I had a single day to visit wineries in Southwestern Ohio, so I had to be selective. I did some research and made a few phone calls. A friend strongly recommended Vinoklet Winery, so I added it to my list and it became the last stop on my regional mini tour. I will admit that my expectations...
I must confess that I had serious misgivings as I set out to visit my first Ohio winery. Caesar Creek Vineyards is east of Dayton and in the heart of farm country. How could they possibly be making good wine? So as I drove down the long farm drive to the tasting room, my expectations were quite...
In the late 1970's, the first Virginia wineries were getting their start, and the reigning school of thought was that only French-American hybrids could be cultivated in the state. David Morrisette planted thirteen acres of Niagra, Concord, and Muscadine and began producing wine under the...
In the far upper reaches of the Middleburg AVA you'll find one of the northern-most wineries in the state of Virginia. Hiddencroft Vineyards is not far from Maryland, and it's off the beaten path. We stumbled across it almost by accident. It was nearing the end of the day, but we were interested...
There are a few wineries in Virginia that have raised the bar for other winemakers. These wineries are producing one or more wines of such quality that it actually defines what is possible for a particular varietal. Cedar Creek Winery is one of these. Depending on the route you choose, getting...
Everything about the Shenandoah Valley indicates that it is one of the most ideally suited regions in Virginia to practice viticulture. The higher elevations, soil composition, drier growing season and cooler temperatures all point toward this conclusion. Winegrowers were initially slow to...
Here in Charlottesville, in the Monticello American Viticultural Area (AVA), at the epicenter of Central Virginia wine country, there are almost fifty wineries within a forty-five minute radius. Most are exceptional. Of that number, however, there is just a handful that we return to again and...
Depending on where you are coming from, the village of Barboursville can be reached using either State Route 20 or 33. Both are scenic drives through the rolling hills and horse farms of the Virginia Piedmont. The village sits at the intersection of these two routes and at the foot of...
Piedmont House is a historic eighteen-century farmhouse located a few miles west of Charlottesville at the base of the Blue Ridge. Scott and Martha Stinson purchased the house and eighteen acres of adjacent property as a place to retire. Well, transition might be a better word. A second career...
In the late 1990s, I visited friends in Germany, who were very serious oenophiles. At the time, I had not lived long in Virginia, but I thought I would share some local wine with them. I took a couple bottles of White Hall Vineyards Cabernet Franc. To say that the wine was a hit would be an...
Living here in Central Virginia I'm surrounded by wineries that are drawing national and international attention. One of these is just west of Charlottesville near the town of Croze. Over the years, I've visited King Family Vineyards dozens of times and it has been on my circuit of wineries to...
Traveling south from Charlottesville, Virginia on Route 29, you will cross the Nelson County line. You must then remain alert as you look for the state-posted winery sign. After passing the sign, you will turn onto Hickory Creek Road and head west for what seems like a long time. The road will...