The Charlottesville 29

In Charlottesville food lore, some experiences seem so great and improbable that we eventually wonder: did that really happen? Add Laura Fonner’s dumplings at the Beer Run bar to the list.

After a fifteen-month stint at Beer Run, Fonner has accepted the head chef job at Zynodoa. Since opening in 2007, the Staunton post for refined Southern cuisine has won acclaim from national outlets like USA Today, Forbes, and Vogue. Its next chapter will be led by possibly the Charlottesville area’s most famous chef, who gained acclaim at Duner’s and on the Food Network.

“Beer Run has been amazing, and they are my favorite people I have ever had the opportunity to work for,” said Fonner. Owner John Woodriff in particular, she says, is a rare find in the industry: a genuine caring human being. “The things I have learned working there are priceless, and have made me a better chef and leader, and I am forever grateful.”

While the casual Beer Run and upscale Zynodoa seem worlds apart, Fonner says in a beautiful way they have much in common. They both feel like home, and Zynodoa’s level of food is like an elevated version of the farm-to-table food she has been cooking at Beer Run. That said, it was the siren call of fine dining that Fonner couldn’t resist. “I’m regaining a part of myself that I haven’t had since I left Duner’s,” said Fonner. “I have so many beautiful moments from my life that I can’t wait to express in a culinary atmosphere like Zynodoa. I am thrilled with the opportunity.”

Fonner’s last day at Beer Run is December 7, and she starts at Zynodoa the following day.

The cocktails entered in Malt Masters 2025 were so excellent that the panel of judges decided they all warrant praise. Along with the winner Early Harvest, the entries showcased the passion, talent, and creativity of the Charlottesville beverage community. The judges on each entry:

• Kate Corey, Cafe Frank
• Appalachian Autumn: VDC29, Albemarle Ciderworks reduction, pecan-infused amaro, black walnut bitters, Joyous Gardens dehydrated fig
  • “Exquisite. It truly embraced autumnal qualities, and made for a delightful pairing with Baked Alaska.” – Amanda Beckwith

• Josh Dickerson, Black Cow Chophouse
• The Monticello Philosopher: VDC 29, Aperol, local peach butter, house cranberry bitters, fresh citrus
  • “The local peach butter brought a decadent viscousness, which, playing with the house cranberry bitters, created Thanksivging in a glass for me.” – Amanda Beckwith

• Nycholas Hittinger, The Milkman’s Bar
• The Virginia Seasons: VDC 29, muddled mint, Paco Rojo, Amaro y Aroyo, soda water
  • “It’s not easy to create a refreshing whisky cocktail in which you can still taste the whisky. The only highball in the competition, this one pulled it off. Refreshing, but with the whisky still present.” – Joel Cuellar

• Ryan Kaufman, Lampo / Bar Baleno
• Domo Arigato Mr. Ramato: VDC 29, house Amaro blend, bitters
  • “One of the most food-friendly of the entries, this balanced cocktail showcases the whisky and goes great with Lampo’s menu.” – Joel Cuellar

• Erek Lane, Oakhart Social
• There Can Only Be One: VDC 29, Drambuie, Nochino, lemon bitters, blackstrap bitters, honey, Dona Antonia port rinse
  • “Elegance. Initially it flirts with being too big, but then at mid-palate reminds itself what it is, and finishes with beautiful balance.” – Joel Cuellar

• Micah LeMon, The Alley Light
• Grandpa’s Banana Bread: VDC 29, Cocchi Vermouth di Torino, Malort, Tempus Fugit Creme de Banana
  • “A delicious and clever play. The unexpected addition of Malort is deftly handled. And, the banana brilliantly pairs with the alcohol’s esters.” – Amanda Beckwith

• John Lindsey, Public Fish & Oyster
• Last Exit: VDC 29, fig-pineapple cordial, Ramazzotti, lemon
  • “The acidity of the cocktail was well-integreated, and the whisky shows up mid-palate in a perfectly made drink. Beyond that is the human element. There are people who deserve recognition for just being who they are. Every time you see John, you feel how much he wants to make you happy.” – Joel Cuellar

• Harvey Mayorga, Guajiros Miami Eatery
• Virginia Sour: VDC 29, egg white, lemon juice, demerara syrup, Ancho Reyes, Shirts & Skins Petit Verdot Float
  • “Riffing on a New York Sour was a beautiful thing to see, and I loved the decision to use a local red wine float.” – Amanda Beckwith

