New Kent Winery

September 8, 2026.  New Kent Winery in New Kent County began life as one of the anchors of a large planned community of homes and commercial space off Interstate 64 near the town of Talleysville.  The real estate partners sited the community (and the winery) along a major development corridor between Hampton Roads, Williamsburg, and Richmond.  Colonial Downs racing track is just across the highway.  They bet on expanded developments and tourist traffic and opened the winery in 2008 after investing heavily in the tasting room, the production facilities and just over 20 acres of vines.*

I assume that the expansion did not happen on schedule because in 2014 the partners sold the winery and the vineyard to Joe and Jo Anna Dombroski.  The Dombroski’s have taken loving care of the place since then.  In fact, Joe told us that they were celebrating the winery’s twentieth anniversary this year.  And they remain active with the community with special events throughout the year.

Joe was a great host to us even though he was swamped getting ready for a special event.  Turns out one of a winery owner’s jobs is off-loading and moving chairs for concerts, among other things.  Joe has a square jaw and eyes that seem to be perpetually smiling.  We thank him for his time and for so quickly following-up with answers to my questions.

The tasting room is a model of recycled building: the bricks are from an ante-bellum building, beams, columns, and floors are from an 1852 Connecticut warehouse, roof shingles are from a Florida cyprus swamp.  Trusses are from an old Richmond train depot.  On one end of the tasting room there is a bar where you can order and pick-up your drinks.  Two long tables occupy the middle of the room where you can review the wine, beer, and food menus.  There is no seating inside – all seating is on the generously shaded front and back porches.  Overhead fans whirl away.  A wide stone patio with umbrellas is steps away from the tasting room.  We get a real low-country feel.

 

 

Joe tells us that they enclose and heat their porches in the cooler months.  In addition, there is climate-controlled seating for up to 100 guests in their downstairs Wine Cellar/Taproom.

 Out on the back porch, you get a glimpse of some of the winery’s 30 acres of vines.  All of New Kent’s wines are Estate Grown and all are produced at the 17,000 square foot Talleysville facility.  Very commendable!  Tom Payette is the winemaker at New Kent.  But the blending sessions are collaborative affairs with Jo Anna, Joe, and son Jake Dombroski working to find the best blends.  Joe says that Jo Anna’s palate is their guide.

  

From the 30 acres of vines, they average around 6,500 cases of wine.  Unfortunately, New Kent suffered new total crop loss in the April 2026 free event.  The 2026 vintage will be a vacancy. Their focus now is to preserve plants for the next vintage and lean on their 18 months of inventory to get them through.  Nevertheless, Joe says their goal remains to reach 50 acres of vines and 10,000 cases a year.  

New Kent Winery welcomes children and pets but not outside food.  However, the menu is pretty good; we had crab cakes, a spinach dip and a decadent chocolate torte.  I make a mean crab cake myself so I can judge that these crab cakes – from a company in Chesapeake – had much less filler than crab meat, which is the very definition of a quality crab cake.   In 2020, the Dombroski’s added Talleysville Brewing to their offerings for the beer drinker in your group.  Nearby is the Vineyard Estate Inn at New Kent, a B&B which is available for weddings and special events.  It’s $1,500 to rent the whole house for two nights.

Here’s what we sampled:

Reserve Chardonnay (NV).  The Reserve Chardonnay is non-vintage like a number of New Kent’s wines, even though all wines are estate-grown and produced.  Joe said that they elect to go the non-vintage route “to make the best blends of wine possible.”  The Reserve Chardonnay received a Gold Medal at the 2026 Virginia Governor’s Cup.  It was barrel fermented and aged on the lees, which should have given it some gravitas, but Kim found it weak and rated it a C+.

2023 Vermentino.  Silver Medal winner at the 2026 Governor’s Cup.  Kim rated the Vermentino a B with some sur-lie aging apparent.

2022 White Merlot.  This product of cold pressing and fermenting Merlot grapes delivers a rosé blush of some complexity with berry fruit.  Reasonably priced.  Kim rated it A-.  You read that correctly, folks, A-!

Meritage (NV).  When we visited New Kent year’s ago, I noted they had a god Meritage.  It still is.  Very fruit forward; blend of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petit Verdot.  I gave it a B.

2022 Cabernet Franc.  This Cab Franc is more complex than the Meritage.  It has a nice lingering finish – a good sign.  Good tannins.  It gets a B+ from me. 

Merlot (NV).  Joe Dombrowski asked us to try the Merlot and Norton.  The Merlot has a touch of tannin coming in late; nice fruit and a little spice.  I gave it a B.

Norton (NV).  New Kent Winery has the third largest planting of Norton grapes in Virginia (after Chrysalis and Horton).  It had a touch of sweetness and was fairly mild.  I gave it a B+

Just minutes off I-64, New Kent Winery can be a restful stop on an otherwise boring stretch of highway.  It was just the respite we needed so that we got to our final destination in great spirits.

Like a number of Virginia wineries and vineyards, New Kent Winery was severely impacted by April's killer frost.  Now is a good time, and especially this Fall of 2026, to visit a Virginia winery to show them your support and enjoy some quality wine at the same time.  

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* Details are drawn from Richard Leahy’s Beyond Jefferson’s Vines: The Evolution of Quality Wine in Virginia, Author’s 2^nd Ed (2014) pages 67-69.