In Virginia, autumn brings together all the best aspects of the season: brightly sunny afternoons, chilly, crisp evenings beneath starry skies, and vibrantly colored leaves from the trees and from the grapevines that have been harvested for the year. The vineyards are filled with a thick, perfumed crush on fall mornings, reminding everyone of the best thing about the area: wine.
Barboursville Vineyards
Enjoy the gorgeous views of the Southwest Mountains of Virginia’s Piedmont at the award-winning Barboursville Vineyards. Owned and operated since 1976 by the Zonin family from Italy, this vineyard, located 30 minutes north of Charlottesville, is dedicated to providing a harmonious balance of wine and food—one that has been recognized with international and national awards. Get lost in the scenery and Italian atmosphere on their 900 acres, and enjoy a picnic on the lawns surrounding the historic Landmark Ruins of Thomas Jefferson’s mansion. Barboursville Vineyards offers guided tours on the weekends, and be sure to experience their Palladio Restaurant, featuring Northern Italian food prepared with local ingredients. And, stop in Library 1821, their original wine building, for a wine tasting. This vineyard experience will have you wanting to explore more of Virginia wine country.
CrossKeys Vineyards
At CrossKeys Vineyards, the gold crossed keys represent their dedication to hospitality, excellence and prestige. This family-owned winery is widely recognized for its blending of delicious wine with fabulous events. Located in the heart of Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, this property showcases gorgeous views from their expansive patio or lawn surrounding the main building. Since opening in 2001, one of their most popular offerings is their wine flights, presented in a unique Ferris wheel-like shape of hanging wine glasses. On their 125 acres, CrossKeys Vineyards is home to over 30 acres of vines and 12 grape varietals. While here, be sure to enjoy either lunch, dinner or Sunday brunch at their Bistro. You can also choose to participate in a winery tour, which happens every day at 12 p.m. To top it off, they frequently welcome live music and themed events like the crowd-favorite salsa night.
Early Mountain Vineyards
Early Mountain Vineyards in Madison is strongly committed to creating wines that are a perfect expression of place. This makes EMV the perfect winery for a day of pairing Virginia foods and wines. This culinary vineyard under the leadership of Chef Tim Moore is creating delicious seasonal meals sourced locally. Here you can taste both the terroir of Virginia in the foods and in the delicious wines crafted by lead winemaker Maya Hood White. Guests can participate in a variety of tasting experiences including Elevation, a sampling of the finest wines enjoyed in the Library. Something unusual at Early Mountain Vineyards is the “Best of Virginia” program where they feature a curated list of wines from great vineyards from all over Virginia. It can even be paired as a Flights & Bites experience with specially chosen foods by Chef. Finally, a behind the scenes tour and tasting gives you the opportunity to see the process from grape to glass and even sample vintages yet in production.
Greenhill Winery & Vineyards
Located in Middleburg, Greenhill Winery & Vineyards offers a breathtaking farm winery setting paired with quality wines in Virginia hunt country. Its adult-only guidelines make it extremely peaceful and less crowded. Feel free to bring your own food and have a picnic while sipping. This boutique winery not only grows vines on the property but also produces their own Charolais beef and honey from their apiaries. You can enjoy these local meats and honey with the charcuterie platters available on-site. On their 128 acres, you will find a river, a natural pond, their Clubhouse, and a building built in 1762 where they host pre-reserved wine tastings. The Greenhill Polo Team participates in the Virginia United Polo League and is bringing world class play to the sport with leaders such as Nacho Figueras. The beautiful Virginia scenery partnered with exceptional wine makes for a great experience, envisioned by Owner David Greenhill.
Linden Vineyards
Owner and winemaker Jim Law’s focus on terroir-based wines at Linden Vineyards, founded in 1987 in Linden, Virginia, has earned him a devoted following. Law is also a committed mentor and has influenced many of the state’s best wine professionals from Blenheim Vineyards and RdV Vineyards to his neighbors at Crimson Lane Vineyards.
Linden Vineyards—and Law’s work in the field—are driven by the impact of vineyard site on wine style. Recently, climate change has intensified the signature of vintage variation. These two themes are the focus of educational tastings at the winery. Guests taste three flights of two different wines (a total of six wines) comparing vintage or terroir influences on style. To keep tastings intimate and peaceful, reservations are required to limit group size and Linden does not allow pets or guests under the age of 21.
RdV Vineyards
A visit to RdV Vineyards is an incredible experience. Armed with a sense of mission and excited by the challenge of meeting the benchmarks of Bordeaux, vignoger Rutger de Vink spent years studying and searching for the perfect land. After traveling to California to research ground conditions near Santa Barbara and Mendocino, he decided to settle on this craggy plot in Fauquier, Virginia, with the challenge of unproven, yet unlimited, possibilities.
Visitors (by reservation) learn about the key element to RdV’s successful craft—the stone. “A vast expanse of granite beneath the surface, a steep and craggy slope” was exactly what de Vink sought to create a distinctive wine. Guests at the vineyard note that stones are even piled up around the base of the vines as they grow to moderate temperature. This special stone terroir delivers the depth of flavor that great wines express, and de Vink and Joshua Grainer, winemaker and Master of Wine, understand how to extract those complexities.
Veritas Vineyard & Winery
Located at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Afton, Veritas Vineyard & Winery offers a wine and dine experience with the opportunity to stay at The Farmhouse at Veritas. Family-run by the Hodsons, Veritas began in 1999 after Patricia and Andrew purchased Saddleback Farm. This former farm provides a stunning view, where many Virginians and visitors alike come for a relaxing weekend, a deluxe vineyard tour or a private event. You can bring a chair or picnic blanket for complimentary lawn seating, or you can reserve a canopy and admire the picturesque Afton Mountains. If you visit on Sundays, you can delight in their exquisite brunch from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Or, try dining at their new restaurant, phase ii. This 50-acre property, combined with Patricia and Andrew’s passion for wine and creating memorable experiences, will make you fall in love with Virginia and the culture that it brings. Discover their English heritage and how it influences their wine making and hospitality at Veritas Winery.
No matter where you go to celebrate Virginia Wine Month, you cannot go wrong with these Virginia wineries. They are perfectly set up for visitors to bask in Virginia’s rolling hills and mountain views. In a state with a strong and experimental history of winemaking, all of Virginia’s wineries and vineyards are dedicated to giving you the best experience possible while educating you on one of its most beloved crafts.
To find more Virginia vineyards to visit all year long, see our Food & Drink page. ~
LIZA STONER is a University of Virginia graduate and a Charlottesville local who is dedicated to making her community a better place. She also enjoys exploring and writing about all that Virginia has to offer.
JENNIFER BRYERTON is Co-Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Wine & Country Life. She is an avid gardener, home cook and wine-taster. She enjoys learning about Virginia viticulture and sharing the story of our local farm-to-table makers.
R. L. JOHNSON is our Co-Publisher and Creative Director. Bethke studied at the prestigious ArtCenter College of Design and began her career as a professional photographer in Los Angeles. She moved into graphic design and art direction when she relocated to Charlottesville in 1994. As our company’s co-founder and visionary, she enjoys all aspects of storytelling.
