Article and images courtesy of Beverage Trade Network. Brands looking to enter into the 7th annual London Wine Competition are encouraged to submit now and get product feedback from the leading trade buyers of the world. The London Wine Competition reviews brands in the same way that consumers do: by what they taste like; what the bottle or design looks like; and how much it costs. Any drinks competition relies on two things: the quality of the products that are entered; and the respect of the expertise of the judges tasked with picking out the winners. The London Wine Competition has focused ..read more

After four centuries and thanks to a handful of pioneers whose perseverance literally planted the way, the wine business is booming in the Commonwealth. By Hannah Serrano After 400 years of false starts and failures, Virginia wine has finally come into its own. It has become a $5 billion industry, based on a 2018 report by WineAmerica, the National Association of American Wineries. Bolstered by a tight-knit cadre of growers, winemakers, distributors and sellers and boasting more than 5,000 acres of grapes, the Commonwealth is home to 300+ wineries in 10 regions across nine American Viticultura ..read more

Early pioneers like Lucie Morton, Felicia Warburg Rogan and Emma Randel paved the way for the trailblazing community of women owners, winemakers and industry professionals making their mark in Virginia wine today. By Hannah Serrano Melanie Natoli After leaving her career as a physical therapist, Natoli became the winemaker and vineyard manager at Cana Vineyards and Winery of Middleburg in 2015, was recognized as Woman Winemaker of the Year at the International Women’s Wine Competition in 2017, and last year won the prestigious Virginia Governor’s Cup with Cana’s 2019 Unité Reserve. Jenni McClo ..read more

Southern Revere Cellars is a newly opened family owned and operated Farm Brewery and Winery on over 70 picturesque rolling acres, featuring an intimate tasting room experience in the scenic countryside of Louisa County. Located just off the beaten path of Route 64 between Richmond and Charlottesville, Sothern Revere offers a family-friendly, approachable gathering spot to imbibe a rotating menu of “land made” beverages. Once you turn at the signature barnwood and metal Southern Revere Cellars sign onto the pastoral lane, you enjoy a leisurely drive through hay fields up to the barn-red tasting ..read more

Enjoy a Quaint and Cozy Stay in Charlottesville & Albermarle County This Winter What first comes to mind when you think of Charlottesville and Albemarle County? Perhaps it’s the rich history offer- ing visitors a vibrant glimpse into the past. Maybe it’s the impeccable wine scene that helped to put Virginia on the map as one of the country’s top wine-producing states. If you’re mulling over wine, you’re likely dreaming about the Charlottesville area’s top-notch restaurants featuring locally sourced ingredients as the main attraction of many menus. You may also think of outdoor excursions ..read more

After four centuries and thanks to a handful of pioneers whose perseverance literally planted the way, the wine business is booming in the Commonwealth By Hannah Serrano After 400 years of false starts and failures, Virginia wine has finally come into its own. It has become a $5 billion industry, based on a 2018 report by WineAmerica, the National Association of American Wineries. Bolstered by a tight-knit cadre of growers, winemakers, distributors and sellers and boasting more than 5,000 acres of grapes, the Commonwealth is home to more than 300 wineries in 10 regions across nine American Vit ..read more

Viva Virginia’s New AVA! It can take five years from planting to bottling for a vintner to make wine. But an even more illustrative show of saintly patience is the seven years weathered by Williamsburg Winery owner Patrick Duffeler, winemaker Matthew Meyer and their team in petitioning the federal government for formal designation of the Virginia Peninsula, home to their trailblazing winery (among the oldest and largest of the state’s more than 300), as an American Viticultural Area (AVA), the U.S.’s answer to France’s Appellation D’Origine Contrôlée (AOC). As if defending a PhD diss ..read more

Try this trio of delectable plum-based food and drink creations from around the state By Betsy DiJulio As it turns out, Virginia is for Plum Lovers. From Flint Hill to Virginia Beach to Wirtz, these three Virginia-made products are jam-packed with the sweet-tart fruit. You can eat your plums and drink them too. Spicy Plum Chutney Virginia Chutney Company Flint Hill When proud English-born Americans, Clare and the late Nevill Turner, moved back to America from England during the recession of the 1970s, it was not with the intention of opening a cannery. And certainly not an award-winning one fe ..read more

The Inn at Stinson Vineyards in Crozet is an Elegant, Off-the-Beaten Path Getaway for Foodies and Wine Lovers Looking to Unplug and Unwind When the winding roads and rolling hills around Crozet, Virginia deposit you on the doorstep of the Inn at Stinson Vineyards, you might not be sure you’ve found the right spot. With its front door painted a cheery turquoise, the modest exterior of this renovated home, once occupied by a member of the Stinson family, belies the real “wow” factor waiting inside. From the moment you step in, you are drawn through a light-filled foyer and dining room with ..read more

Meet a few of the leading ladies who are turning grapes into gold around Virginia   While still a male-dominated industry, women are increasingly involved in making wine throughout Virginia and play vital roles in each stage of the process. Here, we highlight three Virginia wineries with female leaders who are turning grapes into gold.   Ankida Ridge Vineyards High on a mountainside in Amherst County, some of the nation’s finest wines are being produced at Ankida Ridge Vineyards. Their 2017 pinot noir was named the second best wine in the world by VinePair in 2020, out of more than 2 ..read more