Shannon Horton stood before members of the Richmond Wine Society this year carrying both pride and remembrance as she accepted the 2025 Joe Formica Award, honoring the legacy of her late father, Dennis Horton, whose early vision helped shape what is now considered one of the most respected wine regions on the East Coast.

Dennis Horton was a foundational figure in Virginia’s modern wine industry and his influence can still be tasted in vineyards and cellars across the Commonwealth. Although he passed in 2018, he is still widely known for his innovative approach to viticulture. Many consider his most enduring achievement to be his role in introducing—or, in one case, reintroducing—grape varieties that transformed Virginia wine.

“I am grateful to the Richmond Wine Society for recognizing my father’s contribution to the Virginia Wine Industry,” Shannon Horton told The Voice. “The evening was a celebration of Virginia wine and stories. It was amazing to talk to so many long standing Virginia wine aficionados that had personal stories about my father. Much of the explosion of the industry and ease at which a winery can be started now is due to the pioneers that laid the foundation. Myself and my family thank the Richmond Wine Society for acknowledging Dennis Horton’s work in the industry.”

Horton was the first to plant Viognier grapes in Virginia and played a pivotal role in bringing back Norton, a grape native to the state that had nearly vanished after disease, war, and Prohibition.

His 1993 Viognier was the most awarded in the United States at the time, and his 2016 Petit Manseng went on to win the 2019 Governor’s Cup, which further cemented his reputation as an innovator and a standard-bearer for quality.

For those accomplishments, Horton received the Virginia Wineries Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011. Now, his impact is being honored again through the Richmond Wine Society’s Joe Formica Award, presented annually to an individual or organization with a strong Virginia connection that has made significant contributions to wine appreciation and the wine industry. The award is named for Joe Formica, a founding father of the Richmond Wine Society. Horton was selected by the RWS Board of Directors from a record 11 nominations submitted by Society members.

Past recipients of the Joe Formica Award include Luca Paschina of Barboursville Vineyards (2021), Michael Shaps of Michael Shaps Wineworks (2022), viticulturalist Lucie Morton (2023), and winemaker Gabriele Rausse (2024).

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