Sabin Wine Journeys - the Virginia Wine Journeys Blog

July 31, 2026.   When he was a young man, George Washington came out to survey land for Lord Fairfax in the country around what is now Delaplane in Fauquier County.   He came with rudimentary maps of the area and discovered at one point that his map failed to include the mountain he was looking at.   It was a lost mountain.   This yarn is what staff will tell you about how Lost Mountain got its name.   It helps explain why Lost Mountain Vineyards adopted the name for a great wine and then for its whole operation.    I offer some advise so that you yourself don’t get lost visiting Lost Mountain Vineyards: turn on your GPS.   The winery is not listed on the “Attractions” sign for Exit 23 on Interstate 66; there are no grape cluster signs pointing the way through the town of Delaplane, and the entrance and driveway for the winery is totally unmarked.   The recent history of Lost Mountain Vineyards is inextricably twined with its predece...

December 19, 2025.   Encountering Jason Murray – owner and winemaker at Arterra Wines – must be what it was like to meet a passionate disciple of a new faith.   The faith in question is “clean wine,” and his pursuit is in hostile territory, so goes the received wisdom.   All shall be explained. First, some preliminaries:   Arterra Wines is to be found between Interstate 66 and Route 17 (Winchester Road) in the northwestern part of Fauquier County.   It has a Delaplane address.*   Sandy and Jason Murray purchased the property from Bob and Phoebe Harper (of Naked Mountain) in 2014 making the Murray’s in a sense the second generation of Virginia winemakers.   At purchase, the land was completely wooded, and the Murray’s have since hacked out an 8-and-a-half-acre estate vineyard from the hilly forest.   The A-frame lodge that holds the winey and tasting room opened in 2015.   It seems to rise organically from the hillside while remaining largely ...

August 5, 2023.   We have fond memories of our last visit to Three Fox Vineyards in Delaplane, Fauquier County.   Back then, by accident we came upon the famous I Love Lucy Grape Stomping Competition – a great example of what Virginia wineries have been doing to bring customers out to the vineyards.     Take care on the approach to Three Fox.   It is a sharp left turn directly from Route 17 heading west just past the train crossing at Delaplane.   The drive to the winery is steep and one might think that you’ll bottom out the car on the way. In 2020, Tim and Emily Faltemier bought the property from founding owners Holli and John Todhunter and set about radically remaking the winery.   The Faltemier’s have invested a significant sum to level off the old sloped parking area for better parking.   Note that accessing the place from the parking lot may be difficult for individuals with disabilities.   There is a gravel ramp to the side, but it la...

January 16, 2023.   To start off our new year of winery visits and tastings, we decided to pick a brisk and sunny holiday to visit Barrel Oak Winery in Delaplane, Fauquier County, within the Middleburg AVA.   This was maybe our third trip to Barrel Oak since they opened in 2008.   Over the years, Barrel Oak has added a brewery, which we aren’t going to review for this trip, and just last year changed ownership when founder Brian Roeder wanted to return to family in California.   According to Jennifer Schaefer, Barrel Oak is now owned by White Star, although Virginia State Corporation Commission records show Barrel Oak is a fictitious name for Grape and Grain, LLC, a corporation with the same principal address as White Star in Bethesda, Maryland.   Some reports are that the sales price set a record for Virginia wineries at around $14 Million. Let’s get past the wonky stuff.   The winery has always been fun and welcoming to families and their dogs, achiev...