Wine
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Wine
Afton Mountain Vineyard Pippin Hill Farm Charlottesville Winery Pollak Vineyards Wintergreen Vineyard & Winery *** Virginia Wineries |
Vineyards and Wineries Autumn Hill Vineyards/Blue Ridge Winery - Established in 1979, Autumn Hill calls itself "Virginia's Home of Serious Red Wine." But those who prefer whites should have no fear. In addition to such reds as Merlot and a "Horizon Rouge" Bordeaux-style blend, they also offer Chardonnay and Viognier. Open only for special events. Check their website for further details. 985-6100 Barboursville Vineyards - Growing grapes on the estate with Thomas Jefferson's Historic Landmark Ruins, this is one of Virginia's most acclaimed wineries, racking up awards from all over the country for wines young and old. Both Classic and Reserve selections are available. Home of Palladio restaurant. Open 10am-5pm Mon-Sat, 11am-5pm Sun. 540-832-3824 Blenheim Vineyards - Aside from the fact that it's owned by Dave Matthews, this vineyard boasts a Chardonnay, Viognier and white table wine as well as Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Tastings daily, 11:00-5:30. Private tours are also available with a reservation. 293-5366 Burnley Vineyards - This family-owned and -operated winery is one of the oldest in the area. They offer several varieties of "Rivanna" blends in addition to more traditional wines. It's not a bad place to end an exhausting day of tasting, as the owners offer a guest house that sleeps four. Open daily 11am-5pm from mid-April - December, and then closed Tu-Th in the winter. 540-832-2828 Cardinal Point Vineyard & Winery - Here you can take in views of the Rockfish Gap, Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway while sampling a bottle of award-winning Viognier, Cabernet Franc Reserve. Open daily 11am-5:30pm. 540-456-8400 Cooper Vineyards - All wines from this Louisa vintner are aged in French Oak barrels with the exception of their Norton wine (made from a native Virginian grape) aged in oak from right here in the Commonwealth. Open daily 11am-5pm year round. 540-894-5253 DelFosse Vineyards and Winery - Having planted their first grapes in 2000, this Nelson County winery is one of the newest in Central Virginia. Their vineyards of 10 kinds of varietal grapes are planted in the European "terraced" style, one of the only such vineyards in the Commonwealth. Their wines include international gold medal-winning bottles of Chardonnay and a blend called Cuvee Laurent. Open Wed-Sun 11am-5pm year-round, and Monday-Tuesday by appointment. 263-6100 Democracy Vineyards- Located in Nelson County. This winery was once an apple orchard that has been partially cleared out and harvested with seven varietals for grape wine. Democracy Vineyards remains an active “Ginger Gold” apple producer. Th.-Mon.noon-6pm; Sun 1-6pm. 434-263-8463 Early Mountain Vineyards- "New World wines with an Old World sensibilty," Early Mountain offers live music on summer weekends. Mon-Th. 11-6pm; Fri.-Sat. 11am-8pm. Closed Tues. 540-948-9005 First Colony Winery - Founding First Colony winemaker Benoit Pineau set a high standard and since his departure in 2009, winemaker Jason Hayman— who trained under Pineau— has carried on the award winning tradition, winning awards. The wine list includes several dry whites, reds and a "Sweet Shenando" off-dry blend. Open Mon-Fri 10am-6pm and Sat-Sun 11am-6pm. 979-7105 Flying Fox Vineyard - A small, family-owned Nelson County vineyard. Located at 27 Chapel Hollow Road Afton, Virginia 22920. Open Friday-Sundays 11am-6pm. 434-361-1692. Gabriele Rausse - Not open to the public, but wines are available for purchase. 296-5328 Glass House Winery- A relative newcomer to the winery scene, Glass House in Free Union features a tasting room and a "tropical conservatory," where live music events are held. Thurs.