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Visiting Virginia wineries
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Choosing a wine for your next party is as easy as visiting your own backyard. Virginia is home to a flourishing wine industry, with over 140 wineries and recognition both nationally and internationally. In fact, Travel and Leisure magazine’s Bruce Schoenfeld recently proclaimed Virginia one of five up-and-coming wine regions that “should be on the must-visit list of any adventurous wine traveler.”
History of Virginia Wine
The climate and landscape of Virginia offers countless choice sites for vineyards. The state’s five distinct climate regions – the Tidewater, Piedmont, Northern Virginia, Western Mountain and Southwestern Mountain – provide the ideal temperatures year-round, and granite-based soils in western areas of the state and sandy loam soil in the eastern both offer prime grape-growing ground.
Some 400 years ago, English settlers in Jamestown, Virginia had such hopes that Virginia would become a major source of wine for the British Empire that in 1619 they signed into law a requirement for each male settler to plant and tend at least ten “vinifera”, the grape vines of European origin. Unfortunately, these efforts met with failure due to an unknown pest, Phylloxera as well as diseases in the new environment. Soon, British interest in the possibilities of American wine became overshadowed by the booming tobacco trade.
The discovery in the late 1800s that native and European vines could be successfully combined gave Virginia’s wine industry a boost and in the 1820s, wines made from Native American grapes met with great success. Thomas Jefferson cultivated grapes for more than 30 years at his Monticello vineyards, as did George Washington for 11 years at Mount Vernon. Neither produced a single bottle of wine, however.
In 1873, a Virginia Norton wine was named “best red wine of all nations” at the Vienna World’s Fair, and a gold medal at the Paris World’s Fair in 1889. However, by the early 20th century, Prohibition promptly brought the industry to a standstill and it was slow to come back. It wasn’t until the establishment of six new wineries in the 1970s that the recovery was officially underway. A renewed effort to grow a European Chardonnay succeeded at the Waverly Estate in Middleburg in 1973. Then in 1976, Italian pioneer vintner Gianni Zonin hired Gabriele Rausse to grow and harvest vinifera grapes near Charlottesville. He established Barboursville Vineyards and then helped other vineyards do the same. By 1995, Virginia had 46 wineries, and by 2005 it had 107. At 140 wineries and counting today, only California, New York, Oregon and Washington have more wineries than Virginia.
Northern Virginia Region
Across the Northern Virginia area, you’ll discover a large number of wineries thanks to elevations that offer perfect sites for grape vines. These wineries produce fine examples of every wine Virginia offers, including Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chambourcin, Chardonnay, Mandolin, Merlot, Norton, Petit Verdot, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Seyval, Vidal Blanc, Traminette and Zinfandel as well as many fruit wines. Plan a trip soon to visit some of these extraordinary wineries, and experience a rich piece of Virginia history.
A few Northern Virginia wineries:
Breaux Vineyards
36888 Breaux Vineyards Lane
Purcellville, Virginia 20132
Come enjoy the internationally acclaimed wines of Breaux Vineyards. Our 404 acre estate has over 100 acres planted in 18 different grape varieties. Nestled between the hills, our vineyard plantings extend up the Short Hill Mountain. Long vistas of the Blue Ridge Mountains can be enjoyed from our tasting room, Patio Madeleine and our landscaped terraces.
Chrysalis Vineyards
23876 Champe Ford Road
Middleburg, Virginia 20117
For centuries, Old World vintners utilized a broad panoply of grape varieties and blending techniques to enrich and highlight the taste and enjoyment of well known wines. Today, Chrysalis Vineyards continues this tradition, committed to producing unique wines, to be enjoyed in their own right, affording wine tasters a more complete palate of flavors, aromas and textures. Discover the exceptional Spanish and French varieties of Chrysalis Vineyards, and learn how the art of winemaking brings new life to old favorites.
Corcoran Vineyards
14635 Corkys Farm Lane
Waterford, VA 20197
At Corcoran Vineyards it is all about the wine. Our wines are created using traditional methods that enable the full flavors of the grapes to be tasted in every bottle.
Hillsborough Vineyards
36716 Charles Town Pike
Purcellville, VA 20132
A truly unique vineyard experience awaits you at our newly renovated Tasting Room. From the moment you walk into the circa 1840 barn, you will be delighted with your experience. You will be guided through our selection of handcrafted wines by one of our expert staff members. And if you have any questions, rest assured that one of the Baki's will be on hand to give you a truly personal treatment.
Mediterranean Cellars
8295 Falcon Glen Road
Warrenton, VA 20186
Nestled in the rolling hills of Fauquier County, Virginia, Mediterranean Cellars Winery is only minutes away from Route 66 in Warrenton, Virginia. We are family-owned and operated with over forty years of wine-making experience. The winery opened at this location in 2003 and has been operating non-stop since then, crafting hand-made classic and regional varietals. Come and enjoy our fine quality new world wine varieties while experiencing the "old world" atmosphere and breathtaking views from our comfortable patio and warm tasting room.
Swedenburg Estate Vineyard
23595 Winery Lane
Middleburg, Virginia 20117
Swedenburg Winery is located on Historic Valley View Farm (c. 1762). Wayne and Juanita Swedenburg, came to this farm in 1978, both on the heels of retirement from government service. Along with their son Marc, the Swedenburgs planted the entire vineyard, mostly by hand, sometimes by the light of the family pickup truck at night! After many years of hard work, the family enjoyed the first "crush" in 1987, and have been producing fine wines ever since!
Tarara Winery
13648 Tarara Lane
Leesburg, Virginia 20176
At Tarara, we strive to cultivate wines that pour a classic taste of our surroundings into the glasses of seasoned connoisseurs and eager beginners alike. Our Tasting Room is a dynamic and inviting place to appreciate life, learning and culture communicated through the grapevine. Our knowledgeable staff is passionate about assisting you and providing a sensory experience sans pretention. We invite you to experience our wines and discover Virginia's viticulture in context.
Willowcroft Farm Vineyards
38906 Mt. Gilead Road
Leesburg, Virginia 20175
The international award winning winery atop Mt. Gilead is in a rustic barn overlooking Loudoun Valley, and is Loudoun’s original winery. The first wines produced in 1984 won medals, a trend which has continued. The winery has now won hundreds of medals in national and international competitions, including Virginia’s Jefferson Cup, Best of Fair in the Virginia State Fair competition, double Golds with International Eastern, and many medals in California competitions.
Next: How to plan a wine & cheese party
For more info: http://www.virginiawine.org/guide
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