The Estate at White Hall Vineyard

June 23, 2024.  Driving about 15 minutes east from Fredericksburg off of Route 3, you will arrive at the Estate at White Hall Vineyard in King George, King George County.  This is not to be confused with the more established White Hall Vineyards in Crozet.  See our post of July 2021.  The Estate at White Hall Vineyard is the westernmost winery in the George Washington Birthplace Northern Neck AVA.

David Joel Cassell and Bethany Cassell opened the Estate in 2019 after buying an old manor house for their residence in 2016 and renovating the “Dairy Barn Cathedral” (1907) and the “Stable Chapel Tasting Room” (1850).  At hearings before the King George County Board of Supervisors in 2020, Joel Cassell made it clear that the Estate is primarily a wedding and events venue and relies on those events to support the winery.  Consider that they are incorporated as “White Hall Weddings and Events LLC” and do 12 to14 weddings a year.  

We stayed in the Stable Chapel which has tons of character for a tasting room, from its distressed wood planking, high rafters, and hardwood floor.  But it was also fully open on one side with no air conditioning.  Big area fans moved the air around while a large bridal shower sweltered in one corner of the room. [Note that in the winter, parts of the Stable Chapel care closed-off and heated.  There are also firepits and heaters.]   

 

  

The Dairy Barn Cathedral is an uplifting space with light woods and a vaulted ceiling.  See photos on the winery website.

 

We were able to visit with Bethany Cassell over the course of this hot and humid Sunday afternoon.  Some friends had encouraged Joel and Bethany to open a winery and other friends had encouraged them to bring in goats for vegetation management.  Joel planted his first vines in 2016, and things were going well.  Then the Cassell's went on vacation.  When they returned, they found their Boer goats had ravaged the vineyards.  They ate over 3,000 feet of vines that summer.  These are not the little billy goats you see in petting zoos.  Boer goats are South African meat producers and get to be 80 pounds or more.  Then the rain and frosts came and decimated the vines that were left.  All the vineyard is pulled-out now, and Bethany says they will not replant until Joel retires from his full-time job.  Their plan is to replant with only one sustainable, long-term varietal - probably either Chambourcin or Vidal Blanc, both of which grow well in the Northern Neck.  This will reduce how much fruit they have to purchase and how much effort they will have to devote to vine maintenance on-site.  

Another positive development is that the goats have been shipped off to other owners!

The Estate at White Hall produces and hand-bottles all of their wine, the vast majority of it from Virginia fruit.  One on-line site reported that grapes from the state of Georgia were used.  Their Malbec is imported from Chile as part of a new line of wines being developed by assistant winemaker, daughter Lauren Cassell.  (Look for this unique line of off-dry reds called "Big Top Red" - a gateway wine for red wine drinkers.)  Bethany said they brought in 42 tons of grapes in 2023, which she said produced around 1,500 cases.  Besides sales at the Estate, the Cassell's sell their wares at wine festivals.  Look for them there. 

Bethany and our server, Mary, did a good job keeping their smiles on in the unrelenting swelter as they worked their way through the tasting.   Bethany is the very soul of hospitality.

                                                                Bethany Cassell (l) and Mary (r)

Most of the wines are not identified by vintage date because of the fruit coming from all over.  Here’s what we tasted:

White Hall Reserve.  Kim thought the Reserve Chardonnay tasted off.  B-

Goats of Wrath.  Most of the Estate reds reference those destructive goats.  Goats of Wrath is the winery’s semi-dry, light-bodied Chambourcin, what Bethany calls a “Gateway Red,” that is, a red wine for white wine drinkers. B.

Sola Fide.  According to the tasting room notes, this is a blend of Virginia Cabernet Franc and Chilean Malbec.  (The winery website tasting notes say that Sola Fide is Cabernet Franc all the way.)  Sharp nose, pepper, fruit forward.  Light-bodied with mild tannin.  I rate it a B.

BoerGeaux Blend.  Here is a prayer that the Boer goats need to go.  It is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, and that Chilean Malbec.  Good balance, light-bodied, bright fruit, and low tannin.  Can be aged.  I rated it a B+ and bought a bottle.

2019 Wandering Goat.  More goats!  This Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot blend is aged in French oak which gives it some vanilla.  Stronger tannin and plum fruit.  Full-bodied but smooth.  Another age-worthy wine.  I rate it a B.

2019 1740 Reserve.  The bottle price for this blend of Tannat and Merlot is $40.00.  It is medium-bodied with flavors of plum and pronounced tannin.  I rate it a B.

The winery also offered small glasses of mango-wine slushies.  I don’t usually go in for these, but it turned out to be the perfect antidote to this one day of global warming.  Highly recommend getting a slushie to freshen yourself between wines.