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Love wine? Follow the fine wine trails of Virginia

Chester Gap Cellars

Make your way across vineyards and wineries when in Virginia

ByIANSlife

November 1, 2020 (IANSlife) A wine destination unlike any other, Virginia has nearly 300 wineries and dozens of wine trails surrounded by lavish scenery, breathtaking views, quaint small towns and monumental historic sites.

Wine trails allow aficionados to sip their way across the Commonwealth and experience everything from Albarino to Viognier. Be sure to include an exclusive winemaker's dinner or festival to your trail pursuit. Or, happen upon live music and hot air balloon rides.

 

Artisanal Wineries of Rappahannock

Virginia’s most unique wine trail is a collection of artisanal, family run wineries who have joined together to offer a premium wine tasting experience that is rooted in small lot, handcrafted wines. The “Artisanal Wineries of Rappahannock” are located in Rappahannock County, just a short scenic drive from one another, and only an hour from the DC beltway. This is a boutique, casual wine tasting trail, in sharp contrast to the hustle and bustle of Northern Virginia.

 

Bedford Wine Trail

A great Virginia weekend getaway that is only four hours from Washington D.C. and Northern Virginia, three hours from Richmond, Virginia and Raleigh, North Carolina and only two hours from Greensboro, North Carolina.

Enjoy the scenery of the Blue Ridge Mountains and Smith Mountain Lake or visit the National D-Day Memorial and historic downtown Bedford. Stop by the Bedford Area Welcome Center for complete details on where to stay, things to see and other exciting things to do in the area. Bedford Wine Trail brochures are available at the wineries and the Welcome Center and visitors are encouraged to have their brochure stamped as they visit each of the wineries.

The Wine Trail consists of six vineyards and wineries: Hickory Hill Vineyards and Winery; LeoGrande Vineyard and Winery; Peaks of Otter Winery; Seven Doors Winery; White Rock Vineyards and Winery and Ramulose Ridge Vineyards. Blue Ridge Whiskey Wine Loop 

 

Chateau Morrisette Winery
Chateau Morrisette Winery

 

Chesapeake Bay Wine Trail

It is voted the one of the top wine trails in Virginia by the readers of Savor Virginia Magazine in 2017 and 2020!

Explore the eight extraordinary wineries of Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay Wine Country, which includes Virginia's Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula. Taste award-winning wines as you learn more about the rich history of our region. Tour scenic byways filled with historic attractions, such as George Washington's Birthplace, Stratford Hall and Menokin. Quaint towns, pristine nature and beautiful waterways all contribute to the region's charm.

Visitors can also join for several Trail-wide events throughout the year, including our popular Spring and Fall Oyster Crawls. Individual member wineries also host their own events throughout the year. Some of the Trail wineries also offer overnight stays.

You can also participate in our brochure's free passport program. Get your brochure stamped at each winery you visit and when you have visited enough wineries, you'll be eligible to earn discounts valid for one year. Pick up a passport brochure at any of our trail wineries or download one from our website. 

 

Grapes and Grains Trail

Enjoy a “spirited” escape on The Grapes & Grains Trail located in Fredericksburg, Stafford and Spotsylvania. The trail includes 5 wineries and a distillery. Get A Taste of The Trail!

Enjoy how relaxing life feels in Virginia's most "spirited" region! Grapes & Grains Trail includes five award-winning wineries and an internationally acclaimed local distillery. A self-paced tour - buy a ticket at any trail stop & visit each one at your convenience!

Grapes & Grains Trail Tickets make a great gift or group trip with family and friends!

 

Heart of Virginia Wine Trail

Seeking great wine near Richmond? These five wineries heartily welcome you! Heart of Virginia Wine Trail is a group of six Virginia wineries located near Richmond, The Heart of Virginia! Wineries include - Grayhaven Winery, James River Cellars Winery, Lake Anna Winery, Mattaponi Winery, Fifty-Third Winery & Vineyard. It can be accessed from from Richmond, Charlottesville, Fredricksburg and Tidewater. You can tour Central Virginia's Premier wineries on any weekend of the year. Cost for a passport ticket is $20 a person and includes a souvenir wineglass, map of the trail and wine tasting from all six wineries.

 

Veritas Vineyard & Winery
Veritas Vineyard & Winery

 

Loudoun's DC Wine Country

Four clusters of boutique wineries are sprinkled throughout Loudoun's bucolic countryside.

If fine wine is an art, that makes us the gallery. No visit to Loudoun is complete without a visit to our wine country. Four clusters of boutique wineries sprinkled throughout its bucolic countryside. Discover perfectly balanced varietals, surprising blends, and dessert wines. Savor the aroma of years of winemaking expertise, all while admiring the breathtaking backdrop of vineyards set against beautiful rolling hills. Continue your culinary adventure at one of Loudoun’s nine destination restaurants and savor the local flavor. Indulge in a plate of fried green tomatoes in a turn-of-the-century bank, or enjoy white cheddar stone-ground grits in an authentic 1905 mill, or rejoice in an elegant and organic farm-to-table experience overlooking the Potomac River. 

 

Nelson 151 Trail

The Nelson 151 Trail provides a convenient way to sample Nelson County's many wineries, cideries, distilleries and breweries all along scenic Route 151, a designated Virginia scenic byway that has become the destination for Virginia wine, craft beer, local food, and outdoor recreation lovers.  The trail features six wineries, two cideries, a distillery, a meadery, and four breweries/restaurants along a beautiful stretch of scenic byway complete with with Blue Ridge Mountain views and easy access to and from the Blue Ridge Parkway. It's Virginia's weekend address!

Included on the trail are: Afton Mountain Vineyards, Blue Mountain Brewery, Bold Rock Hard Cidery, Blue Toad Hard Cider, Brewing Tree Beer Co., Cardinal Point Vineyard & Winery, Devils Backbone Brewing Company, Flying Fox Vineyard, Hill Top Berry Farm, Winery & Meadery, Silverback Distillery, Valley Road Vineyards, Veritas Vineyard & Winery, and Wild Wolf Brewing Company.

Conveniently located just 3 hours from Washington D.C. and Northern Virginia, 2 hours from Richmond, Virginia and 4 hours from Charlotte, North Carolina, the Nelson 151 Trail makes it easy to discover the "Sunrise Side of the Blue Ridge."

 

 

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