This Is the Oldest Wine Area within the U.S.—and No, It is Not in California

Lengthy earlier than California’s Napa Valley and Sonoma Valley grew to become family names, Virginia quietly planted the roots of American viticulture.

Because the oldest wine area within the U.S., the state’s wine legacy dates again to 1619, when the Jamestown Meeting handed “Acte Twelve,” requiring colonists to plant imported European grapevines. Within the late 18th century, Thomas Jefferson, impressed by his time in France, additionally sought to provide wines from European grapes at his Monticello property. Whereas Jefferson’s efforts had been hindered by Virginia’s difficult local weather, pests, and unsuitable vines, his imaginative and prescient laid the inspiration for future winemakers.

Virginia is now residence to greater than 300 wineries, many only a quick drive from Jefferson’s property. A cornerstone of Virginia’s wine renaissance is Early Mountain Vineyards, established in 2012 by AOL co-founder Steve Case and his spouse, Jean.

On the 55-acre property, head winemaker Maya Hood White marries scientific precision with an intuitive really feel for the land, utilizing cowl crops and cautious cover administration to foster biodiversity and steadiness. Within the cellar, she prefers minimal intervention to permit the vineyards to specific themselves. The outcomes are a powerful lineup of signature wines, just like the Bordeaux-style Eluvium and RISE blends, in addition to fragrant petit manseng wines.

Whether or not you’re stopping by the winery for the day or staying the weekend, there are a number of wine experiences to take pleasure in. Visitors can take part within the Elevation Tasting, uncommon pours within the library, and rotating self-guided flights, complemented by a culinary program that displays the depth and character of the wines. Drawing on his expertise at Virginia’s solely three-Michelin-starred restaurant, The Inn at Little Washington, chef Tim Moore creates seasonal dishes like ramp tartine on grilled sourdough with a sunny-side-up egg, ember-roasted carrots with poblano purée and feta, and candy crab salad with spring pea panna cotta.

Within the tasting room, named the nation’s greatest in USA At this time’s 2016 10Best Readers’ Alternative Awards, company can select an a la carte menu, a hyper-seasonal wine-paired prix-fixe, and the Chef’s Desk, a seven-course journey that includes Early Mountain’s most celebrated wines. In 2024, Wine Spectator awarded the vineyard the “Award of Excellence” for its excellent wine and culinary expertise, whereas Hood White acquired “Winemaker of the Yr” nominations for Wine Fanatic’s Wine Star Awards and VinePair’s Subsequent Wave Awards. This 12 months, the winery earned Virginia’s second-ever gold medal on the Decanter World Wine Awards for its 2022 Petit Manseng, putting it firmly among the many prime wineries in Virginia and past.

These seeking to discover the area additional can go to greater than 40 wineries within the Monticello American Viticulture Space, named Wine Fanatic’s “Wine Area of the Yr” in 2023. Past the wineries, guests can go horseback driving, go to a number of craft breweries, or hike scenic trails like Outdated Rag Mountain in Shenandoah Nationwide Park (a 40-minute drive). For an expensive keep, The Inn at Willow Grove encompasses a world-class spa and 25 stately rooms, housed in a 40-acre Classical Revival manor initially inbuilt 1778.