Sabin Wine Journeys

February 23, 2024.   We had one more stop on our Friday travels: a drive through the country about a half an hour from Septenary to Knight’s Gambit Vineyard in a very rural part of Charlottesville.   The name “Knight’s Gambit” comes from a short story by William Faulkner that was well-loved by his daughter Jill Faulkner Summers.   Mr. Faulkner lived nearby the property that Jill and her husband bought in the 1970’s.   Their son, Paul Summers, William Faulkner’s grandson, planted grapes on the property in 2003 and, with partner Maggie Duensing, opened the winery in 2016.                                                                                           Maggie Duensing We had a nice visit with Maggie on a dreary Friday afternoon and picked up some background info.   Knight’s Gambit has around seven acres under vine at the Charlottesville location and five more acres in the Lake Anna area where they grow Chardonnay and Petit Verdot.   They produce around 1,000 cases annually u

February 23, 2024.   About twenty minutes from downtown Charlottesville, along Route 250 in Western Albemarle County, near Greenwood, you would do yourself a favor by visiting Septenary – the Winery at Seven Oaks Farm.   The winery sits inside part of the Seven Oaks national historic site where original owner, the Reverend Samuel Black, had a tavern whose patrons included Meriwether Lewis, and William Clark of Lewis and Clark fame.   I doubt those gents drank as fine a wine as we had on the day of our visit.   In case you were asking, a hurricane in the 1950’s brought down six of the original seven oaks.   Only the one they call “Thomas Jefferson” is still standing.  The physical space at Septenary is impressive.   A white manse with long verandas looks out to the vineyards on rolling hills.   Low clouds in the hollows were signaling the arrival of rain later in the day.   Most seating is outside on a covered portico or around a calming pool.   You’re advised to consult the weather

April 1, 2023.   Kim and I took a chance on a foreboding forecast of rain and 50 mile per hour winds to venture down Interstate 95 to Stafford County’s only winery, Potomac Point.   The winery sits on the Widewater peninsula which some of you may recognize as the place where we have the Sabin River House.   In fact, we have stopped by Potomac Point several times over the years, usually coming at the beginning of a weekend to get some liquid sustenance for our ministrations to the house.   Potomac Point sits on 23 acres of rolling hills a short distance from the Potomac River.   Lots of forests about.   Skip and Cindi Causey opened the winery and vineyards in 2007 after touring vineyards in New York state, California, and Italy.   You can see a Tuscan influence in the winery building, patio, and bistro.      Potomac Point has five acres under vine at the Stafford property and may be expanding that with a couple of additional acres in the future.   Those five acres produce less t