Domaine Fortier Vineyards

May 10, 2025.  Domaine Fortier Vineyards is in many ways still a baby in the wine world.  Stephen and Jennifer Fortier opened their winery to the public less than a year ago out in a field, minutes south of the town of Lovettsville in Loudoun County.  The operation is surrounded close by to its vines and bounded in the distance by Short Mountain to the North, the Furnace Mountains to the South, and the Catoctin Range in the further distance.

 

A greenhouse serves as their temporary tasting room with two sofas and table seating for eight to ten people.  The openness of the glass ceiling with hanging wisteria gives an intimate feel.  The bar can accommodate maybe five people if they’re all very close friends.  Even on a mild day, the green house was warm.  I expect it gets uncomfortable in there in the summer.  Our server Christian, ran a small fan on the counter to keep him cool.  You might consider taking your glass of wine or your tasting a few steps outside to the pavilion where you can get a nice crossbreeze and spread out.  In the cooler months they have firepits.  Children, pets, and outside food are all fine at Domaine Fortier.  On our visit, all of the physical plant for the winery is temporary.  There are porta-potties on site. 

 

 

The Fortiers purchased this property in 2018 to start a vineyard.  Their plan was to build a home for their new family, then build production facilities to support their ten-acre vineyard and finally build a brick and mortar tasting room.  With the arrival of the Covid pandemic, Jennifer told us that the house construction was a disaster.  Covid put plans for the production facility on hold and led Stephen to process his grapes at Nate Walsh’s North Gate facility near Hillsboro.  Stephen still plans to bring production back on-site at Domaine Fortier, but as he told us, he and Jennifer are financing all of this themselves with no outside investors.  Jennifer hopes that the tasting room will be up next year.  Their plans do include hosting weddings and corporate events in the future.  

                                                                                Stephen and Jennifer Fortier

Stephen does the farming and serves as the winemaker.  Jennifer remarked that her husband has lots of energy for a 65-year-old and will never retire.  Stephen should be on the cover of a farming magazine as the picture of hale sun burnt good health.  We thought that Jennifer herself must have tons of energy to work part-time as a patent attorney while raising three children and managing the winery’s marketing and business relations.  Stephen is a graduate of the University of California at Davis wine course.  Jennifer is WSET Level 3 certified. 

They began planning their vineyard in 2020 and now grow Chardonnay, Petit Manseng, Tannat, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, and an acre of Norton.  Their first harvest was in 2023 and are only in their second vintage at this point with an average production of around 1,000 cases, according to Stephen.  His plans are to ramp up to 6 or 7,000 cases eventually with their own production.  Even with that short lineage, their first release, a 2017 Cabernet Franc Reserve, won a Gold medal at the 2024 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. 

Another notable offering is a White Merlot.  Jennifer told the story of encountering this wine on the Italian side of Lake Como during their honeymoon.  Unfortunately, they could not find the wine when they returned to the States, so they did the unconventional thing and contacted the winemaker back in Italy who gave them some tips on production.  Stephen tried to make the wine but used the wrong yeast resulting in a wine that Jennifer didn't like at first.  They chalked the experiment up to the school of hard knocks.  But around six months later, the wine turned a luminous copper color, like the orange wines of Friuli.  But their White Merlot is a white wine from red grapes instead of an orange wine made with white grapes of the traditional Italian manner.  It sold so well that you can only get a taste today if you are a wine club member.  In fact, while we were sampling in the intimate greenhouse tasting room, a couple arrived and asked for the White Merlot.  When they couldn’t get it, they drove off in a huff. 

Jennifer said that the transformation of their White Merlot was sort of like her relationship with Stephen.  At first she didn’t like him, but after about six months he was a gem (my words). 

We appreciate Stephen and Jennifer spending time with us.  We also had the added pleasure of speaking with our server, Christian in the tasting room.  He was quite knowledgeable about the operations and the wines.  Kim and Christian bonded over their shared employment at the Credit Union.  Tasting Room manager Greta Hawkins was busy helping Stephen set up wrought-iron tables and chairs in the pavilion.  A great and friendly staff all round.

I elected to get a red tasting while Kim tried some of the white wines.  Most of the wines here are barrel-aged at least two years.  Here we go:

2020 Chardonnay.  Kim thought the Chardonnay was pretty good, and not buttery.  But she felt it was overpriced and gave it a B.

2023 Albariño.  Kim preferred the Albariño over the Chardonnay.  More pear and honeysuckle and higher acidity.  Crisp and light with a lower ABV than the Chardonnay.  Good summer sipper.  She rated it a B.

2024 CharBlanc.  Domaine Fortier offers a wine using mostly Sauvignon Blanc grapes (91%) from Endhardt Vineyards upper block near Lincoln, Loudoun County (see our post from January 2024) and 9% Chardonnay from Domaine Fortier.  Stephen then blended the grapes into a wine having the color of hay.  Floral, with a beautiful nose and medium body.  B+.  We bought a bottle.  Note that CharBlanc is not yet on the tasting menu. 

2020 Le Pivot.  The Fortier’s have hosted dinners at their house where club members might judge whether a wine is ready for release.  They approved release of Le Pivot, a wine so called because of the change in direction the pandemic forced on many of us in that year.  This is Domaine Fortier’s first blend: 45% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Tannat in a Bordeaux-like wine.  Light cherry fruit, medium body (13.8% ABV), good managed tannin.  I rated it a B+ and bought a bottle.  Domaine Fortier tasting notes say that the wine might be aged for five years and advises decanting 30 minutes before serving. 

2021 Petit Verdot.  This is a lovely low tannin red wine.  100% Petit Verdot.  On the lighter side for a Petit Verdot with just a hint of fruit.  I rated it a B.

2017 Cabernet Franc Reserve.  As noted above, the 2017 Cab Franc Reserve won a Gold Medal in San Francisco in 2024.  It is 85% Cabernet Franc and 15% Tannat.  Stronger tannins.  Black plum notes and herbs on the nose.  Full bodied, fast legs, and short finish.  13.8% ABV.  Winery tasting notes say it can age another seven years or drink now, please.  They advise decanting 30 minutes before serving.  I gave it a B considering its price.

Don’t be put off by the rustic appearance of the area when you arrive.  The Fortiers and their staff are earnest and welcoming people dedicated to making and serving quality wines.  Well worth the time to investigate.