Where to Eat and Drink in Virginia Wine Country
In the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the area around Charlottesville, Virginia has emerged as a wine destination with a booming food scene. Here's where to spend your weekend eating and drinking.
Photo By: Andrea Hubbell Photography
Photo By: Andrea Hubbell Photography
©Jack Looney Photography
Photo By: Andrea Hubbell Photography
The Monticello Wine Trail
In the last decade, central Virginia has emerged as a wine destination. The small city of Charlottesville — long known for its historic charm and the University of Virginia campus founded by Thomas Jefferson — is now surrounded by gorgeous wine country and a burgeoning food scene bolstered by local farms and producers. Here’s our guide to a weekend of eating and drinking your way through the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains on the beautiful Monticello Wine Trail.
Photo courtesy of Andrea Hubbell
The Standard-Bearer: Barboursville Vineyards
In 1976 an Italian winemaker transformed the historic plantation of James Barbour (a former Virginia governor) into a vineyard, despite recommendations that he’d be better off planting tobacco. We’re glad he ignored that advice. In the 30-plus years since, Barboursville has set the stage for Virginia wine. Octagon, a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot, is the winery’s crown jewel. It has received a slew of awards and appears on many top restaurant wine lists. Though you won’t get to sip Octagon with Barboursville’s $7 tasting, you will be able to try more than a dozen current vintages, so pace yourself! Spring for the $20 library tasting on weekends to try select vintages of more limited supply paired with house-cured charcuterie and local cheeses.
Photo courtesy of Barboursville Vineyards
Spend the Day: Early Mountain Vineyards
Pull up to Early Mountain and you’ll immediately see why this picture-perfect estate is a favorite local wedding venue. The plush, comfortable tasting room is almost as enjoyable as a seat on the terrace, overlooking a historic barn and the rolling vineyards. Settle in and enjoy a full lunch or dinner as you taste your way through Early Mountain’s portfolio, or sample a full range of the Virginia wine country — owners Jean and Steve Case promote the Monticello Wine Trail with a curated selection of labels from across the region. Chef Harrison Keevil of Charlottesville’s Brookville Restaurant consults on the menu of fresh salads, housemade flatbreads and hearty sandwiches, so if you want to experience some of the area’s best wine and have a great lunch all in one stop, Early Mountain is a good choice.
Photo courtesy of Andrea Hubbell
Wine and Horses: King Family Vineyards
Off the Beaten Path: Stinson Vineyards and Ankida Ridge Vineyards
Sip Under the Stars: Veritas Vineyard & Winery
Since opening in 2002, Veritas has not only produced award-winning Petit Verdot, Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Franc, they’ve expanded into a destination complete with a wellness retreat center and an eight-room bed and breakfast in an immaculately restored farmhouse. On Saturday evenings in the summer, Starry Nights at Veritas is the place to be. Both locals and visitors gather with blankets, lawn chairs and, of course, picnic baskets full of food and wine for a night of live music surrounded by vineyard and mountain views.
Photo by Sara Kramer
Not Wine: Foggy Ridge Cider
Forget the cloyingly sweet stuff that may come to mind when you think of hard cider. Foggy Ridge produces four dry, complex sparkling ciders and two dessert apple Ports that any wine lover will appreciate. Visit their orchards and cider house for a tasting and a change of scenery, subbing apple trees for vineyard vines. Foggy Ridge is a bit off the beaten path, but the drive through the Virginia countryside is a beautiful one. If you don’t make it out there, you’ll find Foggy Ridge ciders on many restaurant menus in the area, and a glass of cider is a nice way to switch things up after drinking wine all day.
Photo courtesy of Foggy Ridge Cider
Where to Eat Breakfast
Where to Eat Lunch
Where to Eat Dinner
Where to Stay
Check out StayCharlottesville.com, a well-curated local version of Airbnb, where you can rent beautifully appointed homes, cottages and carriage houses, complete with hotel amenities like fresh towels and toiletries. The Charlottesville area offers a range of hotels, from affordable chains to luxurious inns like Clifton, Willow Grove and Boar’s Head. Some wineries have limited accommodations onsite, like the farmhouse at Veritas and Early Mountain’s comfy guest cottage.
Photo courtesy of Andrea Hubbell