Plan Your Tasting Weekend:
Check Out These Charlottesville Tastings This Fall
Wine tasting is a fun weekend date with friends year-round, but there’s something quintessential and autumnal about going to tastings in the fall. Check out some places to check out this fall and some tips for making your weekend getaway everything you imagine. Please enjoy this list of Charlottesville Wine Tasting Suggestions:
Jefferson Vineyards
Jefferson Vineyards is a family-run business for over 40 years in the Charlottesville area. Jefferson Vineyards offers various wine tastings on-site. The Classic Tastings take place in their rustic tasting room, and for less than $15, you can participate in a tasting and get a souvenir glass to take home.
Spending the day with a group of friends? Check out the private tastings, which includes 8 wines and 2 of Jefferson Vineyards Library wines. Want to feel extra VIP? Contact the vineyard for the Library Wine Tasting, which is only available certain times of the year and includes award-winning wine. Love a good Rose’? Visitors rave about it at Jefferson Vineyards.
Gabriele Rausse Winery
If you’re looking for a quaint winery that feels a little “off-grid,” Gabriele Rausse Winery is a must stop. The winery is described as “rustic” and a little difficult to find, but the winery has improved directions (and the ease in getting there).
They offer wine tastings, food pairing, and freshly baked bread. What’s better than kicking off or closing out your weekend at a winery in the woods during peak fall season?
Skjald Meadworks
Always wanted to check out mead, also known as honey wine? Mead can be difficult to find and even more challenging to find a place that offers tastings. Skjald Meadworks is a relatively new operation but visitors are already giving it rave reviews. Check out Freyr’s Blend with lavender and vanilla or Jarl’s Bee with bergamot and lemon.
Contact the company for more information about their tasting and other on-site events.
Potter’s Craft Cidery
Looking for something a little different to try on your regular wine weekend getaway? Potter’s Craft Cidery offers a great selection of unique choices like Cranberry Orange Blossom, Cider Nouveau, or Watermelon Saison. Potter’s also have more traditional cider blends as well.
The cidery is open on the weekends, but contact them for more details like upcoming events this fall.
Planning Tips and Things To Consider
A spontaneous weekend getaway is always fun but it’s always a good idea to contact the winery or brewery to see if there’s anything you need to know before you go.
If you’re traveling with a group, you may need to give a “heads up” that you’ll be coming for a tasting while other places welcome groups of all sizes.
Since drinking responsibly is smart and fashionable, it’s always important to plan ahead and figure out how you’ll get to and from your drinking destination. If there’s a large group of you, pitch in and rent a driver (such as a limo or SUV service). Uber and other rideshares are always a good idea, but you need to make sure that they’re available and willing to go where you want to go.
If you can’t hire a ride, see if you have a friend that’s just willing to go along for the scenery and take on the awesome “hero role” of being a designated sober driver. Remember, being buzzed can still put you at risk of an alcohol-related accident or getting a DUI, so it’s never a risk that you should be willing to take.
This was a guest post sponsored and written by Landon Biehl. Thank you to Landon for sharing this information with Wine and Weekends.