Skip to content

Top Navigation

Southern Living Southern Living
  • Food
  • Holidays & Entertaining
  • Home & Garden
  • Style & Culture
  • News
  • Video

Profile Menu

Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
Login
Subscribe
Pin FB

Explore Southern Living

Southern Living Southern Living
  • Explore

    Explore

    • These Haircuts Are Going To Be Huge in 2021

      The trendy haircuts you’ll be seeing everywhere next year. Read More Next
    • How To Season A Cast-Iron Skillet

      Learn how to season this Southern kitchen staple in five easy steps. Read More Next
    • The Right Way to Heat a Pre-Cooked Ham

      It's so easy, trust us. Read More Next
  • Food

    Food

    See All Food

    Lost Cakes of the South

    These simple and spectacular Southern cakes deserve a comeback
    • All Food
    • All Recipes
    • Holidays & Occasions
    • Quick Fix Suppers
    • Slow Cooker Recipes
    • Desserts
    • Casseroles
    • Healthy Recipes
  • Holidays & Entertaining

    Holidays & Entertaining

    See All Holidays & Entertaining

    70 Wedding Vow Examples That Will Melt Your Heart

    Fight writer's block and find ways to express your love with these romantic, funny, and short wedding vow examples.
    • Christmas
    • Entertaining
    • Thanksgiving
    • Southern Weddings
    • Easter
    • Kentucky Derby
    • Valentine's Day
    • 4th of July
    • Mother's Day
  • Home & Garden

    Home & Garden

    See All Home & Garden

    7 Paint Colors We’re Loving for Kitchen Cabinets in 2020

    ‘Tis the season to ditch your all-white palette in favor of something a little bolder and brighter.
    • Home Decor Ideas
    • Idea Houses
    • Before & After
    • Inspired Communities
    • Curb Appeal
    • House Plans & Builders
    • The Grumpy Gardener
    • Plant Names A-Z
  • Style & Culture

    Style & Culture

    See All Style & Culture

    50 Books Everyone Should Read in Their Lifetime

    Curl up with a classic!
    • Southern Culture
    • Hair
    • Travel
    • Beauty
    • Pets
    • Southern Fashion
    • Healthy Living
  • News
  • Video

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. Southern Living
  2. travel
  3. south-east
  4. Virginia on the Vine

Virginia on the Vine

By By Scott Jones and Warner McGowin
November 13, 2008
Skip gallery slides
Save FB Tweet
Credit: Charles Walton IV
Yes, the wine is that good. Now more than ever, a trip to this state’s wine country includes fun for everyone.
Start Slideshow

1 of 9

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Virginia on the Vine

Credit: Charles Walton IV

Fall days in Virginia’s wine country energize the senses. Winding roads pass by majestic farms ablaze with color. The cool mornings dawn with gentle sunshine, until deep blue skies blanket the mountains. In the foothills of those mountains lie fields lined with vines heavy with promise.

In Virginia, more than anywhere else in the South, that promise rings true. The state is by far the leader in our region for consistently good wine. Virginia’s acreage devoted to wineries and the number of wineries here have more than doubled in the past 20 years. That translates into more feedback from the soil (telling vintners what grows best) and from consumers (telling them what sells best).

1 of 9

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 9

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

An Experience Worth Remembering

Credit: Charles Walton IV

The state also leads the way in enticing not just wine experts, but also visitors who are still learning the difference between Chardonnay and Scuppernong. A wealth of special events, fine restaurants, wine classes, and family-friendly festivals make a trip here an autumn experience worth remembering.

Come along for a tour. You’ll find great-tasting wine and a whole lot more.

2 of 9

3 of 9

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Getting Started

Credit: Charles Walton IV

The three largest trails are Blue Ridge Wine Way, Loudoun Wine Trail, and Monticello Wine Trail. Blue Ridge Wine Way (with 10 wineries and vineyards) and Loudoun Wine Trail (with 17 participating wineries) are both located in the northern part of the state. The Monticello Wine Trail (with 22 wineries) winds around Charlottesville and the nearby countryside.

