Sabin Wine Journeys

September 4, 2025.   Interstate 64 runs the spine of the newest of Virginia’s   American Viticultural Areas (AVA), Virginia Peninsula.   A short distance from the Interstate, you can find several wineries to relieve the monotonous drive between Richmond and Newport News.   We have profiled all of these wineries before, with the exception of Gauthier Vineyard in Barhamsville, New Kent County.   Time to rectify that gap in coverage! We approached the winery passing a large barrel head boldly announcing the place.   Opposite this sign, three acres of Norton grapes sloped coyly under white gauze netting, installed to keep the birds away.   It was a sign that the harvest was close at hand.   A gravel drive takes you past a quiet lake and fountain, up a grade to the front of the tasting room. The tasting room building, built in 2012-13, has a wide wrap-around porch that you can follow around to a view across the lake and the vineyard.     In...

February 24, 2024.   Hello Readers and welcome our 101st blog post on Virginia wineries.   Looking at our first few efforts, we have come a long way.   We do hear from readers who ask for even more information, especially in tasting notes.   Going forward, I’ll try to provide some useful information without needlessly over-specifying. Let’s profile Nokesville Winery off of Route 28 in Nokesville, Prince William County, near Bristow and Manassas.   Your initial impression driving up to the winery is that this is a garage operation and you’d be correct.   But it resembles the garagistes in that the founder-owner-winemaker Dustin Miner, grows almost all of his grapes and produces all of his wine on-site.   That is a large garage where the unadorned tasting room and its seating coexist with stainless steel tanks in one large space.   Atmosphere is very casual.   No fireplaces.   There is a side patio for outside seating in warmer months....