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Showing posts with the label Purcellville

Crushed Cellars

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July 27, 2024.   Just west of the Route 9/Berlin Turnpike intersection in Loudoun County, you will come to the unassuming driveway for Crushed Cellars.   Try to drive slowly or you could easily pass it.   My advice is to try to arrive earlier in the day because parking is limited and this is not a vibe you want to miss.   We were greeted at the door of the winery by owner, Robert “Bob” Kalok, who began this winery in 2010 on his family farm.   To start our conversation, Bob asked me about my security clearance and whether I worked for a “three-letter agency.”   He delivered this with a wink and a squint from under tousled blond hair.   And that was how our visit went, being treated as if Kim and Bob and I shared some national secret.   Bob returned to this theme a couple of times.   There is a tangible hippie vibe at Crushed Cellars.   My Sharona played on speakers.   People come and go like Grand Central Station: tasting wine, ...

Bozzo Family Vineyards

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July 26, 2024.   Proceeding along Route 9 – Charles Town Pike - you will find Bozzo Family Vineyards just minutes from the West Virginia line. Even though the mailing address is Purcellville, they are much closer to the Town of Hillsboro.                                                                                                    Steve Bozzo Steve and Maureen Bozzo founded the vineyards in 2013 and had their first significant harvest in 2018, the same year that they opened the tasting room....

Sunset Hills Vineyard

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March 14, 2024.   Back in the winter of 2022, Kim and I with some of our companions spent a nice afternoon with the owner of 50 West Winery, Mike Canney.   We came away with a desire to visit someday the Mother winery – that is Sunset Hills Vineyard near Purcellville.   While 50 West aims at the younger clientele from its location right on Route 50 near Aldie, Sunset Hills is the more established, family-friendly farm locale.   Still, to discuss one is to discuss both as they are two sides of a single coin. Mike and Diane Canney first planted vines at Sunset Hills in 1999 on a 45-acre farm that included an 1870’s era working barn.   Sunset Hills was incorporated in 2006 and 50 West came along in 2017, both owned by the Canney’s.   Most of the grapes come from two farms in the Shenandoah, but more on them in a bit.   In July 2022, the Canney’s sold all of these properties to Chris and Katie Key.   We wanted to visit Sunset Hills under the new own...