-Sun, noon-5:30pm. 975-0094 Grace Estate- All Grace Estate wines are made from grapes grown on site at Mount Juliet Farm in Crozet, near White Hall. They are a member of The Appellation Trail, a wine route that connects six artisanal wineries in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Th-Sun 11am-5pm. 434-823-1486 Hill Top Berry Farm & Winery - As the name suggests, there are very few grapes to be found here. Instead, the wines are made almost exclusively from sweeter fruits like blueberries, strawberries, peaches, and the house specialty, blackberries. This Nelson County vintner also makes mead, perfect for ye olde Renaissance faire or jousting match. Open year-round, summer hours 11am-5pm daily; winter closed Mon-Tues. 361-1266 Horton Vineyards - Whether you're talking about their 10 varieties of fruit wine, or their "Dom Virginion"—a sparkling Viognier— this Orange County vineyard is far from traditional. But now that they've won gold medals in several competitions across the country, nobody seems to be complaining. Open 10am-5pm daily year-round. 800-829-4633 Jefferson Vineyards- This vintner borrows the name of Virginia's most famous wine connoisseur with good reason. The land used to grow the grapes is on the site of Mr. Jefferson's original 1774 vineyard, a mile south of Monticello. In "truly fulfilling Jefferson's vision," they make a wide variety of red and white wines. Open 10am-6pm daily year-round. 434-977-3042 Keswick Vineyards - Located on the Edgewood Estate in the eastern part of Albemarle Coutny, Keswick offers 10 different kinds of wine, most of them aged at least 5-10 years. The lack of quantity doesn't appear to have hurt the quality, however, as they've received multiple awards. Tasting room open daily 9am-5pm. 244-3341 Kilaurwen Winery- Named after the owners' three daughters, Kimberlee, Laura and Wendy, this vineyard and tasting room is located in the mountains of Stanardsville. They are part of the Monticello Wine Trail. Open Fri-Sun. and holiday Mondays from noon-5pm. 434-985-2535 King Family Vineyards - Look for Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc, in addition to the locally, homophonic red-white blend, "Crosé." And for the equine-inclined, be sure to check out their weekly Sunday afternoon polo matches every summer. Open 10am-5:30pm year-round. 823-7800 Lovingston Winery - Tasting room is open April-Nov. Wednesday-Friday 10am-4pm Saturday-Sunday 11am-5pm. December-March by appointment. 885 Freshwater Court Lane Lovingston, Virginia 22949. 434-263-8467. Meriwether Springs Vineyard and Winery- The newest addition to the winery scene, Meriwether is relatively close to town on Owensville Road and offers petit verdot, chardonnay, merlot and pinot grigio. Fri. noon-8pm; Sat.-Sun. noon-6pm. 270-4299 Moss Vineyards- This northern Albemarle County vineyard in the unincorporated town of Nortonsville sits at 1,000 feet above sea-level and has 5,000 Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Merlot, Viognier, and Vermentino vines. noon-5pm Fri.-Sun. 990-0111 Mountain Cove Vineyards & Wine Garden - It's purportedly Virginia's oldest continually operated winery. This Nelson County vineyard offers a small variety of exclusive blends and sweet wines made from locally grown fruit. Open Wed-Sun 11am-5pm March through October and 11am-5pm November through December, or by appointment. 263-5392 Mountfair - Open weekends March-November from 12pm-5pm, or by appointment. 4875 Fox Mountain Road Mountfair, Virginia 22932. 434-823-7605. Pippin Hill Farm Charlottesville Winery-Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and Monticello AVA, they are members of the Virginia Winery Association and the Monticello Wine Trail. Their tasting Room, veranda and courtyard are open Wednesday-Sunday from 11:00am until 5:00pm. Closed on Monday and Tuesday. Tasting Flights are $5 per person. Give them a call at (434) 202-8063. Pollak Vineyard - Open April-October daily from 11am-5pm, and November-March from 11am-5pm Wednesdays-Sundays. 330 Newtown Road Greenwood, Virginia 22943. 540-456-8844. Prince Michel Vineyards - As anyone driving to or from Washington knows, Prince Michel Vineyards are conspicuously located right on Route 29 a few miles south of Culpeper. In addition to area commonalities like Cabernet Franc and Merlot, they make Port, a rare find in Central Virginia. Whether you buy wine made under their Virginia, Madison, or Rapidan labels, a portion of your money goes to the Leducq Foundation for cardiovascular research. Open daily 10am-6pm for most of the year. 1-800-800-9463 Reynard Florence Vineyard- A relatively new family-owned vineyard located in Barboursville. Open Sat-Sun 11am-5pm or by appointment and by chance. 