3 of 9

Advertisement

4 of 9

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

A Quick Tasting Guide

Credit: Charles Walton IV

We think two grapes in particular stand out here: Viognier (a full-bodied white traditionally grown in the France’s Rhône Valley) and Cabernet Franc (a medium-bodied red traditionally used as a blending grape in France’s Bordeaux region). You’ll also find terrific examples of everything from Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio to Cabernet Sauvignon and Nebbiolo (and all sorts of delicious, food-friendly blends in between).

Blend It Like Bordeaux: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Petit Verdot--classic grapes from the Bordeaux region of France--are probably the most recognizable red wine-producing grapes in the state. In fact, if you see the word “Meritage” (which is a legal designation rhyming with “heritage”) on the label, you’ll find a combo of these grapes inside. Definitely Drink: 2006 King Family Meritage, 2006 Jefferson Meritage, 2006 La Grange Meritage, or 2006 Rappahannock Cellars 2nd Bottling Meritage.

Hometown Hero: Virginia’s own Norton grape produces a hearty, Zinfandel-esque red that shouldn’t be missed. Definitely Drink: 2004 Horton Cellars Norton or 2006 Chrysalis Vineyard Barrel Select Norton.

4 of 9

5 of 9

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

The Other White Wines

Credit: Charles Walton IV

There’s no denying the popularity of Chardonnay; however, in Virginia, Viognier is the premiere full-bodied white. For a lighter style white, consider Sauvignon Blanc. Definitely Drink: 2006 White Hall Vineyards Viognier, 2006 Chester Gap Cellars Viognier Reserve, 2007 Linden Vineyards Avenius Sauvignon Blanc, or 2006 Chester Gap Cellars Sauvignon Blanc.

That’s Italian: The influence and growing popularity of Italian wines such as Pinot Grigio (white) and Sangiovese (red) in Virginia is unmistakable (and unmistakably delicious). Definitely Drink: 2005 Ingleside Vineyards Sangiovese, 2005 Villa Appalaccia “Toscanello” (a blend of Cabernet Franc and Sangiovese), 2005 Gabriele Rausse Pinot Grigio, or 2007 Barboursville Pinot Grigio.

A Couple More Surprises: Though not often talked about, Virginia turns out some pretty fabulous sparkling wine, particularly NV Thibaut-Janisson Winery Brut and NV Oasis Brut. If dessert wine is your thing, you’ll flip for Linden’s 2005 Late Harvest Petit Manseng and King Family 2006 “Loreley” Late Harvest Viognier.

5 of 9

6 of 9

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

More Than Wine

Credit: Charles Walton IV

Even with all these stellar wines, a trip to this part of the South is about more than sampling vintages in a tasting room. As the region’s wineries have grown, so has the variety of experiences available for visitors. Barrel-room tastings, wine classes, blending parties, and food-and-wine festivals abound. We’ve come up with three ideal afternoons in Virginia’s wine country. Try one of these itineraries to soak up what makes this area special.

At King Family Vineyards, every Sunday through the end of September, watch a polo match on the field just outside the winery. Tailgaters sip wine and watch the regal sport in a laid-back setting.

Get a crash course in all things Jefferson with a visit to Monticello, the former President’s heralded home. Then head just 1 mile down the road for a tasting at Jefferson Vineyards, where the President tried (unsuccessfully) to make wine in the mid-1770s.

Have a late lunch at Palladio, one of the finest restaurants in Virginia. (If it’s on the menu, try the beet-and-goat cheese ravioli with lump crabmeat.) Then, take a tour of the Barboursville ruins. The Jefferson-designed house, built in 1814 and burned in 1884, stands as a tangible and strangely compelling reminder of the living history in this area.

6 of 9

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 9

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Pack a Picnic

Credit: Charles Walton IV

Touring the wine country works up an appetite, and there’s no better way to take in the pastoral beauty than a picnic at a vineyard. Our favorite three spots for buying a gourmet lunch-to-go are spread out in a loop that follows much of the Monticello Wine Trail.

