Sabin Wine Journeys

October 27, 2023.   We used to drop-in on wineries with no advance notice and no thought about writing articles about them.   This blog has changed some of our approach, but its nice to feel that we can shift our travel plans as the spirit moves us.   We found ourselves leaving Hark Vineyards in the early afternoon and found out that we were just minutes away from Glass House Winery in Free Union.   So, we added on a short stop to the itinerary.   We last visited Glass House several years ago when it was owned by Jeff and Michelle Sanders.   They sold the operation to their friend Jay Smith in 2020, and we were interested to see if things had changed.   [This post will lack some of the details we normally cover because the the lone staffer on the bar was busy serving several parties.] The Sanders' founded Glass House in 2010 and have produced mostly estate-grown wines from their 15 acres under vine.   Their haul of awards from the Virginia Gov...

  February 26, 2022.  To conclude our short trip to the Culpeper area, we drove down to Early Mountain Vineyards in Madison, just a short detour from Route 29.   Originally the property of Sweely Estate Winery, Jean and Steve Case of America On-line (AOL) fame purchased the property in 2010 and reopened it as Early Mountain in 2012.   Jean Case is the owner.   Early Mountain is a fictitious name of Madison County Wines, LLC, a Delaware corporation.   Between the Early Mountain site and the acquisition Quaker Run Vineyard in 2015, there are more than 55 acres of vineyard, featuring Cabernet Franc and Merlot and new varietals including Malvasia Bianca, Sauvignon Blanc, Tannat, and other varietals. The tasting room is palatial, sophisticated, and high-end, especially compared with many Virginia wineries in the area.   If you want the intimate and casual hospitality of a small tasting room, Early Mountain may not be the place for you.   The wine...

February 25, 2022.  During a short trip to the Culpeper area, Kim and I visited the small Revalation Winery.   Revalation is owned by Françoise and Julian Moiseiwitsch, from Belgium and Ireland, who have their main vineyard near their home in Reva.   (This “Reva” connection is the reason why the winery is not spelled “Revelation.”)   The small tasting room is a couple of miles away, overlooking the scenic Hebron Valley in Madison.   The winery is mostly set-up for outside seating.   In the summer, a breeze blows down the valley and keeps the visitors cool as they watch the sun set over the mountains.   The tasting room is an 1830’s cabin that was relocated timber-by-timber from near Gretna to this location.   Inside, there are only two tables arranged around a nice fireplace.   If you anticipate rain or colder temperatures, it is best to call ahead and reserve one of these two tables.   Otherwise, you are at the mercy of firepits.  ...