While there are many wineries to explore in Virginia, I will give a few good ones to start your journey. At the end of this article, I've put a link to a Web page that has more details about Virginia wine tourism. The two vineyards mentioned in this article are great, but there are plenty more vineyards in Virginia to explore.

Afton Mountain Vineyards

Time helps wine improve as does experience in making it. Afton Mountain Vineyards are more than experience in the art of winemaking. It's one of the first farm wineries in Virginia.

You'll find Afton Mountain Vineyards in Central Virginia. Appropriately, it's located on 234 Vineyard Lane.

Their wines have received recognition both at home and abroad. Afton Mountain Vineyards has won awards at many competitions worldwide. Thankfully, their wine tasting room is open throughout the year. There's never a bad time to visit and enjoy the fare and the wine. You can even make an appointment. Their hours fluctuate, but 10am ? 5pm is the norm. And they're closed on major holidays.

Farfelu Vineyards and Winery



Moving right along, we stop at Farfelu Vineyards and Winery. As with Afton Mountain Vineyards, they've been at winemaking for quite some time. In fact, Farfelu is Virginia's first winery.

The vineyard sits on an 86-acre beautiful estate. The tasting room is interesting in itself. They created it from a 1800s dairy barn. How's that for ambiance? The estate also has an expansive deck that overlooks the vineyard.

Want more than just wine? Farfelu has a lovely picnic area and activities, such as bocce ball (very fun), volleyball, and horseshoes?and a river hiking trail. You might say that they have it all.

Located about 60 miles west of Washington, D.C., Farfelu can be found on 13058 Crest Hill Road. Plan to spend a little time here.

Farfelu produces lovely wines, including an award-winning Chardonnay (who says Chardonnay is best in California?), Cabernet Franc, Viogner and Muse, which a Bordeaux-styled red wine.

They are open year round, which is a plus. If you fancy a tour of the vineyard, get there early and on the weekend, because tours are only given at noon on Saturday and Sunday. Might as well go all out and enjoy yourself!

Many More Vineyards

Virginia has many more vineyards worth visiting. These two are great, but no wine tourism tour would be complete without visiting at least a couple more.

One thing you'll find at Virginia vineyards is hospitality. Expect to have fun and enjoy great wines. It's a great overall experience. Below I've put a link to a Web page on Virginia wine tourism. Take a minute and check it out. Whether you live in Virginia or are just visiting, exploring these vineyards is time well spent.