Southwest Mountains Vineyards

April 13, 2025. When Southwest Mountains Vineyards opened in 2023, it completed a little triangle of newish wineries with Keswick Vineyards and Merrie Mill Farm, all near the junction of scenic routes 22 and 231 and the crossroads at Cismont in eastern Albermarle County. The famous Keswick Hall is a short drive south on Route 22. While Keswick and Merrie Mills are close to average sized Virginia wineries (see note below), Southwest Mountains is the newest and by far the largest of these three with 72 acres under vine and between 16,000 and 19,000 cases annually. We're told there is no gap in those vines. The winery and vineyard sits inside the Castalia farm estate that once belonged to Meriwether Lewis. They renovated and expanded a 1903 pole barn into a cavernous two-storey lodge. I call it a lodge because on the inside, this barn more resembles a large hunting lodge. The owner, Paul Manning, appears to have spared no expense in either ...