Travel Guide to Northern Virginia Wine Country
Since I moved to Charlottesville, VA back in August, I have visited many of the wineries in Central Virginia. I kept hearing great things about Northern Virginia Wine country, so in November we took two days and explored a few wineries that were recommended to us! Read below to where we stayed and where we went wine tasting in Northern Virginia!
Wineries
RDV Vineyards
RDV Vineyards was my favorite winery we visited in NoVA. This winery sets a high expectation for their brand with their goal being to creating a truly iconic Virginia Wine. Before I got here I was skeptical about this place because it is quite pricey. You must make a reservation and the fee is $65 which includes the tour, tasting, and pairing with a charcuterie board. I’ll admit, the price is high, especially for Virginia, but I thought the experience was completely worth it!
We learned that all of their vines grow on a hill made of 100% granite which helps filter water through and creates high quality grapes for harvest. They only grow Cab Franc, Cab Sauv, Merlot, and Petit Verdot, so all of their wines are Bordeaux Style blends. They produce 2500 cases per year and they truly value quality over quantity. Throughout the tour you get to learn some other interesting facts about their winemaking process and explore the caves, where they store the wine, and the bottling room.
At the end of the experience they let you relax and try four wines with a delicious charcuterie board for pairing! My favorite wine we tried was the Rendezvous 2014. This was majority Merlot, but had the other three varietals as well. It had fruity notes of plum and clove with silky tannins. I also found wine crystals in mine (the result of tartaric acid from aging) which was a cool experience!
Boxwood Winery
Boxwood was our second stop and it was about a 20 minute drive from RDV. It is also located right outside of Middleburg, VA where we were staying. The tasting room was a bit crowded on Sunday, and they only had one bar open. I wasn’t a fan of the Sauvignon Blanc blend we tried at first, it was a little sweet! I did however enjoy the reds, especially the Topiary 2016 – a Bordeaux style blend. The building does have a unique set up that is fun to walk around and look at. They also have a cute pavilion in the middle of the vines that you can hangout at and sip on a glass.
Stone Tower Winery
This is a large winery, and one that can get very crowded on the weekends, but it’s also one you don’t want to miss! The wines are great, the views are amazing, and the service was awesome as well. They have a great variety from sparkling, single varietal sourced grapes and estate grown Bordeaux blends. They also do pizzas on the weekends and other food throughout the week! www.stonetowerwinery.com
Where to Stay
Red Fox Inn & Tavern
We ate dinner here and stayed one night. This place was so charming! It is considered one of the oldest inns in America, and has been operating since 1728. The rooms are definitely updated, and you are overwhelmed with a cozy feeling thanks to the fireplaces and coffee service every morning! The dinner we had was a set menu, but everything was fabulous. They also paired each course with a Virginia wine. Breakfast was also included the next day which was great as well!
The Red Fox Inn was the perfect option for a boutique and quaint experience. If you are looking for something more modern, try the Salamander Resort. They also have a spa and a restaurant that would make for a great experience as well!
Other wineries to check out:
Delaplane Cellars: Great wine, and plans to expand and make cozy renovations to the property in the coming months!
Greenhill Winery & Vineyards: All tastings are giving seated and it is nestled in the middle of VA Horse Country!
Discovering Central Virginia? Check out my blog post on The Best Wineries to visit in Central VA.
