Just moved to Loudoun county and trying to learn about wines and the local wine scene. Found this subreddit and thought I would say hi!

Wife and I have been to a few wineries up the NoVa region (Doukenie, Bull Run, Stone Tower). Curious if anyone has some recommendations. Wife is usually happy with a view. I'm hoping to find a fun red or two. We both really enjoy Virginia white wines.

Hi everyone! I'm a student at VCU and this semester my group's doing a project about wine enthusiasts. If you love wine, we need your help with our research! Please take our survey, it would really help us out! It'll only take you about 15 minutes, and will be open until the end of the week. Thanks!

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe3lC-TPJY_XAv89_VwUELRxF7euNQ9dbn6H8QFa8Hxq5MoQA/viewform

North Mountain Vineyard and Winery has some grapes for sales if anyone is looking to buy some.

Heading there today for the first time, pretty excited! Have lived close by forever but for some reason just never made it out there.

Post says it all. The wife and I haven't been out and about for a couple of weeks now, so trying to line up a place or two.

Hi everyone,

My wife and I are planning a romantic getaway to Virginia at the end of this month. We are looking for a winery with bed and breakfast in Virginia (we live in Arlington).

We are open to any suggestions, but here are a few things that are important to us:

A beautiful setting with stunning views A variety of wines to choose from A relaxing and intimate atmosphere A convenient location A good value for the price If you have any recommendations, please let me know!

Thanks in advance for your help.

Today the wife and I are heading out to visit our 50th new winery in Virginia. I figured it was probably time for a write-up of some of the bests (in our opinion). Here is where we have been:

• Ashton Creek Vineyard
• Barboursville Vineyards
• Blenheim Vineyards
• Bluemont Vineyard
• Bull Run Winery
• Cana Vineyards and Winery
• Casanel Vineyards & Winery
• Castle Glen Estates Winery
• Chateu MerrillAnne LLC
• Chatham Vineyards & Winery
• Doukenie WInery
• DuCard Vineyards
• Early Mountain Vineyards
• Elk Island Winery
• Fifty-Third Winery & Vineyard (formerly cooper)
• Gabriele Rausse Winery
• Glen Manor Vineyards
• Granite Heights Winery
• Gray Ghost Vineyards
• Hazy Mountain Vineyards & Brewery
• Honah Lee Vineyards
• Horton Vineyards
• James River Cellars Winery
• Jefferson Vineyards
• Jolene Family Winery
• King Family Vineyards
• Mediterranean Cellars, LLC
• Michael Shaps Wineworks
• Morais Vineyards & Winery
• Muse Vineyards
• New Kent Winery
• Paradise Springs Winery
• Pippin Hill Farm & Vineyards
• Pollak Vineyards
• Rappahannock Cellars
• Reynard Florence Vineyard
• Sassafras Shade Vineyard
• Saude Creek Vineyards
• Septenary Winery at Seven Oaks Farm
• Stone Mountain Vineyards
• Stone Tower Winery
• Thatch Winery (bought by Michael Shaps)
• Three Creeks WInery
• The Winery at La Grance
• The WInery at Sunshine Ridge Farm
• Valley Road Vineyards
• Veritas Vineyards and Winery
• Walsh Family Wine
• White Hall Vineyards

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BEST OVERALL WINE:

• Blenheim
• Glen Manor
• Jefferson
• Septenary
• Thatch (rip)

Dave Matthews is pricing his bottles in such a way, you almost have to buy one. We left with a great white for $22 and loved it.

Glen Manor is a hidden gem, just south of Front Royal on the Skyline Drive. Very solid wines, and the views of the farm are awesome.

Jefferson was fantastic reds, which surprised me greatly. Also bring a lawn chair and just stare at the mountains.

Septenary is sneaky good wine. They do get crowded so sometimes there is a wait, but I think it's worth it.

Thatch had the best Rose I've had in Virginia. Bummed they are no longer their own shop.

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BEST VIEWS:

• Bluemont (Front Royal Area)
• Doukenie
• Gabriele Rausse
• Glen Manor
• Hazy Mountain
• Jefferson
• King Family
• Mediterranean Cellars
• Pollak
• Stone Mountain
• Three Creeks

Please note, this does not mean the wine there is good. If you need a good view, these are the places to go.

If you are looking for high up the mountain and can see the world, then Bluemont, Hazy Mountain, and Stone Mountain are your bet. If you want a cute farm or overall vibe, then Doukenie, Gabriele Rausse, Glen Manor, and Three Creeks. If you want to be in the valley and look up at the beautiful mountains, then Glen Manor, Jefferson, King Family, Mediterranean, and Pollak.

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MOST MEMORABLE:

• Bluemont
• Elk Island
• Horton
• Stone Mountain
• Veritas

Bluemont we didn't realize had an upper parking lot. We parked midway up the driveway and then hiked the remaining way up. When we saw that there was additional parking and we didn't have to crush our calves, the wife was not pleased haha.

