Our Visit to Two Local Farm Wineries

We traveled down Route 17 with our friends Alyson and Larry.  Our first stop was Hartwood Winery, which is about 15 minutes from Fredericksburg.  At first glance, I was less than enthusiastic…the winery’s main building looks like a converted old 70s ranch-style house.  We still gave it a go and entered the winery.  Soon after, we were approached by a gentleman who encouraged us to take a seat at one of their tables to start a tasting.  Now I’m one for cleanliness so I have to admit it did bother me that it looked like he literally spent all morning outside in the heat rolling around his fields and didn’t bother to change his stained shirt or scrub his callused hands.  I guess that’s what I should expect with a farm winery though?  Anyway, we obliged and began the tasting.  We soon found out that he was none other than owner and winemaker, Jim Livingston, a former librarian from Kentucky who was quite the talker and very personable.  With each wine, we got a story including how his Deweese White is more affectionately  known as the “Baby Maker” as he’s been told it’s had luck in that department for some of his customers.  The tasting cost $5 and is heavily white wines so if you are a big red wine drinker, this may not be the place for you.  If you’re in the neighborhood of Fredericksburg and want to try a farm winery experience, give it a shot.  The wines range in price from $15 to $21.

Next, we headed North on 17 towards Warrenton to Rogers Ford Winery, located in Sumerduck, one of Fauquier County’s Southernmost towns.  Ryan and I have tried Rogers Ford Wines many times as we know owners Carlotta and John Puck from Warrenton Green Drinks.  They are a dear couple and a delight to be around so we were really looking forward to finally visiting their shop.  It’s a bit off the beaten path so when we arrived, we were only with one other group, a delight and change from most other wineries that are often overcrowded with winos.  John was solo today so we waited patiently as the other group finished up.  We started the tasting, which was $5 and included 9 wines.  I enjoyed their Virginia White and Virginia Red Select, a great steak wine.  Their wines range from $16 to $29, including a sparkling wine if that strikes your fancy.  Afterwards, John let us check out their property including access to the Rappahannock River.  Quite beautiful!

Tip #2: Had a bad experience at a winery?  Give it a second chance.  There are a number of things that can negatively affect your wine tasting experience including the weather, your pourer, the annoying couple next to you, etc.  It’s always worth trying again.  You just never know!

Staunton Area Wineries and One Close to Home

Last weekend, we made the trek down to Staunton, Virginia with my parents Joe and Carolyn.  For those of you who aren't familiar, Staunton is a little hidden gem in the Shenandoah Valley, about 45 minutes from Charlottesville.  My husband and I have been quite a few times, staying at wonderful B&Bs, eating tasty local food, and of course enjoying a show at the Blackfriar's Playhouse, the only replica of Shakespeare's indoor theatre.  The difference for this trip was a visit to Staunton's two wineries.

Ox-Eye Tasting Room in
Downtown Staunton

First, we visited Ox-Eye Vineyards, named after the daisy.  Rather than having a tasting room at the vineyard, they have a tasting room in downtown Staunton in a beautiful historic building.  They are the newest winery we've visited to-date, with their tasting room just opening on April 1.  You can choose between a half a tasting for $2.50 or a full tasting for $5.  We, of course, went for the full tasting!  We tried four whites and three reds, including a pinot noir that you don't see in many climates in Virginia.  For a young winery, they have some room to grow but we did enjoy the Cabernet Franc that is also the winemaker's favorite.  Their bottles range from $16 to $24.

My parents enjoying
the patio at Barren Ridge

Barren Ridge

Then it was off to Barren Ridge Vineyards, with breathtaking views of the Shenandoah Valley and a stellar venue with an old world feel.  They offer 8 complimentary wines to taste or you can do the full tasting for $5 which includes a whopping 14 wines.  Again, we went for the full experience and tasted all 14, ranging from a wonderfully oaky 2008 Chardonnay to a spectacular Touriga, a new one for us, which is the national grape of Portugal. Barren Ridge acquires our favorite wines to-date label.  This is one not to miss! Bottles range from $14 to $32.  Visit this one before dusk to enjoy the sunset from their patio.

