October is Virginia Wine Month. There were just 40 wineries when former Gov. Gerald L. Baliles launched October Virginia Wine Month in 1988 to celebrate the state’s burgeoning wine industry.
Today, Virginia is home to more than 300 wineries and nearly 4,000 acres of vineyards spread across eight American Viticultural Areas and 25 different wine trails, making it the sixth-largest wine region in the United States.
According to the most recent economic impact study commissioned by the Virginia Wine Board, the local wine industry generates $1.37 billion in economic impact and 8,218 jobs across the state.
With a wide range of soil types, climates, and more than 70 grape varieties cultivated for wine production, the state boasts a diverse viticultural scene.
Though Virginia’s viticulture history dates back 400 years when the House of Burgess passed Acte 12 of 1619 requiring all colonists to plant and tend 10 grapevines, the Commonwealth’s wine story began in the mid 1970s.
In 1976, Gianni Zonin, a sixth generation Italian wine scion, purchased an 870-acre antebellum property situated on rolling hills in Orange County, about 20 miles northeast of Charlottesville, that would be home of Barboursville Vineyards.
Zonin hired his childhood friend, Gabriele Rausse (known today as the father of Virginia wine), to plant the first vineyards at Barboursville. Rausse would soon move on to help establish other notable vineyards and wineries in the region and focus on setting up his own operation.
In need of a skilled winemaker to transform the vineyards and build Barboursville into a world-class wine producer, Zonin would again turn to a young winemaker from his homeland.
From the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy, Luca Paschina brought experience, vision and drive with him to Virginia when Zonin hired him in 1990 to take over winemaking and vineyard management at Barboursville.
Today Barboursville Vineyards is one of the most recognized and historically significant in the commonwealth.
In 1983, a young farmer named Jim Law purchased a 76-acre farm in the town of Linden, about 60 miles west of Washington, DC. Today, Law farms about 20 acres at his Hardscrabble vineyard at Linden and produces some of the highest regarded wines in the Commonwealth.
That same year a pioneering entrepreneur named Dennis Horton planted his initial vineyard in Gordonsville, 20 miles northeast of Charlottesville. Horton was the first to cultivate some of the state’s most important grapes including Viognier, Petit Verdot, Tannat, and Rkatsiteli and was the first in Virginia to bottle a varietal Cabernet Franc for commercial sale.
Horton died in 2018 but three generations of Hortons — his wife Sharon, daughter Shannon Horton, and granddaughter Caitlin Horton — continue to build on his legacy of experimentation, contribution and making fine wine.
Horton, Rausse, Law, Paschina and other pioneers like Charlottesville-based viticulturist Lucie Morton; Patricia Kluge, founder of the former Kluge Winery; Patrick Duffeler, founder of The Williamsburg Winery; Michael Shaps of Shaps Wineworks; and Jeff White of Glen Manor Vineyards have devoted decades of sweat equity to establish Virginia as one of the most promising emerging wine regions.
Building on this foundation is a group of young winemakers fiercely committed to pushing writing the next chapter of the Virginia wine story: Katie Henley of Casanel Vineyards in Loudoun County, Chelsey Blevins of Fifty-Third Winery & Vineyard in Louisa, Corry Craighill of Septenary Winery in Greenwood and Caitlin Horton of Horton Vineyards.
For a complete history of the local wine industry and more information on Virginia Wine Month events and offers, visit VirginiaWine.org.
Try these six local wines for a taste of Virginia:
Linden Vineyards 2016 Hardscrabble Chardonnay
Virginia’s iconic Chardonnay. An elegant and balanced wine offering aromas of ripe pear, peach with hints of vanilla spice. Medium-bodied and full of peach, saline, meyer lemon and toasted almond flavors. Serve with roasted chicken or crabcakes. ($42, LindenVineyards.com)
Williamsburg Winery 2018 Wessex Hundred Petit Verdot
Made from 100% Petit Verdot grown at the Wessex Hundred estate vineyard in Williamsburg. Dark purple in color with smoky, dark fruit aromas. Each sip delivers a mouthful of dark cherry, olive, cocoa powder and spice with toasted oak and vanilla on the edges. Grippy tannins. This is perfect paired with grilled steak. ($32, at the winery)
Blenheim Vineyards 2018 Cabernet Franc
Based in Charlottesville, Blenheim is owned by musician Dave Matthews but winemaker Kirsty Harmon is the rockstar of this operation. This Cabernet Franc is light but loaded with character. An old-world aroma profile of black tea, white pepper, cherry and tobacco leaf. The palate overflows with cherry, fresh mushroom and tea. Great with grilled chops! ($22, Wegmans)
Rosemont Extra Brut Sparkling White
Made from 100% Chardonel grapes grown at the historic Rosemont estate in LaCrosse, equidistant between I-95 and I-85, just north of the Virginia-North Carolina Border, near Lake Gaston. This sparkling wine is light, dry and delicious with notes of white peach, pear and hints of zingy grapefruit. Enjoy as an aperitif or pair with a triple-creme cheese. ($26, Pendulum Fine Meats)
Horton Vineyards 2018 Viognier
Made from some of the oldest Viognier vines in Virginia, this wine is full-bodied with beautiful aromas of white peach, tangerine and honey. Peach and apricot flavors on the palate. Fresh stone fruit acidity. A delicious wine even better paired with river fish ($16, Total Wine).
Michael Shaps 2017 Petit Manseng
The Petit Manseng is most commonly associated with the Jurancon region of southwestern France but is thriving in Virginia. A bright, dry and zingy white wine with notes of peach, grilled pineapple and mineral notes that’s great with seafood dishes. ($39, Pendulum Fine Meats).
