Northern Virginia Wine

Northern Virginia as it applies to wine encompasses the region between Washington, DC and Fredericksburg. It is bound by the Blue Ridge Mountains in the west and the Potomac River in the east. Loudon County is the heart of production, with its Middelburg American Viticultural Areas (AVA). Other counties in the region with wineries include Fairfax, Prince William, Fauquier, Rappahannock, Culpeper, Stafford, & Spotsylvania.

Understand
This is the fastest growing wine region in North America, with Washington and its wealthy suburbs within an hour's drive providing a willing market. The quality of wine, however, varies greatly from vineyard to vineyard. A reasonable, but not foolproof, rule-of-thumb is to watch out for oversized barns: barns aren't used in wine production but signal that the property's bread-and-butter is as a wedding venue.

Grapes
Virginia grows a wide variety of both old world, hybrid, and North American grapes. The most produced grapes are Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and the region's specialty Viognier. The Norton, native to the state, is a source of particular pride among growers. Franco-American hybrids such as Chambourcin and Vidal Blanc are also common.

Climate and soil
Most of Virginia east of the blue ridge mountains have loam soils. Climatically, Central Virginia is warm, with long summers and mild winters. The best vineyards are often at an elevation of 800 ft (above 240 m).

Middleburg AVA
Middleburg is the heart of Northern Virginia's wine country. The AVA stretches across central Loudon County and northwestern Fauquier County, along a valley between the Blue Ridge on the west and Catoctin Mountain in the East. Middleburg offers granite soils, eastern-facing hills, slightly cooler temperatures and more moisture than the rest of Loudon and Fauquier. Boudreaux varieties predominate though hybrids, and Italian varieties (especially Sangiovese & Nebbiolo) are produced by many wineries as well.
 * Reservation only.
 * Reservation only.
 * Reservation only.

Loudoun County
Generally about an hour's drive from Washington, and much, much closer from Dulles International Airport, Loudoun is the biggest producer among Northern Virginia's counties and is extremely popular with day-trippers from the capital.

Loudoun Heights Cluster
In the far northwest, near the West Virginia border.

Potomac Cluster
In the northeast, facing Maryland along the Potomac River. Wineries concentrate along the Blue Ridge.

Waterford Cluster
In north central Loudoun.

Harmony Cluster
Central Loudoun, near Leesburg

Snickers Gap Cluster
In the southwest, near Purcellville.

Rappahannock County
Rappahannock County benefits from its position along the Blue Ridge Mountains. This is a great region to visit coming from Shenandoah and Luray.

Fairfax County
The closest to Washington, DC.

Spotsylvania County
Centered around Fredericksburg.



Buy
Many Virginia producers are small-scale, so if you like a bottle, it is best to buy it straight from the source.

Virginia ABC stores have a better selection than most grocery stores. Large retailers like Total Wine have a limited selection.