• Amanda Wood, Tavola
• Golden Hour: VDC 29, Vecchio Amaro del Capo, Orchard pear liqueur, butter pecan brown sugar syrup, lemon, angostura bitters
  • “So well conceived and executed. It’s an Italian place, so adding an Italian ingredient feels right. Amaros can overpower other spirits, and I was amazed how well she integrated it. Pear liqueur as a bonding agent brought everything together perfectly.” – Joel Cuellar

Orhun Dikmen, center

In Malt Masters 2025, top Charlottesville bartenders competed to create cocktails from a whisky tribute to Charlottesville. Once named the world’s Distillery of the Year, Virginia Distillery Co.’s first single-cask 100% American single malt finished in a port cask, The Charlottesville 29 Single Barrel, is a tribute to the place on which its success stands. “Crafted from this place, for this place,” the distillery says. The full story is in C-VILLE.

A panel of judges has sampled all the entries and selected a winner. During deliberations, the judges marveled at the quality of the entries: a showcase of the passion, talent, and creativity of the Charlottesville beverage community. Each one, they said, warrants praise, which they share here.

A Tale of Two Homes: Early Harvest — Orhun Dikmen, Smyrna

In Orhun Dikmen’s current home, Charlottesville, he owns Smyrna, the ancient name of his former home, Izmir. In Dikmen’s creation for Malt Masters, his two homes unite.

The concept behind single malt whisky is a sense of place. “Single” means made at one distillery, distinguishing single malts from blended whiskies that combine products from multiple sources. Single malts’ flavors, then, reflect the culture and climate of where they are made.

Virginia Distillery Company’s whisky tribute to Charlottesville was distilled by Virginia people from Virginia products in Virginia’s climate. Dikmen infused the whisky from one place he calls home with flavors from another: olive oil, mastic gum, and oregano from Dikili. “When I tried The Charlottesville 29 Single Barrel, I loved the notes of earth, smoke, and chocolate,” said Dikmen. To enhance those flavors without obstructing them, Dikmen used an olive oil wash and infusion of mastic gum and oregano that his mother harvested in Dikli.

For the cocktail, Dikmen’s preference for dry flavors led him to a Perfect Manhattan riff. To the infused whisky, he stirred in Cocchi di Torino, Cape Corse Mattei, and Amaro Montenegro. As for the name, olive oil connoisseurs prefer oil made from the first olives of the season, and the Turkish oil that Dikmen uses is indeed “Erken Hasat,” or Early Harvest.

Excellent on its own, an Early Harvest is even better with Dikmen’s recommended pairing, chef Tarik Sengul’s raki balik, another tribute to home. Inspired by seafood restaurants of Turkey, where fish is traditionally enjoyed with the Turkish liquor raki, raki balik is hamachi crudo, anise-compressed melon, fennel, Meyer lemon, and olive oil. “The cocktail means home for me,” said Dikmen.

For the judges, what sets the cocktail apart is the way it combines excellence on the palate with the very spirit behind the whisky: celebrating this place we are so lucky to call home. The judges:

“Early Harvest embodies a sense of place and of community. I strive to create a whisky for making memories and sharing with loved ones — over food, listening to music, creating art, etc. The flavors and aromatics of Early Harvest tell that story: authenticity and heart in a glass, with the whisky as the foundation.” – Amanda Beckwith, Lead Blender & Director of Liquid Development, Virginia Distillery, Co. 

“In the world of mixed drinks we always look to represent the spirit as a backbone of the whole structure, with good integration, balance, and complexity. Early Harvest adds an element that few attain, which is at its core: family values and traditions that create a nostalgia reminding us of the place we came from, a place that is tangible that we carry with us, and makes us who we are as individuals. That is a component that I recognize, love, and respect.” – Joel Cuellar, Speakeasy

“For me, taste is paramount. At that, the Early Harvest excels. Its dry finish cries out for food, and the pairing of raki balik heeds the call. Good on its own, the Early Harvest becomes special with raki balik, as the melon’s sweetness rounds out the dry finish. Beyond the taste, what a treat it is to sit with a cocktail and reflect on the love of community that inspired its creation. On a map, there is 5,000 miles of space between Dikmen’s two homes. In his heart, none.”  – Simon Davidson, The Charlottesville 29

With the Early Harvest, the Malt Master 2025 is Orhun Dikmen.