{"id":4056,"date":"2018-03-27T17:04:19","date_gmt":"2018-03-27T22:04:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/?p=4056"},"modified":"2018-03-28T04:59:50","modified_gmt":"2018-03-28T09:59:50","slug":"must-visit-virginia-wineries-near-dc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/2018\/03\/must-visit-virginia-wineries-near-dc\/","title":{"rendered":"Must Visit Virginia Wineries Near DC"},"content":{"rendered":"

I love Washington D.C. and have found myself there many times for business over the years. During all those trips, one thing I hadn\u2019t done was to take a day trip to visit Virginia wineries near DC. Virginia has produced wine since the colonial times and its oldest AVA, the Monticello AVA, known as the birthplace of the Virginia wine industry, was home to Thomas Jefferson.<\/p>\n

While the state has demarcated AVAs, it’s easier to search for wineries by the nine regions in which they\u2019re located within the state (e.g. Northern Virginia, Central Virginia, Hampton Roads, etc.). The folks at VirginiaWine.org<\/a> do a great job of providing info on the state\u2019s wineries and mapping out the various locations.<\/p>\n

A variety of grapes are produced in the state, but the top 5 are Viognier, Chardonnay, Vidal Blanc, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc. In addition to its red varietal wines, Virginia has perfected the Bordeaux Blend comprised of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cab Franc, and Petit Verdot. The production of Petit Verdot, which gives wines its rich color and is also known to resist fungus and rot (quite important in the humid, rainy, wet region), is on the rise and increasingly being made into a varietal wine. Since it can be difficult to ripen Cabernet Sauvignon in Virginia due to its climate, Petit Verdot can often step in and provide tannic structure and backbone.<\/p>\n

For a quick jaunt from D.C., the wineries in the Northern Virginia and the adjacent Shenandoah Valley \u2013 specifically, the wineries near the western I-66 corridor \u2013 provide easy access to the state\u2019s wine industry. This is such a beautiful area with lush green forests, the Blue Ridge Mountains, and quaint small towns.<\/p>\n

If you can manage it, stay for two or three days, but a day trip will otherwise provide a nice introduction. So, whether you\u2019re in D.C. for the politics or the monuments, here are five must-visit wineries that should be on your list that you can get to in around an hour.<\/p>\n

Arterra Wines<\/i><\/b><\/span><\/a><\/h2>\n

\"\"Located in Delaplane VA this was my first stop and set the tone for all the great wine to come. Arterra, which means \u201cArt of the Land\u201d is both winery and gallery. Winery owner Sandy Gray-Murray is also an artist and runs Hawkmoth Arts. So, while you\u2019re getting your wine on, you can also enjoy (and shop for) Sandy\u2019s beautiful art which encompasses a variety of media from ceramics to paintings to etched glass. Co-owner and winemaker (and husband to Sandy) Jason Murray is the ultimate terroirist and was an absolute joy to taste with. He is all about letting the land and the grapes do what they do with minimal intervention to craft authentic Virginia wine. I seriously got to get my geek on talking to him but he can certainly bring it down a notch when needed. He was just so laid back and so easy to talk to. Jason is committed to using Virginia fruit<\/span>1<\/sup><\/a><\/span> in his wines and only uses native yeast fermentation. These yeasts grow naturally on the grapes and produce distinct wines with a very different profile and mouthfeel that certainly reflect their terroir. These wines seem to have more depth, length, and width on the palate.<\/p>\n

I tasted Jason\u2019s entire portfolio including Riesling, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Tannat, a Bordeaux Blend and even a couple of desert wines. And for you Ros\u00e9 fans, Arterra is adding a Ros\u00e9 crafted with Malbec and Petit Verdot to its lineup soon. Here are a few standouts.<\/p>\n

The 2016 Chardonnay<\/b><\/span> because I\u2019m always surprised when I find one I like other than Chablis.<\/span>2<\/sup><\/a><\/span> The grapes are grown in a mix of coveted granite and greenstone soils, which gives the wines great minerality, depth of fruit flavor, and an added elegance. Jason\u2019s Chard sees neutral French oak, is aged sur lie, and then goes back into steel.<\/p>\n

\"\"

\"\"

\"\"

\"\"

\"\"

Blue Valley Vineyards<\/i><\/b><\/span><\/a><\/h2>\n

\"\"

The winery, located in Delaplane, boasts stunning views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. You could certainly while away the hours on their outdoor patio.<\/p>\n

\"\"

\"\"

\"\"

The 2015 Muscat Ottonel<\/b><\/span>, produced with estate fruit, was one of those geek selections for me (I remember learning about it studying for my CSW and WSET). Typically found in Alsace and Austria, I was quite surprised to encounter this wine in Virginia. Great aromatics with stone fruit and floral notes.<\/p>\n

