Writer Warren Richard and photographer/webmaster Paul Armstrong started the Virginia Wine Time blog in 2005. Known throughout the Commonwealth, Richard and Armstrong could be found in tasting rooms almost every weekend for nearly 20 years. With Armstrong’s passing in 2024, Warren made the decision to carry on the legacy. With 250+ winery reviews, the team possessed a wealth of expertise in the wines of Virginia and the growth that industry has seen over the past two decades.
At a recent ceremony at Gray Ghost Winery in Amissville, hosted by owner/winemaker Al Kellert, Atlantic Seaboard Wine Association President Grant Crandall presented Richard with an engraved plaque signifying excellence in wine journalism. The moment was especially meaningful for Richard, as he and Armstrong had their first date at Gray Ghost years ago, and became partners in life soon after.
The Birchenall Award is given to members of the wine media for providing insight into the wines of the East Coast wine industry. The late Michael Birchenall founded the trade publication Foodservice Monthly in 2002, just as the restaurant scene was beginning to take off in the Mid-Atlantic region. “The local wine industry was growing at the same time, and Birchenall’s publication helped foster a sense of community among the various parts of the food and wine industries,” according to Dave McIntyre, noted wine columnist at The Washington Post. — Story contributed by the Atlantic Seaboard Wine Association