CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) — A local winery is celebrating a major milestone after earning one of Virginia’s top wine honors.

Owners Aaron and Candi Hark of Hark Vineyards recently won the Monticello Cup for their 2023 Cabernet Franc, a recognition that highlights excellence among Virginia wineries and marks a significant achievement for the growing vineyard.

For the Harks, the award is about more than a bottle of wine.

“We’ve been making really great wine and we’ve been growing really great grapes,” Candi Hark told Cville Right Now. “This recognition is validation of what we’ve been doing all along. It kind of feels like, finally, we’re on the radar. It’s a huge compliment to what we’re doing here.”

The award-winning Cabernet Franc began as an experiment. It was fermented half in traditional stainless-steel barrels and half in a concrete cube. Then it was aged 10 months, split between neutral French oak barrels and the concrete cube. Candi Hark said the winery has embraced trying new techniques both in the vineyard and in the cellar.

“This wine was a bit of an experiment for us,” she said. “I hope this award affirms the work our team has been doing and encourages us to keep trying new things, because sometimes those risks are rewarded.”

Winemaker AJ Greely said every vintage reflects the people behind it as much as the growing season itself.

“Each bottle tells the story of that vintage—not just what happened in the vineyard, but what was happening in the cellar, on the crush pad and with the people making the wine,” Greely told Cville Right Now. “To see that team recognized is really special.”

Greely has worked with the grapes from the beginning, watching the vineyard mature over the years.

“I’ve been with this fruit from the very beginning,” she said. “There’s a picture of me on the crush pad with the very first fruit that came off these vines. We’re really a family here.”

That family atmosphere extends throughout the winery, Greely said.

“The Harks aren’t just the owners—they’re extended family. There’s complete understanding and support and that’s what makes this such a special place to work.”

Greely credits that support for allowing her to continue experimenting with new styles and techniques.

“This wasn’t our only experiment,” she said. “We started exploring a port-style wine, a dessert wine, different skin-contact techniques and new approaches in the cellar. We’re always asking, ‘What can we do differently?’ The great thing is that Aaron and Candi give me the freedom to play.”

She added that curiosity is essential to his craft.

“If I’m not doing something fun, then I’m never learning and I’m never growing as a winemaker. Once it becomes routine, then it’s time to retire. We do this because it’s fun—and because there’s always something new to discover.”

The recognition is already bringing new visitors through the winery’s doors.

“What we hope recognition like this does is put us on people’s radar,” Aaron Hark told Cville Right Now. “Last weekend we had visitors who’d never been here before saying, ‘I saw on social media that you won the Monticello Cup for Cat Rock Cabernet Franc.’ They came for a rosé festival, but they stayed to experience the winery.”

Aaron Hark said the award belongs to the entire staff that helped produce the winning wine.

“Wine is made by the whole team,” he said. “We’ve got a really close-knit group and while that’s not unusual in this industry, ours might be a little tighter and a little smaller than most. It’s rewarding to see a small team perform at the highest level.”

He also credited loyal customers for supporting the winery over the years.

“I told one of our longtime customers, ‘This isn’t just our trophy—it’s yours. We’ve done this together.'”

While celebrating the latest honor, the Harks say they aren’t slowing down. Candi Hark said the winery continues to evolve by adopting more sustainable vineyard practices and exploring new ideas in winemaking.

“Hark, like Virginia wine, is always growing and changing,” she said. “We’re experimenting with more sustainable practices in the vineyard and trying new things in the cellar. We’re never standing still.”

She also praised the collaborative spirit among wineries across the Commonwealth.

“One of the things that makes Virginia special is that wineries here don’t see each other as competitors,” she said. “It’s more, ‘How can I help you? How can I lift you up?’ That’s one of the greatest strengths of the Virginia wine industry.”

The Harks hope the award also shines a spotlight on Virginia wines as a whole.

“If people want to support Virginia wine, ask for it in restaurants,” Candi Hark said. “When you’re dining out and it’s not on the menu, tell them you’d like to see Virginia wines offered. That’s one of the best ways to support local wineries.”

Even with the Monticello Cup now on display, Aaron Hark said the winery is already looking ahead.

“Long-term, our goal hasn’t changed,” he said. “We’d love to win the Governor’s Cup. I think we’re producing wines that can compete at that level and we’re pushing toward that every year.”