When we showed up to Elk Island there was a biker ganger walking in about two minutes behind us. The server said "Do you want to wait for the rest of your friends?" My wife and I are quite the opposite of bikers haha, so this gave us a good chuckle. We still joke about it to this day.

We went to Horton during COVID, so they were using dixie plates and cups for the tasting. When we first walked in, they didn't ID us, but then a group of girls behind us did get carded. That made us feel old quick. Another one we still joke about to this day.

There are two roads to get to Stone Mountain. Make sure you pick the correct one, otherwise you will test your relationship with your significant other. That is all.

We went to a veritas concert night many years ago. A buddy of mine got a little too inebriated, and I assisted him in the bathroom. It looked like a murder scene thanks to all the red wine. The cleanup effort was not fun. Thankfully we had a sober driver taking us home.

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Best Food Options:

• Early Mountain
• King Family
• New Kent
• Pippin Hill

Early Mountain always has a great menu, highly recommend the bread and butter. King Family brings some solid food trucks on the weekend, and you can picnic there. New Kent has a good chef and makes some solid food. The sliders at Pippin Hill are outstanding.

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Put it on repeat (would go back happily):

• Blenheim (wine + view)
• Bull Run (wine + view)
• Doukenie (wine + view)
• Early Mountain (wine + food)
• Fifty-Third (wine + vibes)
• Glen Manor (wine + view)
• Jefferson (wine + view)
• New Kent (vibe)
• Septenary (wine + vibe)
• Three Creeks (wine + vibe)
• Veritas (wine)

I'll only point out a few here since some have been talked about already. We loved Bull Run and how many table options they had, plus an adult-only section. Big plus for us. Early Mountain is always on our list because of the food & wine. Fifty-Third is where our friends like to go, so it's on rotation. Jefferson was great all around and we will be back soon. New Kent is our "It's close to richmond" place. It's decent, can usually get a solid white. Three Creeks was just a solid place to be. We went in the winter, definitely want to go late spring or fall.

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Haven't been, excited to go:

• Ankida Ridge Vineyards
• Breaux Vineyards
• Chateau Morrisette Winery
• Delaplane Cellars
• Keswick Vineyards
• Linden Vineyards
• RdV
• Rosemont Vineyards

Ankida is supposed to be gorgeous and have some solid wine. Breaux, Linden, and RdV keep coming up in best wine blogs. Chateau Morrisette I don't have high hopes for, but they have a lab on their label and we love labs. Delaplane is supposed to be pretty. Keswick I'm surprised we haven't been to simply because of location, same with Rosemont.

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So where are we going for #50? Still undecided, but I will update the post once we pick it and go!

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Wife and I went to Pollak Vineyards located between Crozet and Waynesboro, just a few miles off of Rt. 64. Nice day, as we drove up we were immediately drawn in by the view of the mountainside, the pond, and the pretty building.

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You walk up to the register and are greeted by all of their awards, which is cool. They offer a white, red, and mix it up tasting for about $20. I got a flight of four wines, plus a glass of Rose after:

2021 Chardonnay
Smell: clean melon. A little strawberry or floral. It's great.
Taste: a little tart at the end (not in a good way). Kind of sour throughout. Odd.
Notes: from the smell I would've thought this was a home run. Not a fan.
2 / 5

2021 Viognier
Smell: tropical is the right word. Very pleasant smell.
Taste: tropical with a very high note of lemon.
Nose: solid.
3.2 / 5

2019 Durant White
Smell: verrrrrrry clean. Like almost no smell at all. Hint of apple.
Taste: good pear taste. Don't know what stone fruit is, but there is a citrus note for sure. A little lemon.
Nose: solid for a white blend. Very different from others I've had.
3 / 5

2019 Cabernet Sauvignon
Smell: immediately it smelled like a Virginia red, which I'm not a fan of.
Taste: Tasted like a virginia cab. Just kinda cheap, black cherryish
Notes: grrrrrr

1 / 5

Glass of 2022 Rose
Smell: not much nose here.
T: almost tastes like a clean chardonnay. It's pleasant. Not very fruity.
N: solid rose choice.

3 / 5

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Overall Pollak had some decent wines to choose from, but the views were well worth the drive out. I do recommend stopping by this place and grabbing some of the white wines, most notably the Viognier.

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Who am I? I've been to 50 wineries in Virginia and to Napa twice. I'm not a sommelier and will be the first to tell you that. I just like wine, going on day trips with my wife, and seeing what else is out there. Anything written above is my opinion!

Anyone gone yet? My group and I will be there Saturday, first time. Not sure what to expect!

Got a chance to check out Stone Mountain Winery this past week in Dyke, VA.

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Take this map as a guide...

DO NOT GO UP THE WYATT MOUNTAIN WAY.

DO NOT BLINDLY TRUST YOUR GPS

THEY TELL YOU ON THE WEBSITE TO AVOID GOING THE WAY WE WENT.