540-832-3895 Stinson Vineyards- Out Garth Road past White Hall, Stinson offers a variety of reds and whites and is also offers organic Timbercreek meats for sale in its tasting room. Th-Sun 11am-5pm. 823-7300 Stone Mountain Vineyards - Inspired by the grapes grown in the mountains on either side of Europe's Rhine River Valley, this vineyard is distinctive for its high elevation (1,700 feet) relative to the rest of Central Virginia. They've expanded their offerings in the last few years, but they're still the only winery making "Revenuers' Select," "a tribute to moonshiners and the revenue agents who pursued them." Open weekends for most of the year, Fri-Sun 11am-5pm. 990-9463 Trump Winery- Taking over from Patricia Kluge, who built a respected brand, Trump offers more than a dozen wines and a cafe means tastings can be accompanied by tasty fare. Open 11am-7pm April-Oct.; 11am-6pm daily Nov.-March. 977-3895 Veritas Winery - Latin proverbs aside, the Veritas wine list is indeed true to European tradition, offering wines like Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Claret. In-house specialty blends include Kenmar, a fruity dessert wine, and a dark red called Othello. The Afton vineyard also features another one of Virginia's famous exports– there's a stable of horses on site. Open year round weekdays 9:30am-5:30pm, weekends 11am-5pm. 540-456-8000 White Hall Vineyards - This western Albemarle County vineyard boasts of several accolade-winning wines, including a national gold medal Cabernet Franc and one of the only local Gewürtztraminers. For the femme fatale in your life, they make a deep blend called Breakheart Red. Feel free to pack a lunch and picnic under the oak trees. Open Wed-Sun, 11am-5pm year round. 823-8615 Wisdom Oak Winery- Set in gorgeous North Garden and offering a variety of reds and whites including Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Charonnay. Thurs.-Sun., noon-6pm. 984-4272 Wintergreen Vineyard & Winery - Located in scenic Nelson County near Wintergreen Resort and the Blue Ridge Parkway, this family-owned winery consistently crafts award winning vintages in the heart of Virginia's celebrated Monticello wine region and offers a friendly, unpretentious wine experience. Wine Tasting, Artisanal Cheeses & Gourmet Foods, Wine & Gift Shop, Riverside Picnic Area. "The Verandah at Wintergreen Winery" is available for weddings, receptions, private parties, and special events. Open daily year round, 10am-5pm in the fall and winter, 10am-6pm when the weather gets warmer. 361-2519
Blue Mountain Brewery- A "green" brewery that prides itself on its sustainable approach and growing its own hops. Scenic Nelson County setting off Rt. 151. Mon-Sat. 11am-10pm; Sun 11am-9pm. 540-456-8020 Castle Hill Cider- Located at the historic Castle Hill estate in Keswick, Castle Hill Cider makes four ciders with opposing names: Celestial and Terrestrial; Levity and Gravity. Mon-Sun 11am-5pm. 296-0047 Champion Brewing Company- A relative newcomer to the brewing scene, Champion-— just two blocks off the Downtown Mall— has a knack for naming beers: Missile IPA, Face Eater Gose and No Retreat Wheat are among the choices on tap. Devils Backbone Brewery- Winner of the Small Brewpub and Small Brewpub Brewer of the Year at the 2012 Great American Beer Festival, Devils Backbone, also in Nelson County, features frequent live music. Wed-Th. 1-7pm; Fri.-Sat. 1-8pm; Sun. 1-6pm; Closed Mon-Tues. 361-1001 James River Brewing- South of Charlottesville in downtown Scottsville, James River Brewing offers live music every weekend afternoon and tastings Mon-Th. 3-9pm; Fri 3-10pm; Sat. noon-10pm; Sun. noon-9pm. 286-7837 South Street Brewery- On-premise brewing just off the Downtown Mall since 1998, South Street is a full service restaurant and bar with a cozy fireplace. Mon-Th 4:30pm-2am; Fri-Sat. 11:30am-2am; Sun. 11:30am-8pm. 293-6550 Starr Hill Brewery The mother of all local brewing companies, Starr Hill has boomed into a regional beer powerhouse with its Jomo lager and other award winning beers found at restaurants and stores throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast. 823-5671 Wild Wolf Brewing Company- Opened in November 2011 on Rt. 151 in Nelson, Wild Wolf helps round out what's now known as the Brew Ridge Trail. Live music and a scenic setting. Mon-Fri 11:30am- last call; Sat-Sun 11am-last call. 361-0088 # |
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