Caihailian Vineyard
October 26, 2025. Wine Philosophy Question #5 asks whether the grape chooses you. We are all familiar with us choosing a wine or grape that we like – for instance choosing white over red wine, or more specifically choosing Chardonnay over Sauvignon Blanc, or even more particularly, a Chardonnay from Winery A over Chardonnay from Winery B.
Most of us are not familiar with a grape choosing us, but that is what happened to Bob Ramsey, the owner of Caihailian Vineyard in Roseland, Nelson County. When Bob established Caihailian (pronounced “kay-Hay-lian” and named after his three children) in 2006, he took over a vineyard already planted with Vidal Blanc, the white hybrid which is the most planted hybrid in Virginia.+ Although initially disappointed that he did not have a Chardonnay vineyard, Bob has learned to love Vidal Blanc and has managed to make a surprisingly wide spectrum of wines using only that grape. He says that the grape chose him.
The winery website says that a tour and tasting will deliver “an experience unlike any other winery. Guaranteed.” On this, Caihailian delivers. The tour starts in the vineyard beneath the dappled hills and along flatlands of the Rockfish Valley. Bob, himself, conducts tours that highlight the vineyard work and unique challenges in each part of the growing season. For example, on our tour Bob spent some time on the opportunities for late harvest and the challenge he was having with low BRIX counts in his grapes. We got to try a refractometer to measure BRIX, learned about new approaches to pest control like pheromone-laced twist-ties that disrupt pest mating cycles, and watched Bob demonstrate some of the skills for late-year pruning. To me, Bob bears a resemblance to the actor Gary Cole, except with more passion for his work.
Bob and Anne Ramsey have two and a half acres of Vidal Blanc. He prunes the vines to produce no more than 10 tons annually to improve the strength and quality of the grapes. From the ten tons, he sells around seven tons every year to other producers and retains three or four tons to make wines under the Caihailian label. Bob’s tank space and the capabilities of his equipment limit his volume to only around 300 cases a year. The whole family is involved in harvest, sorting, blending, and bottling.
Caihailian has no dedicated tasting room, no fancy, glitzy, or snobby spaces. You will sample wines in the humble tank room that adjoins Bob’s single-family rambler. Because of this proximity, it feels like an exclusive barrel tasting with the owner, except that the wines have been bottled. It also feels like the workspace of a home winemaker, which is how Bob got his start in the 1990’s. I can’t help thinking that this is what most Virginia wineries used to be like before the millionaires and corporations began to move in.
There are a couple of picnic tables outside where you can bring your own food. No food is available on-site. There is no indoor seating unless Bob pulls chairs in from his kitchen. Bob is a natural educator with a passion for the Vidal Blanc grape. His insights as a grower have been incorporated into teaching materials used by Virginia Tech and other agencies.
Caihailian is a very small operation in the foothills of the Wintergreen Resort. Since the winery has no set hours, it’s best make an appointment to visit instead of taking a chance it will be open when you happen to drive by. Many of Bob’s guests are from Wintergreen. He has no wine club that I could see, but Bob sells grapes to commercial operations and to a group of home winemakers which are sort of a club. No merch besides the wines themselves. All of Caihailian’s wines are made with their own Vidal Blanc, what Bob calls “the Rodney Dangerfield of grapes” ‘cause it don’t get no respect.
Let’s see whether his faith is justified.
Vidalverde. This wine harkens to a Vino Verde style – harvested early, only 10.5% ABV and a trace of residual sugar. A perfect dry and tart summer wine, and it pairs well with shellfish. Of course, Vidal Blanc is not a traditional grape for Vino Verde, but Bob makes it work. We rated it a B.
Bob also sells his Vidalverde in pouches to cater to the hikers and cyclists who travel through this scenic area. They’re marketed as “Pet-Nat Pouches,” indicating the light spritz of a Vino Verde.
Caihailian markets the next two wines as the “Gemini Collection” because they are from the same vineyard and vintage and yet so different.
2019 Vidalsolaris. The Vidal is bright and citrusy orange wine – sunny. Best kept chilled. 13.3% ABV. Tasting notes recommend that you shake this gently before opening. Drinkable all year and good with mild cheeses and seafood. We rated it a B, but bought a bottle anyway for the reasonable price.
2019 Vidalnebula. Sibling to Vidalsolaris is the cloudy Vedalnebula. Kim enjoyed its boldness and complexity for a white wine. Its ABV is also 13.3% with negligible residual sugar. Pairs well with sharper cheeses and white chili. This gets a B+, and we bought a bottle.
Viduce. The residual sugar jumps to 2.9% for the Viduce wine, but the sweetness is balanced by high acidity. Bob uses cryoconcentration to make the wine. a method of partially freezing grapes to extract water, leaving a more concentrated juice for fermentation. The ABV is up to 15.5% for this wine, and it pairs well with a hearty pasta or stew. We rated it a B.
Vidalcielo. This is Caihailian’s port-style wine which is made in the “chip dry” style.# Even the brandy used to fortify Vidalcielo is made by a local distillery from Caihailian grapes. 18.5% ABV and 4.3% Residual Sugar. Good aperitif by itself or served with dark chocolate at the end of the meal. We gave it a B+ and bought a bottle even though we are not normally Port drinkers.
Vid’Apres. Bob Ramsey also makes a spiced or mulled wine that can be served at room temperature or heated to let the cinnamon and cloves release. 12.5% ABV with low residual sugar. We gave it a B.
With this last wine, Bob covers all of the seasons with a single grape: from Spring and Summer with Vidalverde to the cooler months with Vid’Apres. Well done!
We also sampled an unreleased “Rosé Grande.” The only thing we’ll say about it is that approval of its label is delayed due to the current Federal government shutdown. After Federal approval, whenever that is, and Virginia label approval, Bob expects to have a few cases for sale.
By all means, call ahead, get a reservation at Caihailian Vineyard, and prepare to learn about growing and wine making in a personalized setting.
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+ From Wikipedia: Vidal Blanc is a hybrid of Trebbiano Toscano and Rayon d’Or developed in the 1930’s in France by Jean Louis Vidal. Because of its thicker skins, it is often used in Canada and New York State for later harvest ice wine. Well-suited to sweeter dessert wines, but can be made dry. According to the 2024 Commercial Grape Report, Vidal Blanc is the most widely grown hybrid in Virginia. Number 2 is Chambourcin.
# “Chip dry” refers to a dry white aperitif wine developed in the 1930’s by the Taylor Fladgate Company where brandy is added later in the fermentation when much of the sugar has been converted into alcohol, producing a port of unusual dryness. See, https://www.taylor.pt/us/port-wine/chip-dry.
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