The 2015 Estate Heritage<\/b><\/span> white blend crafted of 72% Chardonnay, 26% Sauvignon Blanc, and 2% Viognier, was nice, crisp, and kissed with just the right amount of oak. In fact, the Chard is aged in larger vessels to minimize oak influence which is fine by me.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Fox Meadow Vineyards<\/i><\/b><\/span><\/a><\/h2>\n

There was so much that I liked about Fox Meadow. I loved that there are small bites to accompany the wines and bring out the best in them. That chutney is fabulous! I love that they are about educating the consumer. I love that they try to stay at 14% alcohol or below (there are folks out there seriously trying to kill me with scary alcohol levels!) when crafting their wines. I love that they once paired one of their wines with a Rice Krispie treat. They really get into wine and food pairing and even do a pairing with fudge that they call Fudgeapalooza. These are folks that craft good wine (and have the awards to show it) but find a way to make it appealing and approachable for all. And for me, this is what wine should be about.<\/p>\n

They had their first harvest in 2005 and made their first wine in 2006. They produce anywhere from 2,000 \u2013 2,500 cases a year, the bulk of which is sold at the winery. With a commitment to using and showcasing Virginia fruit, Fox Meadow wines are crafted of 60-70% estate fruit with the remainder coming from the rest of Virginia. Located up in the Blue Ridge Mountains, you\u2019ll be treated to absolutely magnificent views from the outdoor decks.<\/p>\n

\"\"

The 2016 Le Renard Gris<\/b><\/span> is a white blend comprised of Vidal Blanc, Chardonnay, and Pinot Grigio. Seeing only stainless steel, it was crisp and slightly off-dry with tropical fruits and citrus. It was fantastic paired with a bite of tangy creamy cheese. I\u2019m told it also pairs nicely with the aforementioned Rice Krispie treat.<\/p>\n

The 2015 Cabernet Franc<\/b><\/span> was quite an elegant wine and well balanced with great acidity, integrated tannins, and ripe black fruit. Paired with a smoked cheddar cheese which was quite a treat.<\/p>\n

\"\"

\"\"

Rappahannock Cellars<\/i><\/b><\/span><\/a><\/h2>\n

\"\"

\"\"

For the dry reds, the 2015 Meritage<\/b><\/span> was definitely a standout. Crafted of 44% Cabernet Franc, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Petit Verdot, and 14% Merlot, it\u2019s considered their flagship wine and is crafted in an old-world Bordeaux style. With fruit grown in some of the state\u2019s famed greenstone soil, the wine is both bold and elegant with noticeable acidity balanced by lush dark fruit.<\/p>\n

While the Meritage was my favorite takeaway, I also very much enjoyed the dessert wine offerings. They had a 2014 Port<\/b><\/span>-style dessert wine made with Norton grapes as well as multi-vintage Solera<\/b><\/span><\/span>4<\/sup><\/a><\/span> wine comprised of Vidal Blanc. The Rappahannock Solera was established in 2000 and the wine would serve nicely as an aperitif or as an after-dinner sip. They recommend pouring over vanilla ice cream or even substituting for bourbon in egg nog. Seems that the options are limitless.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Glen Manor Vineyards<\/i><\/b><\/span><\/a><\/h2>\n

\"\"

\"\"

In the tasting room, it was an absolute joy tasting with Kelly White (co-owner and wife of Jeff White). She was so engaging and enthusiastic and provided a wonderful insight into the history and production processes of the winery. And she\u2019s a former chef which allowed for great insight into the flavor profiles of the wines as well as pairing ideas. Right up my alley! All the wines are comprised of estate fruit and the quality is evident \u2013 it starts with that fantastic soil! I tasted eight wines including a Sauvignon Blanc, a Rose, and a dessert wine in addition to five red wines. Here are three of my most memorable tastes.<\/p>\n

The 2014 Vin Rouge<\/b><\/span> which is crafted of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Cabernet Franc, 12% Merlot, and 10% Petit Verdot.\u00a0This is the winery\u2019s least expensive red wine and its bright red fruit makes it a great pizza, pasta, burger wine. Intentionally made in a less-structured, simpler manner, this is a great everyday wine. But that doesn\u2019t diminish its appeal in the least as 2014 was considered a great growing season.<\/p>\n

The 2013 St. Ruth<\/b><\/span>, comprised of 50\/50 Merlot and Cabernet Franc was quite a delight to this Right Bank leaning wino. Nicely structured with ripe fruit and spice.<\/p>\n