We were coming from another winery to the south, so we just typed it into the GPS. Worst mistake ever. I'm very grateful we took the SUV instead of the sedan, but damn. It was white knuckle through that last stretch. My poor wife was stressed beyond belief. But....once you get to the top....

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The view is absolutely amazing. Best I've seen in Virginia, and that includes Bluemont. Once your heart rate comes down and you go inside, you can go up to the bar and select from several wines for a tasting. Fun fact: they won't sell you the rose to take home because they've had too many corks pop out!

For this tasting, I tried four wines.

Bacon Hollow Revenue's Select
2020 Chardonnay Stainless Steel
Cabernet Sauvignon
FIVE (Bordeaux blend)

My favorite was the FIVE Bordeaux blend. Decent raspberry/cherry flavor. My least favorite was the bacon hollow. I swear there was bourbon or some dark liquor in it; tasted more like that than wine lol. The Cabernet had a little more body than I'm used to with Virginia reds, so that was nice. One weird thing, and I think it's because of the shape of the small tasting glasses, but I was having a really hard time smelling the wines. Maybe also the elevation? But I didn't take any smell notes because of it.

Overall I would love to see this place in the spring/fall (and will definitely go up the correct side of the mountain). The wine is okay but you should be able to find one you like. I recommend going once at a minimum for the amazing view.

Wednesday Weekend Wine!

Where are you planning to go this weekend?
Need a recommendation?
What bottle are you excited to open?

Let's discuss!

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Wednesday Weekend Wine is a reoccurring weekly post on Wednesdays that serves as a catch-all for weekend plans.

Wednesday Weekend Wine!

Where are you planning to go this weekend?
Need a recommendation?
What bottle are you excited to open?

Let's discuss!

------------------

Wednesday Weekend Wine is a reoccurring weekly post on Wednesdays that serves as a catch-all for weekend plans.

Wednesday Weekend Wine!

Where are you planning to go this weekend?
Need a recommendation?
What bottle are you excited to open?

Let's discuss!

------------------

Wednesday Weekend Wine is a reoccurring weekly post on Wednesdays that serves as a catch-all for weekend plans.

My wife and I have now been to 43 different vineyards and wineries in Virginia (might be more, but this is at least what I have on my tracker). We are planning to add #44 to the list at the end of the month (Stone Mountain Vineyards), but I also took a little time to reflect on my top three so far. Here they are:

First, the "Outside Looking In", aka just outside the top three

Fifty-Third Winery & Vineyard

Septenary Winery

The Winery and La Grange

Thatch (RIP, now part of Michael Shaps)

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#3 - Blenheim Vineyards

Dave Matthews is doing something right here. The wine tasting was wonderful and the cheese that went along with it even better. The views from the winery are pretty awesome, and the price for a bottle really cannot be beaten.

Recommend: Painted White blend

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#2 - Glen Manor Vineyards

It's a haul from Richmond, but very much worth it. Highly recommend taking Skyline Drive if you can. The tasting was nicely priced and each wine was wonderful. It even had some reds that I was quite fond of (I haven't cared for much in VA reds). The view was incredible as well, overlooking the mountain with the farm. Loved it.

Recommend: Vin Rouge

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#1 - Jefferson Vineyards

It's a running theme: solid reds, great whites, great views. What more can you ask for? What stood out to me was the Cab Franc. I have not had one like this in Virginia, and it's one of the many reasons I cannot wait to go back and give it another try. My only regret is that I didn't leave with a bottle.

Recommend: Cabernet Franc

Hey friends

I've seen this subreddit linked often in other places, but it bummed me out that it was not active (the prior post was over a year old). Further, it was set to "request to post" so no new posts could come in. I went through the process to request to moderate this subreddit in hopes that it can grow much like the winery scene of Virginia.

Please bear with me a little bit as I get used to moderating (new territory). My goals for the subreddit are simple:

1. Foster discovery and good dialogue around the wine industry of virginia
2. Grow the member count (sustainably)

If you have ANY suggestions, please feel free to message me. Thanks!

Bob Sood M.D. is back!! & He's bringing a bunch of funny friends with him!!
Join him for a night of hilarious stand-up comedy as we attempt to return to normal. This show is guaranteed to be a night to remember!!
Buy Tickets:
https://www.arlingtondrafthouse.com/shows/155216

Hi - anyone know of any harvest-type events happening at wineries within 1-2 hours of DC? Grape stomps, harvest festivals etc.? Looking for a weekend day trip. TIA!

.

A couple of weeks ago I ordered two bottles from Unwined of Alexandria (the Bradlee location) The domestic Pinot I had ordered was out of stock. They substituted another California Pinot (list a couple of dollars more, but they did not charge me more than the original bottle) and delivered to my door (upstairs in a high rise) in inclement weather. I cannot praise their customer service enough

We got some coverage from one of the big guys

https://daily.sevenfifty.com/regions/virginia-wine/