CNN has an article up today about the growing prominence of Virginia wineries that is well worth a read.
The article itself focuses primarily on Barboursville Winery, which is one of the well-known wineries in the state, but there are several wineries out there worth checking out, especially if you’ve got nothing else to do on a crisp fall weekend.
Here are a few of my favorites:
- Rappahannock Cellars — One of the first wineries that Kellie and I visited, and it was pretty much a fluke. We were driving out near the Skyline Drive and saw signs for wineries and decided to check them out. I immediately became a fan of Rapphannock’s Chardonny, which we’ve purchased several times since then.
- Linden Vineyards — If you’re looking for a winery that’s off the beaten path, in a great area, and not likely to be visited by people on a wine tour, then Linden is the place to go. Located off a back road in Warren County, Linden is in the middle of some of the best scenery you’re going to find anywhere in Northern Virginia. And, since they aren’t equipped to handle bus tours, your visit is likely to be quiet and not too crowded. They offer a winery tour and barrel tastings, both of which were interesting. As for their wines, my personal favorite is the Vidal Riesling.
- Grey Ghost Vineyards — Grey Ghost is one of several Virginia wineries to have won several national and international awards for it’s wines, and it’s easy to see why. Their Chardonnay’s and Viogner’s are excellent and their red’s are quite nice as well which is, quite frankly, still rare for Virginia in my experience.
So, what are you waiting for ? Go and drink up !
October 25th, 2007 at 7:34 am
Heh - and Chateau Morrisette (www.thedogs.com) ought to be on there, too…
I have a GREAT t-shirt which says: “Napa makes auto parts - VIRGINIA makes wine!”
*snicker*
October 25th, 2007 at 7:45 am
Kat,
That’s one part of Virginia my wife and I haven’t been to yet so I don’t know much about the wineries down there. The furthest south/west we’ve gotten is the Charlottesville area.