Sabin Wine Journeys

June 25, 2023.   We continued our tour of the Southern Shenandoah Valley on Sunday with a stop at Barren Ridge Vineyards just outside of Fishersville.   This is near Staunton, a short toot east of Trucker’s Paradise.   The view to the east is of the Blue Ridge Mountains, arrayed like rows of shark's teeth, one row after another, worn down like some ancient wizened shark.                                                                                                      ...

June 23, 2023.   For our second annual wine trip to the Shenandoah Valley we ventured further south than last year along that “Trucker’s Paradise” called Interstate 81.   After two and half hours of drizzle, clouds, and semi’s, we reached Rockbridge Vineyard and Brewery just outside the town of Raphine in Rockbridge County.   It was a welcome stop and a welcoming staff for us.   We had a nice prolonged visit with Gratia Bobbitt doing the pouring, owner Shepherd (“Shep”) Rouse providing lots of technical detail, and co-owner Jane Rouse spending time just chatting.                              Shep Rouse and Gratia Bobbitt Shep and Jane Rouse purchased the property in 1988 and incorporated the winery in 1992.   The Rouse’s worked out a deal with their son, Parke, that he could open a brewery if he helped Shep with the winery.   With that unde...