Fauquier County Wine Tasting & Competition

We attended the 2nd Annual Fauquier County Wine Tasting and Competition at the end of February 2016. 

Program and Tasting Notes
February 27, 2016

The tasting and competition was hosted in the beautiful estate Airlie in Warrenton, Virginia.  All of the wines represented were from within Fauquier County, Virginia. The drive from the Baltimore area was pleasant and fast for a late Winter's Saturday morning. The estate grounds were beautiful even though Spring had not yet arrived. 

Pearmund Display and Munchies

Once we arrived and joined our friends who were already there, we enjoyed wines from 15 vineyards--one of which had not yet opened for business. We were impressed at the number of winemakers and owners who where there to discuss their wines and philosophy about winemaking. We especially enjoy talking to the wine makers about the wines and the challenges they overcame to create the finished product. Wine making is so much more than growing and picking grapes and putting juice in a bottle. Too many people forget the elements involved include the wildcard in all of it--the weather.

And the winner? Virginia wines were the winners. These wines represent some of the finest wines in all of Virginia and more than one wine had won a medal in the Virginia Governor's Cup competition. 


The tasting was a simple format--walk around and taste the offerings from the vineyards and vote for the best red and best white. 

The offerings were great. Each table offered at least two and often three or four wines to sample. The crowd control, with timed entry made the tasting manageable and Airlie provided ample and sumptuous munchies which paired with the wines.

The wineries and vineyards that were represented at the tasting and competition this year were:

Barrel Oak Winery
Blue Valley Vineyards
Cobbler Mountain Cellars
Desert Rose Ranch & Winery
Naked Mountain Vineyard
Fox Meadow Winery
Granite Heights Winery
Grey Horse Vineyards
Molon Lave Vineyards
Morais Vineyards

Effingham Manor Winery (Opening Spring 2016)
Narmada Winery
Pearmund Cellars
Philip Carter Winery
Vint Hill Craft Winery

Why did we list the wineries? Because they provide easy access from the Baltimore-Washington, DC, area and spending a day or two visiting them is definitely worthwhile. As always, check the websites in advance for times and instructions.

Enjoy visiting Virginia wineries and vineyards!

-- Bob and Christina Doan, Elkridge, MD