The wine trail of Central Virginia
By Casey Gillis on Oct. 24, 2007
By Casey Gillis, The Burg
/385-5525
The Virginia Wine & Garlic Festival, one of the area’s most well known events, is coming up next weekend at Rebec Vineyards in Amherst.
For many, the festival signals the start of the fall season.
But it’s only the beginning — both Nelson and Bedford counties are overflowing with wineries and vineyards, many of which, in addition to being open for tastings, hold festivals and unique events of their own.
We don’t recommend visiting them all in one day, but each one has something to offer and is worth a trip.
Amherst/Nelson counties
Rebec Vineyards (1)
Location: 2229 North Amherst Hwy., on the west side of U.S. 29 between Lynchburg and Charlottesville.
Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily
Phone: (434) 946-5168
Web site: http://www.rebecwinery.com
Details: The only winery in Amherst County, Rebec sits on a 70-acre farm and started selling wine in 1987. It’s named after a medieval stringed instrument that’s a forerunner to the modern violin.
Wine list: 13 varieties
Specialties: Sweet Sofia and Autumn Glow, both of which are Rebec originals
Tasting fees: $2 per person in a group of 10 or more
An insider perspective: “Katie (Meeks, the tasting room manager) has this great quote: ‘The secret of Rebec wines is that Svet (Kanve, Rebec’s winemaker) croons to them in Bulgarian,’” says Lynn Hanson, wife of owner Richard Hanson. “It’s true. He goes in and sings to the wine.”
Veritas Winery (2)
Location: 145 Saddleback Farm in Afton
Hours: 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends
Phone: (540) 456-8000
Web site: http://www.veritaswines.com
Details: The 20-acre vineyard opened for business in June 2002. Its name comes from an observation from Roman historian Pliny the Elder: “In Vino Veritas,” or “In Wine There Is Truth.”
Wine list: 12 varieties
Specialties: Petit Verdot and Othello 2005, a port-style wine
Tasting fees: Free for eight tastings; reserve tastings are $1 each
An insider perspective: “We use the tagline ‘Easy to find, but hard to leave,’” says business manager Molly O’Halloran. “The view is spectacular and the wine and the people. The atmosphere here is just awesome. People really make themselves comfortable.”
Wintergreen Winery (3)
Location: 462 Winery Lane in Nellysford
Hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily from April to October; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. November to March
Phone: (434) 361-2519
Web site: http://www.WintergreenWinery.com
Details: Located right on the Rockfish River, the winery sits on 27 acres, and the tasting room is located in an old 19th century carriage house. It’s very close to Wintergreen Resort, but is not affiliated with it.
Wine list: 12 varieties
Specialties: Black Rock Chardonnay Reserve and a raspberry dessert wine
Tasting fees: None
An insider perspective: “Kind of what we hang our hat on (is that) … we are very serious about our wine,” says owner Tamara Stone. “We say, ‘Acclaimed wines, but no attitude.’ We’re about not being pretentious … and having a good time with it. We aren’t the fanciest winery, but we do a good job of making people feel at home.”
Hill Top Berry Farm & Winery (4)
Location: 2800 Berry Hill Rd. in Nellysford
Hours: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sundays; hours extended during blackberry season (9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday to Saturday)
Phone: (434) 361-1266
Web site: http://www.hilltopberrywine.com
Details: Originally opened as a pick-your-own blackberry farm, the business expanded into a winery in the late 1990s.
Wine list: 25 different wines and meads
Specialties: Two blueberry wines,
the Blue Heeler and the Little Heeler
Tasting fees: Free for up to six wines, and $2 for a complete tasting
An insider perspective: Hill Top prides itself on its “true to the fruit wines” — which “means they’re not flavored,” says co-owner Kimberly Pugh. “Pear wine is just pears, and raspberry wine is just raspberries” — and historical meads.
“They’re right out of the history books,” says Pugh, who owns the vineyard with her sisters Crystal and Marlo. “We actually research what people used to drink and basically resurrect things people haven’t (seen in awhile).”
Afton Mountain
Vineyards (5)
Location: 234 Vineyard Ln. in Afton
Hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Monday from March to October; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. November and December; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday through Monday from January to February
Phone: (540) 456-8667
Web site: http://aftonmountain
vineyards.com
Details: Original vines were planted in 1978 and 1979, and their Cabernet Sauvignon vines are among the oldest in Virginia.
