Fabbioli Cellars

August 26, 2022.  We chose a sultry humid late Summer day to drive out to Fabbioli Cellars.  Fabbioli is one of the first wineries along Route 15 wine route heading north out of Leesburg towards Lucketts.  Doug Fabbioli and Coleen Berg purchased 25 acres in 2000 and made their first plantings the next year.  There are six other vineyards that supply Fabbioli besides those adjacent to the winery and tasting room.  The winery produces around 6,000 cases a year along with a custom crush business and an active mentoring program for other wineries.  That’s why Doug Fabbioli is sometime referred to as the “godfather of Loudoun wineries.”  The winery does bring some of its raw materials from out-of-state, including California, the rationalization being that Fabbioli uses whole fruit rather than juice.  You will see that some wines are labeled “Loudoun Country,” while some are labeled “American.”

The distinctive round tasting building offers themed tastings, like “Back to the Future/Enchantment Under the Sea” that was on offer when we visited.  The tastings come with small suggested food pairings.  We have only had pre-set pairings at Fabbioli and Aspen Dale Winery at the Barn.  Make sure to check out the different levels for a panoramic view across the vineyards upstairs, like the Dome Room at the Rotunda, but with wine, and the barrel room on another. 

 No outside food is allowed in the tasting room, but there is plenty of room outside with comfortable seating outside.  Firepits and heaters are available in the colder months.  The Virginia Wine Pass is not accepted.  Dogs are allowed only outside and on a leash.

Here is what we tried:

Petit Manseng 2021.  The newly released Petit Manseng has a sweet pear taste.  It comes from the 2 Principals Vineyard in Fauquier County. 

Chardonnay 2020.  This chardonnay is from the Devilsbliss Vineyard in Middleberg.  100% Loudoun.  Kim liked the fruity apple aroma.  She found it lightly buttered and lightly oaked.  She rated it a B and bought a bottle.

Petit Verdot 2018.  This is another wine from the 2 Principals Vineyard.  I found this middle weight and light on tannins.  Dark fruits.

Cabernet Franc Reserve 2017.  At 13% ABV, this wine is more complex and with a middle body and finish.  It lights up the sides of your tongue.   Loudoun Country wine.

Zinfandel Reserve 2017.  Fabbioli’s reserve Zinfandel sports an “American” label as the grapes are from old-growth vines in Lake County, east of Napa Valley, aged in new oak.  As you might expect, it is full-bodied and complex at 13% ABV.  

Raspberry Merlot NV.  This is a dessert-style wine that blends Merlot and red respberries.  The raspberries are distinctive and help prevent the product from being too sweet.

Una Pera.  Fabbioli has two other pear wines featured on its website and Una Pera offered as a bonus on the tasting.  This is a wonderful mild summer wine, delicate and not overbearing in its “pearness.” 

A Short Visit with Doug Fabbioli.

We are grateful that owner, Doug Fabbioli, took time away from his tractor duties to visit with us.  Even the godfather of Loudoun wine still drives a tractor.  It is a joy to meet people so passionate about their work.  I suspect it’s what keeps him young.  After working in several wineries, including Buena Vista in Sonoma County, the family relocated to Virginia in the late 1990’s.  Doug worked up the road at Tarara before taking on his own operation.  At the time, there were only four wineries in Loudoun County.  (I'm sorry to hear that Tarara is closing this year to participate in agricultural research.) 

Two major changes in the 25-plus years since Fabbioli’s founding:

     (1) too many wineries chasing too few grapes.  Fabbioli itself brings whole grapes in from outside of Virginia.  We don’t know how soon Loudoun will reach a saturation point for new wineries.  The trade is down 20% over the recent years.  (The Virginia Wine Board’s vision statement muses that perhaps we have plateaued already);

     (2) perhaps the greatest change in the business has been its adaptation to changing consumer expectations.  Twenty-five years ago, most wineries were like wine shops.  People would buy wine to take home with them to the Washington DC area.  According to Doug, visitors to Virginia wineries now expect a venue featuring wine and many other amenities as well.  People consume on-site more than they used to.  As a consequence, wineries have become more venues than wine shops.  Comfy chairs and space heaters are just the start of what’s expected and the capital that needs to be spent on non-wine amenities.  The most recent 4 – 5 years have been challenging for wineries in Loudoun as the market changed, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the increase in outside investors.