The 2014 Petit Verdot<\/b><\/span> was my favorite wine in the entire portfolio. Smooth, balanced, complex \u2013 it had everything. Juicy dark fruit and nice acidity made for a wine that was a joy to taste. Like I said, I have an entirely new appreciation for Petit Verdot after visiting VA.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Of course, as I\u2019ve only scratched the surface of the VA wine industry, I will definitely have to go back. Even if it\u2019s just to discover more VIrginia wineries near DC. And one common denominator I found (other than tasty wines) is that everyone has great views!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I love Washington D.C. and have found myself there many times for business over the years. During all those trips, one thing<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4099,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[158,235,169,208,170,161,105],"tags":[392,9,391,77,220,8],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nMust Visit Virginia Wineries Near DC - The Corkscrew Concierge\u2122<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/2018\/03\/must-visit-virginia-wineries-near-dc\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Must Visit Virginia Wineries Near DC - The Corkscrew Concierge\u2122\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"I love Washington D.C. and have found myself there many times for business over the years. During all those trips, one thing\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/2018\/03\/must-visit-virginia-wineries-near-dc\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"The Corkscrew Concierge\u2122\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/CorksConcierge\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2018-03-27T22:04:19+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2018-03-28T09:59:50+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/85874C33-8E5D-409F-B443-276C6D92D446.jpeg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"4032\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"3024\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Kat\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@corksconcierge\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@corksconcierge\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Kat\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"14 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/2018\/03\/must-visit-virginia-wineries-near-dc\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/2018\/03\/must-visit-virginia-wineries-near-dc\/\",\"name\":\"Must Visit Virginia Wineries Near DC - The Corkscrew Concierge\u2122\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/2018\/03\/must-visit-virginia-wineries-near-dc\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/2018\/03\/must-visit-virginia-wineries-near-dc\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/85874C33-8E5D-409F-B443-276C6D92D446.jpeg\",\"datePublished\":\"2018-03-27T22:04:19+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2018-03-28T09:59:50+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/#\/schema\/person\/110de1787d1b6dae424957ef2ab577aa\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/2018\/03\/must-visit-virginia-wineries-near-dc\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/2018\/03\/must-visit-virginia-wineries-near-dc\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/85874C33-8E5D-409F-B443-276C6D92D446.jpeg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/85874C33-8E5D-409F-B443-276C6D92D446.jpeg\",\"width\":4032,\"height\":3024},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/\",\"name\":\"The Corkscrew Concierge\u2122\",\"description\":\"Wine.Travel.Experiences.\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/#\/schema\/person\/110de1787d1b6dae424957ef2ab577aa\",\"name\":\"Kat\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6f9717ee06b5aedc6b432b84564c5074?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6f9717ee06b5aedc6b432b84564c5074?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Kat\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/author\/katcrene\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Must Visit Virginia Wineries Near DC - The Corkscrew Concierge\u2122","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/2018\/03\/must-visit-virginia-wineries-near-dc\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Must Visit Virginia Wineries Near DC - The Corkscrew Concierge\u2122","og_description":"I love Washington D.C. and have found myself there many times for business over the years. During all those trips, one thing","og_url":"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/2018\/03\/must-visit-virginia-wineries-near-dc\/","og_site_name":"The Corkscrew Concierge\u2122","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/CorksConcierge","article_published_time":"2018-03-27T22:04:19+00:00","article_modified_time":"2018-03-28T09:59:50+00:00","og_image":[{"width":4032,"height":3024,"url":"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/85874C33-8E5D-409F-B443-276C6D92D446.jpeg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Kat","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@corksconcierge","twitter_site":"@corksconcierge","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Kat","Est. reading time":"14 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/2018\/03\/must-visit-virginia-wineries-near-dc\/","url":"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/2018\/03\/must-visit-virginia-wineries-near-dc\/","name":"Must Visit Virginia Wineries Near DC - The Corkscrew Concierge\u2122","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/2018\/03\/must-visit-virginia-wineries-near-dc\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/2018\/03\/must-visit-virginia-wineries-near-dc\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/85874C33-8E5D-409F-B443-276C6D92D446.jpeg","datePublished":"2018-03-27T22:04:19+00:00","dateModified":"2018-03-28T09:59:50+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/#\/schema\/person\/110de1787d1b6dae424957ef2ab577aa"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/2018\/03\/must-visit-virginia-wineries-near-dc\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/2018\/03\/must-visit-virginia-wineries-near-dc\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/85874C33-8E5D-409F-B443-276C6D92D446.jpeg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/85874C33-8E5D-409F-B443-276C6D92D446.jpeg","width":4032,"height":3024},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/","name":"The Corkscrew Concierge\u2122","description":"Wine.Travel.Experiences.","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/#\/schema\/person\/110de1787d1b6dae424957ef2ab577aa","name":"Kat","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6f9717ee06b5aedc6b432b84564c5074?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6f9717ee06b5aedc6b432b84564c5074?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Kat"},"url":"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/author\/katcrene\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4056"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4056"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4056\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4099"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4056"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4056"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4056"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}