I was introduced to Virginia wines about seven years ago when a friend took me on a midweek whirlwind day tour of several vineyards on the Loudoun Wine Trail. Prior to that day, my wine experience was limited to drinking it in restaurants, homemade sangria and occasional bottles purchased for special occasions. I had no idea that local wine existed. The day spent in Virginia Wine Country opened my eyes to the joys of Virginia wine forever and I feel a sense of pride whenever friends or family try Virginia wine for the first time.

Now that I live in a more rural area, I have vineyards and wineries practically in my back yard and I delight in taking a break on a gorgeous weekday and visiting a new vineyard or two when I get the chance. During my explorations, I’ve had the opportunity to visit the well-known vineyards as well as some of the lesser known vineyards that are closer to my neck of the woods. Here are my reasons for choosing these four gems:

Three Fox Vineyards
10100 Three Fox Lane Delaplane, VA
540.364.6073
www.threefoxvineyards.com
Three Fox Vineyards is a Tuscan-themed vineyard located in Faquier County right off of 66W. Notable aspects include owners, John & Holli, who are always on hand to chat with guests, huge outdoors area with several picnic areas, hammocks and even tables and chairs amongst the vines. During my first visit I also had the pleasure of meeting the celebrity pup “Posh”, the Westie featured on Three Fox’s red wine, “Serius”. Families and pets are always welcome at Three Fox Vineyards.

Narmada Winery
43 Narmada Lane Amissville, VA
540.937.8215
www.narmadawinery.com
It’s been almost a year since I first visited Narmada one afternoon while lost on my way to a garden herb sale. Most people I chat with about wine still have never heard of Narmada, so let’s spread the word! I’ve decided to mention Narmada because it had the grandest Tasting Room I had ever seen. Its opulent interior had me walking around inside in awe for 15 minutes before sampling the wines. Family-friendly and pet-friendly, Narmada also offers a majestic pavilion that overlooks a three-acre pond and children’s play area. I celebrated my birthday here last year and the accommodating staff and owners made my group feel like royalty the entire day.

The Winery at La Grange
4970 Antioch Road Haymarket, VA
703.753.9360
www.wineryatlagrange.com
My mother-in-law and I stopped at The Winery at La Grange one weekday while running errands. It's worthy of a mention because of it’s fascinating history involving the ghost of one of its owners (they leave a glass of wine on the mantle for him) and for all the board games sprinkled upstairs inviting visitors to sip wine and stay awhile. The outdoors offers several resting areas and a grand fire pit that can be used for grilling or sitting around. If you stop in at The Winery at La Grange, be sure to ask about its history!

Delaplane Cellars
2187 Winchester Road Delaplane, VA
540.592.7210
www.delaplanecellars.com
My visit here lingers in my mind not only because of the wines but also because they don’t allow large groups, buses or limousines so upon my arrival, I didn’t have to worry about being crushed into a corner of the Tasting Counter. The upscale décor and wall of windows offered a great view of the vineyard and surrounding area. During my visit, Delaplane Cellars had only been open for a few weeks but had a comfortable amount of guests sipping wine and dining on the deck.

North Mountain Vineyard & Winery
4374 Swartz Road Maurertown, VA
540.592.7210
www.northmountainvineyard.com

Rappahannock Cellars
14437 County Road 635 Huntly, VA
540.635.9398
www.rappahannockcellars.com

Fox Meadow Winery
3310 Freezeland Road Linden, VA
540.636.6777
www.foxmeadowwinery.com

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KENDRA ALLANSON is a writer and the owner of Kendra’s Cookies, a hand-decorated cookie company that came about as a vision during a nap. Kendra is also mom to 2 girls and wife to David. Her passions include blogging about and photographing food & Virginia wine, local road trips, container gardening and Ohio State University football. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it