We recently visited Charlottesville to celebrate Zach’s birthday. His only request was to stay at Woodville Bed and Breakfast! We always enjoy our stay and never want to come home! I decided to build our itinerary around the B&B so a lot of the wineries we visited were not new to us, but that’s ok! We love visiting new places but we definitely have our favorites!
Woodville Bed and Breakfast – This was our second time staying here and it won’t be our last. Woodville is located near Scottsville, VA. This is a short drive to all the wineries in the Charlottesville area. If you need a place to stay, I highly recommend this B&B! The home and estate are gorgeous, they have a beautiful view overlooking their vineyard (they have collaborated with Thatch to grow grapes) and grounds. Outside, the wrap around porch is wonderful so you can sit and enjoy the view. Then THE.POOL. is amazing. Luckily, we had it all to ourselves! Inside the home, you get your own private room with bathroom but there are many shared spaces, our favorite was definitely the library. After our swims, we spent the majority of our night in the library … it is so cozy. In the morning you get a lovely breakfast made fresh by Stefan, who along with his wife Desiree, bend over backwards to make your stay truly unforgettable!
Afton Mountain Vineyards – It has been years since we have visited Afton and I am so glad we came back. Their tasting room and facilities take me right back to Italy ~ it has such Tuscan flare. They have ample seating outside that over looks a lake, mountains and vines. We had such a lovely tasting ~ tastings are $10 for five wines. Afton Mountain grows 11 varietals on 25 acres, all of their wine is estate grown. They produce about 5,000 cases a year. We had several favorites which included their Rosé and Cab Franc. Their Cab Franc is unique because it is aged in concrete. The concrete brings out the fruit while still giving your mouth the feel of oak. I really wanted to revisit Afton so I could taste their Gewurztraminer. I really do not like Gewurztraminer or Traminette, floral wines are not my thing, BUT, the whole reason James River Cellars started was because of Afton’s Gewurtz! Years ago they had tasted it and fell in love with the way they produce their dry style Gewurtz ~ typically if you go to the store and buy Gewurtz it is sweet! James River planted it and the rest is history. We still produce ours and I enjoy tasting others to compare! I really enjoyed Afton’s Gewurtz because it didn’t punch you in the face with the typical floral scent and taste. It was nice and balanced!
Flying Fox Vineyards – We love Flying Fox! They are SO fun and their wine is always delish. Not only do they produce wine but they also produce Vermouth. Tastings are $7 and include their fun wine glass. Flying Fox is more of a boutique style winery with very limited production. Their Sly Fox label is for their experimental wines which are so unique. Their new tasting room is amazing as well. I absolutely love the decor and the huge mural out front. Flying Fox has the same wine maker as Veritas and the Veritas children bought Flying Fox years ago. Their Pinot Gris was one of my favorites because it is an orange wine ~ it is skin fermented. You pick up a lot of lemon. I also really enjoy their Viognier because it is steel fermented. We also love their Rosé and Table Red. Go check them out, you won’t be disappointed!
Pollak Vineyards – I visit Pollak several times a year and this was by far our favorite visit. There were so many wines we enjoyed and the atmosphere was so pleasant. We absolutely loved our tasting attendant and had such a great conversation with her! Tastings are $10 for eight wines. Pollak has been open 11 years, they have 100 acres with 33 under vine. All their grapes are estate grown and they do not buy or sell any grapes. They produce about 5000-7000 cases a year. Their tasting room is big with large windows that overlook the mountains and a pond. There is plenty of outdoor seating on their deck as well as a patio. Our favorite wines include their Durant White, Pinot Gris, Rosé and their Merlot. If you are hungry, they have lite picnic fare available and fresh baguettes! Definitely give their Merlot a try, it is probably my favorite I have tasted in VA!
I hope you have been enjoying all our wine adventures this summer! I already go back to work August first BUT I have already laid out our California itinerary ~ we leave the end of August for our Napa/Sonoma trip! Remember to subscribe to the blog so you don’t miss a beat and follow me on insta ~ @sipsandtripswithpaige
Cheers, Paige
Sips and Trips with Paige 