Cunningham Creek Winery
September 27, 2024. Our Hurricane Helene-soaked day continued as we made our way east into Fluvanna County to visit Cunningham Creek Winery (CCW) in Palmyra. CCW is one of the few wineries we can recall that is compliant with the American’s with Disabilities Act (ADA), which makes parking and entry to the winery easier.
We visited with owner Debby Deal, who manages the tasting room and the events calendar. Husband Bruce does the winemaking. Debby and Bruce relocated from Northern Virginia in 2012 and converted the former cattle and hay farm into a vineyard as a retirement project. It’s become quite a bit more.
Their first planting was in 2013. The beautiful tasting room opened in 2016 and the winery production area, which is adjacent to the tasting room, opened in 2017. The tasting room is wide and spacious with a wood-burning fireplace at one end and plush sofas facing it.
Getting these seats is a first-come/first-served proposition, so get there early, especially in cooler months. They tend to light the fire on weekends. Instead of one long tasting bar, there are several tasting stations or guests may take their flights to their seats. There is a lot of seating indoors and a number of seating areas around the property (for when it’s not pouring rain).
You may bring your own food to eat outside of the tasting room. The exception is if there are no food trucks – then you can bring your food inside. Pets are welcome, but remember that the three winery dogs (Corky, Crush, and Brix) are on the property. Families are welcome.
Debby is a petite woman who wears her long grey hair straight down. The three gentle winery dogs accompany her on her rounds. She noted some of the many special events CCW sponsors: from Paint Your Pet, to wreath-making, to cookie-making, to yoga. For weddings and special events, the tasting room can accommodate up to 50 people. Their community room can hold 30, perfect for baby showers and similar smaller gatherings. Larger occasions would be outside where lawn tests might accommodate up to 125 people.
Cunningham Creek has 13 acres under vine growing seven varietals. They just finished harvest before the rain arrived. Crates of red grapes are in the punch-down phase in the production area. Debby felt their yield was off but the quality was good this year. Debby said they produce around 2,000 cases per year, of which 60 -70 per cent is estate grown. Cabernet Sauvignon fruit is from the Roanoke area and the rest is from the Monticello AVA. Most of the wine is sold at the winery. CCW does not participate in wine festivals because a one-day festival requires three days of staff time. Debby also felt that most festival goers like wine on the sweeter side and go to festivals less to appreciate the wine and more to get intoxicated. Cunningham Creek’s wines are mostly dry.
Thanks to Debby and staffer Angela Green for their hospitality. We note that Cunningham Creek usually has several beers on tap. While we didn’t try the beers, some of you reading this have family members who won’t visit a winery unless beer is available. Here’s your chance!
Angela served us good sample of Cunningham Creek’s wines. All of the wines we sampled had been aged in French oak barrels.
2022 Chardonnay. Even though Kim gave this Chardonnay a C+|, we bought a bottle based on its reasonable price. It has peach tones and a crisp nose. It has been through partial malolactic fermentation to give it more mouthfeel. It is a Silver Medal winner at the 2024 Virginia Governor’s Cup.
2022 Viognier. This viognier won a Gold Medal at the 2024 Virginia Governor’s Cup. It has a nose of peach blossoms and a little sweetness in the finish. Kim rates it a B-.
2022 Merlot. Medium bodied with noticeable vanilla and cherry notes. This wine has 25% Petit Verdot, but as you know from the Bureaucracy module, a wine may be labeled with the varietal if, in the case of Vitis vinifera, at least 75% of the wine is from the named grape. I rate it a B.
2022 First Crush. Another medium-bodied wine made entirely from Cabernet Sauvignon. Black cherry and currant at first and vanilla on the finish. Some sweetness detected and I wonder if this is a defect. Another B rating.
2021 Meritage. Cunningham Creek’s Meritage is 28% Merlot, 28% Petit Verdot, 28% Cabernet franc, and 14% Cabernet Sauvignon. Taste of dark cherry and more vanilla. Medium body but significant tannins. A high B, but not quite B+ range.
2019 Estate Petit Verdot. Very dark and full-bodied. Not much fruit but leather and tobacco take over. Complex and mysterious, a winner of a Silver Medal at the 2024 Virginia Governor’s Cup. B+.
2019 Sweet Home. Our last sample was Cunningham Creek’s port-style wine. For those port drinkers among our readership, this is a blend of 50% Petit Verdot, and 50% Cabernet Sauvignon aged four years in French oak. Residual sugar is at 6%. Alcohol by Volume is 17%. The taste is mature and restrained. Cinnamon and a long finish. Feel the alcohol on the side of your tongue. B+
If you happen to be on Interstate 64 between Charlottesville and Richmond, Cunningham Creek is a nice rest stop not too far from Exit 136 on Route 15 South.
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