Pearmund Cellars

The next day, we were off to Pearmund Cellars, located in Broad Run, Virginia, about 15 minutes from I-66 for you NoVa folks.  The ride from the street to the tasting room is through the vineyard which is vast and comprised of all Chardonnay grapes since 1976.  We got there early on Sunday so the tasting room was less crowded than usual.  The winemaker, Chris Pearmund, also has opened two additional wineries in recent years, La Grange and Vint Hill Craft.  They offer many choices for the tasting, a classic tasting for $5, reserve tasting for $7 or combined tasting for $10.  The tasting fees and bottles we've been purchasing have been getting to us lately so we opted for the classic this go around.  We were happy as it included their well known Old Vine Chardonnay and a Viognier, recently named Virginia's official white grape and easily a favorite of mine with a really amazing nose that I could enjoy all day.  Bottles range from $19 to $29.

I've realized in writing the last few weeks, that I've come to determine some tips of visiting Virginia wineries.  Therefore, I'm going to occasionally offer a tip for those of you who are interested.

Tip #1: Looking to avoid crowds on the weekends?  Visit earlier in the day.  Wineries are typically less crowded and if it's in the middle of the summer, it's less humid too!

4th of July Weekend - 3 more down!

Well, I'd say we learned lesson one this weekend about visiting Virginia wineries.  Avoid 'em on holiday weekends if you don't like the big crowds!  Regardless, we did check another three wineries off our list.

Original barn turned tasting room

View from Willowcroft

Saturday, we ventured out to Willowcroft Farm Vineyards, about a 15 minute ride from Leesburg on a rough dirt road.  As we approached the winery, we were pleasantly surprised.  The old horse farm turned winery is thirty years old, making it Loudoun County's first winery.  The original barn has been turned into the tasting room and the views of the Blue Ridge Mountains from the multiple picnic benches make this the ideal afternoon hangout (at least in my book!).  For the tasting, we tried 8 wines for $5. Prices of their wines ranged fro $13.99 to $26.99.  Our favorite was the 2005 Cab Sav which we acquired a bottle for our growing wine cellar.  Overall, we really enjoyed this winery for the views, venue, and laid back atmosphere.

Premier tasting

Vintage Ridge

Friends including Mollie, Christiana, and Buddha

Sunday, we met up our friends in Rectortown, Virginia at Vintage Ridge Vineyards.   This is by far the closest Napa experience we've had in Virginia as their approach is very similar to the few Napa wineries we've been to.  The tasting room was absolutely georgeous and tables were available both inside and out.  We were seated for the tasting and could choose between the basic tasting for $10 or the premier pairing for $18 which includes gourmet food.  We went with the pairing despite the steep price and tasted seven wines, which ranged from $20 to $28.  They poured generously and we were able to really take our time so it was a fun experience overall.  The food was tasty however don't come prepared to get filled up; it's a tasting not a meal after all!  We will definitely bring out of town guests here for a unique experience.  Oh and the pairing price doesn't include the mandatory gratuity so don't plan to come here without spending at least $20 per person.

Three Fox Vineyards

The last stop on Sunday was a visit to Three Fox Vineyards in Delaplane.  So far, this has been our least pleasant winery experience.  Their driveway is quite challenging and parking even worse.  You really need a 4-wheel drive to get here.  By mid-afternoon, the winery was packed and it was extremely humid outside and uncomfortable inside the tasting room as well.  The tasting room seemed like an oversized shed so really unpolished and very crammed.  However, the grounds were pretty with many rolling hills so on a nice day, it would be great for a family with children with ample space to run and play.  The tasting was $6 and we tried 9 wines.  Despite the not so positive experience, I actually very much enjoyed their wines and we took home a bottle of Sirius, a red with a great nose.  Their wines range in price from $21 to $29 plus they have a sparkling chardonnay for $35.

Check off Amissville wineries!

A beautiful day to start our Virginia winery adventures.  Clear day, blue skies.  