BRIX Marketplace: Across the street from Jefferson Vineyards, this gas station-turned-market sells gourmet sandwiches, olives, cookies, and more.

Greenwood Gourmet Grocery: Just down the road from King Family Vineyards, you’ll find everything local: cheese, honey, meats, you name it. The sandwiches are terrific, and they’ll recommend a wine to pair with the one you choose.

Kluge Estate Farm Shop: This store, adjacent to the Kluge Estate Winery and Vineyard, offers a great selection of cheeses, preserves, and gourmet meals.

7 of 9

8 of 9

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Tips for the Trip

Credit: Charles Walton IV

If you’re renting a car, spring for the GPS. You’ll be traveling down farm roads, some of which are marked well, while others aren’t.

Pick up the 2008 edition of the Virginia Winery Guide (available at wineries and tourist information kiosks or by calling 1-800-828-4637) for a travel map listing the state’s more than 130 wineries. Also, visit www.virginiawine.org/passport so you can participate in the Passport to Virginia Wineries program. Visit at least 15 wineries before the end of the year, and you’ll be entered into a drawing for various prizes, including a one-year membership for the Virginia Wine of the Month Club.

8 of 9

9 of 9

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Trail Guides and Maps

Credit: Charles Walton IV

Do a little Internet research before you leave town.

Monticello Wine Trail: www.monticellowinetrail.com

Blue Ridge Wine Way: www.blueridgewineway.com

Loudoun Wine Trail: www.loudounfarms.org

Bedford Wine Trail: www.bedfordwinetrail.com

Wine Trail of Botetourt County: www.botetourtwinetrail.com

9 of 9

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By By Scott Jones and Warner McGowin

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook
Trending Videos
Advertisement
Skip slide summaries

Everything in This Slideshow

Advertisement

View All

1 of 9 Virginia on the Vine
2 of 9 An Experience Worth Remembering
3 of 9 Getting Started
4 of 9 A Quick Tasting Guide
5 of 9 The Other White Wines
6 of 9 More Than Wine
7 of 9 Pack a Picnic
8 of 9 Tips for the Trip
9 of 9 Trail Guides and Maps

Share options

Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Login

Southern Living

Magazines & More

Learn More

  • About Us
  • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
  • Books from Southern Living
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Content Licensing this link opens in a new tab
  • Sitemap

Connect

Follow Us
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
Other Meredith Sites

Other Meredith Sites

  • 4 Your Health this link opens in a new tab
  • Allrecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • All People Quilt this link opens in a new tab
  • Better Homes & Gardens this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Insights this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Surveys this link opens in a new tab
  • Cooking Light this link opens in a new tab
  • Daily Paws this link opens in a new tab
  • EatingWell this link opens in a new tab
  • Eat This, Not That this link opens in a new tab
  • Entertainment Weekly this link opens in a new tab
  • Food & Wine this link opens in a new tab
  • Health this link opens in a new tab
  • Hello Giggles this link opens in a new tab
  • Instyle this link opens in a new tab
  • Martha Stewart this link opens in a new tab
  • Midwest Living this link opens in a new tab
  • More this link opens in a new tab
  • MyRecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • MyWedding this link opens in a new tab
  • My Food and Family this link opens in a new tab
  • MyLife this link opens in a new tab
  • Parenting this link opens in a new tab
  • Parents this link opens in a new tab
  • People this link opens in a new tab
  • People en Español this link opens in a new tab
  • Rachael Ray Magazine this link opens in a new tab
  • Real Simple this link opens in a new tab
  • Ser Padres this link opens in a new tab
  • Shape this link opens in a new tab
  • Siempre Mujer this link opens in a new tab
  • SwearBy this link opens in a new tab
  • Travel & Leisure this link opens in a new tab
Southern Living is part of the Meredith Home Group. © Copyright 2021 Meredith Corporation. Southern Living is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporationthis link opens in a new tab All Rights Reserved. Southern Living may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
© Copyright . All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.southernliving.com

View image

Virginia on the Vine
this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.