Jacey Vineyards

June 22, 2024.  Crossing from Lancaster County into Northumberland County, we continued our travels with a stop at Jacey Vineyards near the community of Wicomico Church.  The vineyard, winery and restaurant are the projects of Dr. Robert Jacey, noted ophthalmologist who has his practice in the Northern Neck.  We spent much of the afternoon in the coolness of the restaurant with Dr. Jacey and the financial manager of the operation Tommy Byrne, enjoying the wine and Tommy’s custom-made white Sangria’s.

  

Dr. Jacey is the owner, vineyard manager and winemaker, all on one.  He started his vineyard with Vidal Blanc, Petit Verdot and Zinfandel in 2004 and had his first vintage in 2010.  At this point, Dr. Jacey has 6-7 acres under vine and produces 4,500 to 5,000 cases of wine per year, all it estate-grown.  Since his first vines, he has added Albariño, which is their biggest selling wine, Malbec, Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon.  There is also some Norton under vine. He tends to use a Geneva Double Curtain trellis system.  Dr. Jacey’s oldest daughter designs the wine labels.  His son helps in the fields.  Besides wine, Dr. Jacey grows wheat and soy beans on 12 acres of farmland.  There is also a large pine forest where Dr. Jacey has started growing California redwoods.  He says that those giants seem to like the soil and climate. 

The restaurant is all one room with a bar in the corner and a piano and instruments on the other side.  We were the only patrons in the place for most of the afternoon.  Some young people came and elected for some reason to stay outside in a tented pavilion.  Inside, Jim Davidson, a pianist from Richmond, played for us.  The restaurant features flatbread pizza, small plates, and oysters.  The "Lisa Pizza" was great.  Long-term plans are to expand the restaurant, but they will need more traffic to do that.  Bring the kids and the dogs. 

The winery and property are available for weddings and special events up to 250 guests.  That would be mostly outside as the restaurant itself has a small capacity.

One plan to increase traffic is to take advantage of the Vineyard’s water access.  Situated on Mill Creek off of the Chesapeake Bay, Jacey Vineyards is already one of the few wineries in the United States where people can arrive by sail or motorboat.  They have three docks for this.  Plans are to build a proper commercial pier to handle larger ships with lights so that it could be found at night.  There has been some local opposition to this plan, however.  Tommy and Dr. Jacey tell us they are working through those concerns. 

                                                                       Tommy Byrne (l) and Dr. Robert Jacey (r)

Once the commercial pier is finished, there are thoughts to host wine cruises or sunset cruises from Kilmarnock and the Tides Inn to the winery.  If people are still drinking wine 200 years from now, imagine taking a sunset cruise to the vineyard and being greeted by the sight of massive redwoods. 

The wine selection is limited and only available at the restaurant.  Here’s what we tried:

2020 Sauvignon Blanc.  Kim rated the Sauvignon Blanc at B-.  No undertones or complexity.

2019 Malbec.  The Malbec has prominent tannin, taste of plum and medium acid.  Full-bodied and some mineral on the nose.  B

2019 Cabernet Sauvignon.  I rate the Cabernet C+.  Dark fruit flavors with some spice notes.  Somewhat jammy and mild tannins.  Full-bodied. 

2019 Zinfandel.  Lots of fruit and low tannin.  Very expensive, however.  C

And Sangria.  Tommy Byrne made-up some white Sangria:  Sauvignon Blanc, I believe, with lots of fruit and a little spritz.  (The restaurant offers both red and white.)  Dr. Bob and Tommy joined us to talk war stories over these very refreshing drinks, taking leisurely refuge from the oppressive afternoon heat.

When Dr. Bob gets his pier and the twilight cruises happen, jump aboard and pay them a visit.

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