of Virginia’s oldest AVA’s, Monticello is now home to 40 wineries. Throughout the spring and summer, signs will be placed at key points of entry in the Eastern Shore AVA, Northern Neck-George Washington Birthplace AVA, Shenandoah AVA and the Northern Virginia Wine Region.