Wine list: 13 varieties
Specialties: Gewurztraminer — “Not too many wineries produce this grape,” says owner Shinko Corpora. “There are some, but not many.”
Tasting fees: $5 for groups of 10 or more
An insider perspective: “It’s a very simple winery, but we have a beautiful view,” Corpora says.
Cardinal Point Winery (6)
Location/directions: 9423 Batesville Rd.
Hours: 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday (9:30 to 11 a.m. by appointment only); 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
Phone: (540) 456-8400
Web site: http://www.cardinalpointwinery.com
Details: Original owners Paul and Ruth Gorman planted the first four acres of the vineyard in 1985 and opened the winery in 2002.
Wine list: Between 9 and 10 varieties
Specialties: A6, a dry white combination of Viognier and Chardonnay. It’s named for a highway that runs through a Viognier and Chardonnay-growing region.
Tasting fees: None
An insider perspective: “First and foremost, I think our wines are really very good, but we serve them in a relaxed atmosphere,” says current owner Sarah Gorman, daughter of Paul and Ruth. “And we take a lot of pride in the knowledge of our staff.”
DelFosse Vineyards and Winery (7)
Location: 500 DelFosse Winery Ln. in Faber
Hours: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday; Monday and Tuesday by appointment
Phone: (434) 263-6100
Web site: http://www.delfossewine.com
Details: Established in 2000, DelFosse boasts 330 total acres — 20 acres of vines and 5.1 miles of hiking and biking trails open to the public.
Wine list: Between 15 and 19 varieties
Specialties: 2005 Reserve d’Oriane, a white blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier and Petit Manseng
Tasting fees: No charge for the classic wine list; $5 for reserve wine list
An insider perspective: Festival manager Mike Patterson says DelFosse — which has racked up between 60 and 70 wine awards over the past three years — is the only winery in Virginia to use European-style terraced terrain.
“Instead of being on flat ground, ours are cut on terraces in the hills,” he says. “It’s picturesque.”
Flying Fox Vineyard (8)
Location: 27 Chapel Hollow Rd. in Afton
Hours: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday through Sunday; open every day in October for Virginia Wine Month
Phone: (434) 361-1692
Web site: http://www.flyingfoxvineyard.com
Details: One of the area’s newest vineyards, Flying Fox’s tasting room opened on Memorial Day weekend. Red grapes are grown on the 6-acre farm, and the Viognier comes from the Shenandoah Valley vineyard of owner Lynn Davis’ sister.
Wine list: 6 varieties, three red and three white
Specialties: Cabernet Franc
Tasting fees: $4 with a complimentary tasting glass
An insider perspective: “We’re a very small production, only about 200 cases,” says Davis, who owns the winery with husband Rich Evans. “We’ve been growing grapes for a long time … just me and my husband. … We’re small, and we intend to stay very small.”
Lovingston Winery (9)
Location: 885 Freshwater Cove Ln.
Hours: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays; other times by appointment
Phone: (434) 263-8467
Web site: http://www.lovingstonwinery.com
Details: The winery has five acres of densely planted vines, meaning there are 1,200 vines to the acre (most vineyards plant 600 to 700 vines to the acre). The theory is that by limiting the number of grape bunches a vine is able to produce, that vine concentrates all of its energy into fewer bunches, increasing the quality of those grapes, says owner Ed Puckett.
Wine list: 6 labels
Specialties: Pinot Age, a South African
variety
Tasting fees: None
An insider perspective: “I think people will enjoy the concentration of flavors,” Puckett says. “We spend a tremendous amount of time on quality control. … We literally pick through every berry before it goes in the process. … It’s pure stuff.”
Mountain Cove
Vineyards (10)
Location: 1362 Fortunes Cove Lane
Hours: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday from March to October; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. in November and December; other times by appointment
Phone: (434) 263-5392
Web site: http://www.mountaincovevineyards.com
Details: Founded in 1973, it’s Virginia’s oldest continuously operating vineyard. It also includes shaded picnic areas, a performance pavilion and hiking and mountain biking routes.