View of the pond from Unicorn Winery

Franc

We wandered down from Warrenton to Amissville and hit the first winery on the way, Unicorn Winery.   Named after the Irish Rovers' song, the Unicorn Song, a favorite by the original owner, Unicorn opened in 2000.  As we entered the winery, we were greeted by Franc (yes as in Cab Franc) and by smiling faces.  We soon begin the tasting ($5 for 10 tastings).  For their whites, we enjoyed the '08 Chardonnay the best and at $16, it's reasonably priced while the '08 Meritage was our favorite red.  Their bottles range in price from $14 to $30, with the average wine around $15 a bottle.  The ambiance inside is nothing special but outside you can enjoy one of their homemade cheese balls to accompany a glass or two of wine on the decks that overlook a pond.  There are also a few picnic benches so a great place for a small gathering of friends.  And they may have combined my two favorite items, a Slurpee and wine into the Frappevino.  Perfect for a hot and humid Virginia summer day!

Narmada Winery

Next, we hit Narmada winery, a winery we are quite familiar and partial to (we have been wine members for over a year now).  One of the few Indian-run wineries in Virginia, Narmada is owned by Pandit and Sudha Patil.  Pandit runs the business while Sudha is the winemaker.  Narmada has been open for just a few years now and the namesake is Pandit's mother.  Pandit is often onsite, pouring, socializing, and shaking hands to each patron.  They are thrilled to have customers and repeat customers at that.  The interior of the building is gorgeous, with a peacock theme.  We started our tasting, which is $7 for 13 wines (free to wine members and $10 if you want to keep the glass). There are too many good wines to list here.  There really isn't one we really don't like but a few of our favorites include MOM, Yash-Vir, and Midnight, the latter which they use to make a stellar wine-only sangria.  A must-try!  Narmada often has live music on the weekends and plenty of seating inside and out.  Did I mention the wonderful Indian food available? The only Indian food available in a 30 mile radius I'm fairly certain.  Bottles cost $18 to $38, averaging in the low $20s.

Gray Ghost Vineyard

Our last winery for the day was Gray Ghost Vineyards, named for Confederate Colonel Mosby.  They've been open for 17 years and have clearly become expert winemakers over the years. The facility, with beautifully adorned wood ceilings, is welcoming.  We begin our tasting quickly and for just $2 for 8 wines, it was the true bargain of the day.  Most of their wines right now are white.  We learned that they use only grapes from their property which is unusual in Virginia (many wineries, especially the young ones, purchase grapes from other Virginia vineyards).  With their namesake, they hold some unique events throughout the year including a Civil War author book signing where they attract 20+ authors.  They also open up their property to wine enthusiasts for harvesting.  For no cost, you come out at dawn and help to pick grapes and partake in the harvest, anywhere from late August to mid October.  We signed up and look forward to the notice!  Their wines range in price from $12.50 (for the '10 Vidal Blanc, a real steal!) to $40, averaging around $20 a bottle.

Goal: Visit every Virginia winery by 2012

Perhaps this may not seem lofty to you? According to www.virginiawine.org, there are currently 191 wineries over a whopping 42,000 square miles.  If we take 75 weeks, that's an average of 2.5 wineries a week.  Yes, I'm a very lucky person to have conceptualized this idea!  Oh, I failed to mention that I plan to not only visit but DRINK at every winery, perhaps obvious to some...maybe not others.

So why am I doing this?  Well there are a couple of reasons:

• I love wine.  That's pretty straight forward.
• I love all things Virginia.  After all, it's for lovers.
• I want to put Virginia wine on the map for those non-Virginians out there.
• It seems rather challenging considering I work a full-time job that really will only allow me to do this on weekends (not to mention many of these are only open on the weekend and during warm months).  I love a good challenge!
• I love supporting local businesses.
• I  can't think of a better way to spend my weekends.

So wish me luck (my husband, Ryan, too as he will be with me most of the time) and share this with others.  In return, you will get some good info about wine, wineries, etc. in a layman's, not sommelier, kind of way, I can promise you that!  We will take pictures, give you the LD on the wineries throughout the state of Virginia, and hopefully encourage you to check out what Virginia wine has to offer.