Bluestone Vineyard

July 11, 2025.  From Mt. Crawford on the Eastern side of the Valley, we executed a lateral to the Western slopes.  On the way, we stopped briefly at the newest and most crowded tourist attraction in the Harrisonburg area - the new (and thus far only) Buc-ee's in the Commonwealth.  I suppose we need all of that barbecue, fudge, and jerky in one place.  If you were wondering, perhaps the best wine to pair with jerky is a sparkling wine or one of the many Rieslings you can find in the Valley.   But I digress...

After passing through the small town of Bridgewater and the campus of its picturesque college, we arrived at Bluestone Vineyard outside of town in Rockingham County.  ‘Bluestone” refers to a kind of blue-grey limestone that is abundant in the area.  It is darker than normal limestone.  (Here is an article on bluestone for you, posted by James Madison University:  https://www.jmu.edu/centennialcelebration/bluestone.shtml)

We were honored to visit with owners Curt and Jackie Hartman who came to this property in 1995 and began planning grapes in 2003.  At first they grew grapes to make wine for their personal use, but in 2007 the Hartman’s decided to go in a commercial direction.  With the help of their son, Lee Hartman, they had their first vintage in 2009.  Their vineyards are in the rain shadow of the Alleghenies with good drainage through that limestone.  The elevation ranges from 1,300, where the tasting room is, to 1,400 feet.  Curt is a big barrel-chested man, obviously proud of the work Lee has done.  It’s great to see the next generation coming along.  

They now have 28 acres of grapes and make 5,000 cases per year under the Bluestone label.  More recently they have added a contract winemaking capacity and produce over 1,000 cases by custom crush arrangements for other wineries.  They also sell between 30 and 40 tons of grapes to other wineries each year.  All of the wine at Bluestone is estate grown with the exception of the Viognier which comes from Silver Creek Orchards in Nelson County.  Carl says that Lee doesn’t like to intervene much in winemaking.  He started as the vineyard guy, and I suspect he trusts to the quality of the grapes to make a quality wine – like many of the winemakers we have met.  Bluestone considers itself a farm first.

 

They constructed the tasting room in 2010.  A wide patio offers great views of the Allegheny Mountains.  In the fall, this must be the place to see the foliage, nestled with your love beside a firepit.  The tasting room is comfortable and bright with a fireplace and many spaces for small groups to congregate if you don’t want to stand at the bar.  Donna Kenney presides over the tasting room.  Outside food is allowed, but you might want to take advantage of the options Donna can cook-up for you - like a warm nut-brown Bavarian pretzel. 

 

This is a family-friendly winery.  Dogs are allowed if on a leash.

If you plan to be a regular visitor, you may wish to consider getting a reusable wine growler for off-property consumption.  Bluestone can also sell you Riedel stemware to take home if you want the sensation of wine in a high-end glass. 

Bluestone can host weddings for up to 288 people in their upstairs banquet room.  They also have music events in the meadow on an outdoor stage.  There will be food trucks for those occasions making it feel like a country fair. 

Curt was also proud of having over 250 medals for his wines, including competitions in San Francisco and Atlantic City as well as our Governor’s Cup.  He spoke of reading each judge’s comment cards and learning from them.  All of Bluestone’s offerings are reasonably priced for Virginia wines.  Here is what we sampled:

2023 Vidal Blanc.  Very light and crisp.  Kim found it without much taste and rated it a C+.

2024 Viognier.  As noted, the grapes are non-estate.  But Lee has produced a nicely turned-out Viognier with good floral notes and honey.  Long finish.  B+

2023 Quartz Hill Red.  This is a blend of 2/3 Chambourcin and 1/3 Cabernet Franc.  It is a good middle of the road wine.  Medium bodied.  All balance with little attack.  I rate it a B.

2023 Cabernet Franc.  Medium-bodied.  Lots of spice can overshadow the fruit.  Cherry lurks at the back of the tongue.  Bluestone’s tasting notes advise aeration - a good idea in this case.  It feels young and needs to open a bit.  I rate it a B.

2022 Cabernet Sauvignon.  Dark fruit and vanilla shows some oak exposure.  Full-bodied.  Mild but pleasurable tannic grip.  B+.

Special Note: For our readers who like off-dry and sweet wines, Bluestone features several wines in this category which makes a visit well-worth the drive by themselves.  Try the Houndstooth, which routinely medals in the Virginia Governor’s Cup.  Also ask about “No Such Thing As Normal,” a new collaboration with Brix and Columns winery blending raisinated Muscat with other grapes.