Wine list: 6 varieties
Specialties: Skyline White
Tasting fees: None
An insider perspective: “It is one of the prettiest sites in Virginia,” says owner Al Weed. “We are small, family-owned. People visit a small operation (here), where if they want a tour, they can really understand how wine is made.”
Bedford County
Peaks of Otter Winery (11)
Location: 2122 Sheep Creek Rd.
Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily from August to October; noon to 5 p.m. on weekends from January to March;
Phone: (540) 586-3707
Web site: http://www.PeaksOfOtterWinery.com
Details: Located at the foot of the Blue Ridge, it was Bedford’s first winery and Virginia’s first fruit winery. During the season, visitors can sample fruits from which the wines are made, as well as jams, jellies and butters.
Wine list: Between 25 and 30 varieties
Specialties: Chili Dawg, an apple pepper blend that’s 97 percent sweet apple wine and 39 percent chili pepper wine. “It has a little bite,” says winemaker Shannon Johnson.
Tasting fees: None
An insider perspective: “Everybody that comes here comes back and brings their family and friends,” Johnson says. “… It’s not the typical winery because of the wine we make and our personality.”
Hickory Hill Vineyards & Winery (12)
Location: 1722 Hickory Cove Ln. in Moneta
Hours: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Monday April to December; Tuesday & Wednesdays by appointment
Phone: (540) 296-1393
Web site: http://www.hickoryhillvineyards.com
Details: It’s located on a 45-acre farm in the hills of Smith Mountain Lake, with a 1923-era farmhouse that serves as the tasting room. Owners Roger and Judy Furrow planted an experimental half-acre vineyard in the early 1980s, and by 1992 had started Hickory Hill.Wine list: 9 varieties
Specialties: Vidal Blanc, a “French hybrid that just grows really well here in Virginia,” says Wendy Furrow-Scott, daughter of owners Roger and Judy Furrow.
Tasting fees: Free
An insider perspective: “Its just beautiful and (has) lots of character,” Furrow-Scott says. “… You can hear the boats go by. You can’t see them, but in the summer you can hear them, especially the big ones.”
LeoGrande Vineyards and Winery (13)
Location: 1343 Wingfield Dr. in Goode
Hours: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday
Phone: (540) 586-4066
Web site: http://www.leograndewinery.com
Details: In addition to the winery, tasting room and veranda, LeoGrande is also a working 400-acre farm with Black Angus, chickens, horses, pot-bellied pigs and “very friendly goats,” says Christiana LeoGrande, daughter of owners Norman and Susan. “They’re very friendly and love to be petted.”
Wine list: 8 varieties
Specialties: Italian wines
Tasting fees: None
An insider perspective: “We put people at ease,” Christiana LeoGrande says. “Some people are hesitant to come into a tasting room because it’s very intimidating if they don’t know (anything about wine). We’re a small-farm operation. … It’s very laid-back, and we love to answer questions.”
Savoy-Lee Winery (14)
Location: 5800 Johnson Mountain Rd. in Huddleston
Hours: Noon to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays; opening full-time later this month
Phone: (540) 297-9275
Web site: http://www.savoy-lee.com
Details: The winery sits on a 120-acre farm, with about 6 acres full of grapes. It’s been in operation for about three years, but just opened up to the public last year. They grow both red and white European and French-American hybrid grapevines.
Wine list: 13 varieties
Specialties: White Merlot and a Cabernet Sauvignon reserve
Tasting fees: None
An insider perspective: “It’s a fun, quite place to come (and) relax,” says owner Dave Wood. “That’s the intent. I just finished the tasting room, and I’m getting ready to put decks on.
White Rock Vineyards & Winery (15)
Location: 2117 Bruno Dr. in Goodview
Hours: Noon to 5 p.m. Thursday through Monday
Phone: (540) 890-3359
Web site: http://www.whiterockwines.com
Details: Owners Drema and Fred Sylvester planted their first block of vines in 2000 and by 2003, they had 6 ½ total acres of vines. They opened to the public in 2005.
Wine list: 7 varieties
Specialties: Scarlet Sunrise, a blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Chardonnay
Tasting fees: None
An insider perspective: “We have a beautiful veranda that overlooks the vineyard,” says Drema Sylvester. “It’s very secluded. You feel like you’re isolated out there.”
COMMENTS
At its opening, Amherst had forty-seven students. Fifteen of these had followed Moore from Williams College.