By 2012, the eight-bedroom farmhouse where Patricia and Andrew Hodson raised their three children at Veritas Vineyard & Winery had become too large for the empty nesters. They were eyeing a smaller, modern home designed by the famous Patrick Newell Jacobsen. The house had come up for sale on the property in Afton, and, thus, they needed to find a use for their beloved former home.
“We couldn’t quite decide what to do with the farmhouse circa 1839, but turning it into a bed and breakfast meant we could keep it in good condition,” says Patricia. “And we wanted to maintain the quality.”
Since 2013, that quality has been on generous display for guests of The Farmhouse at Veritas. These guests benefit from the Hodson family’s English spirit of hospitality. Additions were long since made to the structure, and all but one of the bedrooms already had an en suite bathroom. This made turning the 1836 home into a multi-roomed guest house that much simpler.
Wake Up With a Vineyard View
Situated just off the winding road to the winery’s tasting room, the farmhouse is a respite for guests. Many want to stay closer to hikes on the Appalachian Trail or relax and be pampered after a day of wine tasting. Guests can watching the sun slip below the Blue Ridge Mountains or the morning fog melt from the vineyards. The beautiful landscape stretched in every direction might make it hard to leave the wraparound porch’s rocking chairs.
For those who’ve visited Veritas Vineyard’s bustling tasting room, nothing quite compares to waking up in the family farmhouse to views of the vines. At the holidays, mid-November into January, the vineyard hosts Veritas Illuminated. Veritas illuminated transforms the woods walk, vineyard and tasting room with thousands of twinkling lights.
A Timeless Experience for Travelers at The Farmhouse at Veritas
“People really love the feeling of intimacy and relaxation,” Andrew says. “Even though some have just come from Richmond or Charlottesville, when they spend the night here, they feel like they’ve gotten away.”
The home’s comfortable interior harkens to the English countryside. A mix of antique furniture, bold tapestries and timeless accents aids this—as do the names of the rooms (Cornwall, Nottingham, Somerset). Rich colors and gold accents lend a Virginia feel to an otherwise timeless ambiance that adds modern amenities to the charm of an early 1800s home.
“When they spend the night here, they feel like they’ve gotten away.”
Fine Dining at The Farmhouse at Veritas
A pool table and soft leather chairs in the gathering room invite guests to get to know one another, if they like. Arrive in the early evening to find yourself at the receiving end of the staff’s generous pours during daily “wine hour” for farmhouse guests. And linger long into the morning for the pièce de résistance: breakfast. There are also special events like yoga retreats and Mother’s Day brunches that make a visit to the Farmhouse at Veritas extra special.
Farmhouse chefs prepare the three-course breakfasts to order. In the winter, guests eat in a fireplace-warmed formal dining room. When the weather permits, they move to eat al fresco under an awning in the center of the property’s food garden. Buttery French toast tastes that much better when topped with strawberries ripened a stone’s throw away. All the herbs and much of the produce is grown on-site and guides the farmhouse’s hyper-seasonal menus.
Consider walking off breakfast with a stroll through the expansive vineyard property. Don’t forget to visit the tasting room for more wine and take-home bottles.
Those who can’t get enough of the food at breakfast can order a ploughman’s supper of charcuterie and cheese to their rooms. They can also reserve a seat for a four-course farmhouse dinner several nights a week.
Elegant Dining at a Virginia Winery
The dinners, paired with Veritas wines, are also an option for locals who want to get a taste of the experience without staying for a weekend. Veritas Vineyards and Winery are reknowned for their excellent wines. Winemaker Emily Hodson, Andrew and Patricia’s daughter, grew up right in that farmhouse and has taken over the running of the winery along with her siblings. The wines Hodson makes for Veritas have featured in the Governor’s Cup Case and Monticello Wine Awards numerous times and maintained the winery’s reputation for excellence. Hodson and her siblings also opened a partner winery called Flying Fox Vineyards, which boasts Virginia’s first vermouth series. The dream that started with Patricia and Andrew Hodson have been taken to new heights by their children. In the same vein, their childhood home has been repurposed and opened as this charming Bed & Breakfast.
After tasting these wines, coupled with The Farmhouse at Veritas’s hospitality, even locals might want to stay the night. ~
WHITNEY PIPKIN, a Northern Virginia-based journalist, writes for The Washington Post, NPR, National Geographic and regional publications such as Virginia Living and Northern Virginia Magazine. She also is a staff writer at the Chesapeake Bay Journal.
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.
