While many farms and businesses around the Charlottesville area were concerned about the dearth of rain here in August, the local wineries were beyond happy as dry weather just before harvest was exactly what was needed to stave off disease and help ripen the fruit to peak perfection.
The 2015 vintage here began wet, with a rainy spring, and then the dry weather helped balance this out. Even though we’ve had some severe rain events of late, if the weather holds for just another week or two, we could be in for some great local wine from the 2015 vintage.
Here at Solutions we enjoy supporting our local wineries and their events. There are around 50 within an hour’s drive, but the ones closest to Charlottesville tend to invite more weekly local visitors. While the harvest parties will be just around the corner, other events have made this a summer and start to Fall one to remember.
So much to choose from…
Some of the events appeal to the local Charlottesville crowd like bring your own meat (or purchase it at the unique farm store offering grass-fed beef, farm-raised pork and chicken, free range organic eggs, local produce, and garden fresh herbs at the tasting room) to throw on the grill at Stinson Vineyards, located at 4744 Sugar Hollow Road in Crozet, on Thursday evenings. They also will offer, for a change of pace, an All Levels Vineyard Yoga with Common Ground Healing Arts on Oct. 17.
Or you can attend one of the monthly Saturday events at Jefferson Vineyards, located at 1353 Thomas Jefferson Parkway near Monticello, called Sunsets Become Eclectic Music Concert – the next one will feature Bryan Elijah Smith & The Wildhearts on Oct. 17 from 5-7pm.
Glass House Winery, located at 5898 Free Union Road in Free Union, features lives music that alternates on Friday evenings or Sunday afternoons – be sure to sample the delicious handmade chocolates!
Cooking classes have proven popular for First Colony, located at 1650 Harris Creek Road on the way to Scottsville, with lessons from Terre Sisson on Oct. 4 & 18, and Pippin Hill, located at 5022 Plank Road in North Garden, also has cooking classes offered on Wednesday evenings starting at 6 pm on Oct. 14 and Nov. 18.
DelFosse Vineyards, located at 500 Delfosse Winery Ln, in Faber (south of Charlottesville), has become known for its special crepes and will celebrate French Crêpe Day on Oct. 11 from 1-5 pm.
Keswick Vineyards, located at 1575 Keswick Winery Dr. in Keswick, hosts regular events like Eats & Beats event – with music by Matt Phillips, starting at noon on Oct. 10 – and Wine Down Wednesdays – with Chamomile and Whiskey on Oct. 21 at 5 pm. They will also host their monthly wine course designed to expand your palate and discover wines from regions across the world that you may otherwise never try – this month they will have their first educational tasting series: Around the World in a Glass, Wine 101 on Oct. 16 at 6 pm.
…Including polo
If you’re into watching polo, King Family Vineyards, located at 6550 Roseland Farm in Crozet, is the place to be. Polo matches are held every Sunday, from Memorial Day weekend through mid-October, weather and field conditions permitting. Matches are free and begin at 1 pm – the next match is Oct. 4. They’re also hosting their annual Harvest Dinner this Friday, Oct. 2, starting at 5:30 pm – tickets are available online.
Downtown Tasting
One winery even has a satellite, or remote, tasting room right near the Downtown Mall – 22 Brix Wine Room is run by Ankida Ridge Vineyards and offers a selection of tastings from the winery as well as other local wineries. Located at 209 2nd St. SW, next to Bang!, it’s open typically Wed-Sat. from 4-8 pm, with other times by appointment.
While this is just a sampling of what’s available, we hope you’ve enjoyed your seasonal “taste” of events at our local wineries. The best website to explore everything Virginia wineries, over 250 in all, have to offer is https://www.virginiawine.org/ .
