DuCard Vineyards

April 11, 2025.  We met up with travelling companions Susan and Jane in the hollows of north west Madison County outside the crossroads of Etlan to sample the wines at DuCard Vineyards.  DuCard sits under the eastern slope of Old Rag Mountain whose tree line marks the boundary between the vineyards and Shenandoah National Park.  Hikers along the Whiteoak Canyon Trail can reach DuCard easily to let their tired muscles recover.  

Owner Scott Elliff and wife Karen Yanello looked for years for a getaway from consulting and lawyering to find this site which was a derelict apple orchard.  After reworking the site around to a vineyard, Scott began to sell grapes to other wineries in 2000, along the way making “every mistake in the book.”  But after seeing his customers winning awards with his grapes, Scott decided to make the wine himself.  They opened to the public in 2010.  

Around that time, Scott hired Julien Durantie as his vineyard manager and winemaker.  They are an odd couple – Scott is a large bluff man with a florid face while Julien is younger and lithe with that endearing accent of his native France.  

                                                                     Julien (l) and Scott

Scott and Julien manage 22 acres of vines in three Madison County sites.  These vines yield around 3,000 cases of DuCard wine in an average year.  Their wine is 95% estate grown.  Scott took me, Susan, and Jane on a short tour of the vineyard just coming to bud break after enduring a frost in the past week.  There was evidence of recent controlled burns to raise the night temperatures.  DuCard has twice won an award as Virginia’s most Green winery.  They limit the use of chemical sprays and use organic techniques like clover and wildflowers to promote beneficial insects.  Solar panels help to power the tasting room and the processing facility on site.  In making the wine, they add no color or sugar and strive to produce authentic wine.  People come for that experience.

The DuCard tasting room is across a foot bridge over Popham Run which burbles merrily by.  The room is intimate with a deep leather plush sofa by stone fireplace where we sat with a view to Old Rag curtained in a foggy gauze.  Large picture windows make the small room feel like being in the open air. 

 

A meeting room off to the side allows for larger gatherings like a wine club event that Scott moderated while we visited.  Outside food is allowed.  Children and pets are ok.  DuCard does offer wedding services, but I think these are for weddings on the smaller side. 

Long-term DuCard employee, Kris, served our little party.  Kris is a retired chef who was welcomed back to DuCard after some family issues kept her away.  She brought some of that cooking background to our tasting.

 

Here is what Kris served to Kim, Susan, Jane, and me:

2023 Pinot Gris.  From DuCard’s Whetstone Vineyard.  Very light and delicate, even weak.  Hints of pear.  Kim gives it a B-.

2022 Signature Viognier.  Some honeysuckle on the nose.  Light and flowery.  Good finish. Serve chilled.  We rate it a B.

2022 Whetstone Run Chardonnay.  Another Whetstone Vineyard product.  Raised completely in stainless.  Pale green apple.  Full mouth feel.  Creamy.  A B rating.

2022 Cabernet Franc.  The standard tasting has this 2022 Cabernet Franc.  The winery’s tasting notes say it is in the Bourgueil style of Cabernet Francs, being an appellation in the Loire Valley known for Cabernet Franc, or Cabernet Breton as it is known locally.  Like Bourgueil wines, the DuCard Cabernet Franc is light and playful with the faint aroma of red fruits.  Subtle tannins.  Not much pepper at all.  Kris calls this her “Summer Red.”  You could nicely this wine on a causal sipping evening in the hammock.  I rated it a B+ and bought a bottle. 

2023 Cabernet Franc Vintner’s Reserve.  Kris gave us our choice of a bonus pour which I took with the Vintner’s Reserve.  The 2023 Vintner’s Reserve made it all the way into the 2025 Virginia Governor’s Cup Case.  Very complex.  Strong tannin, herbal and asparagus notes.  Compared to the “Summer” Cabernet Franc, the Vintner’s Reserve deserves more attention.  Could age for 10 more years.  B+ but at $60.00 for a bottle, I passed on buying a bottle.

2021 Popham Run Red.  Named for the little creek that runs past the front door of the winery, this is DuCard’s Bordeaux blend: Merlot and Cabernet Franc.  Bright red cherries and herbal notes.  Jane and I both liked the Popham Run Red.  B.

2021 Merlot.  Dark fruit and herbs dominate the Merlot.  Aged in French oak for nine months and for two years in the bottle.  Light tannins.  This is a fairly well-priced normal Merlot.  B.

2022 Black Bear.  Susan thought this was the best of the lot.  Black Bear is a new release, a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Tannat.  DuCard contributes part of the proceeds of the sale of Black Bear and Shenandoah White, DuCard’s National Park Series, to their neighbor, Shenandoah National Park.   B.

2021 C’est Trop.  French for “too much,” this Port-style wine is made from Norton grapes fortified with brandy and aged in whiskey barrels.  Rich brandy aroma.  5% residual sugar but not at all cloying.  18% ABV.  Jane found this a unique wine and gave it an A+.   

When we were at DuCard, we felt like a world away in some forgotten valley where everyone welcomes you in to stay a spell.