Sabin Wine Journeys

July 11, 2025.   From Mt. Crawford on the Eastern side of the Valley, we executed a lateral to the Western slopes.   On the way, we stopped briefly at the newest and most crowded tourist attraction in the Harrisonburg area - the new (and thus far only)  Buc-ee's in the Commonwealth.  I suppose we need all of that barbecue, fudge, and jerky in one place.  If you were wondering, perhaps the best wine to pair with jerky is a sparkling wine or one of the many Rieslings you can find in the Valley.   But I digress... After passing through the small town of Bridgewater and the campus of its picturesque college, we arrived at Bluestone Vineyard outside of town in Rockingham County.   ‘Bluestone” refers to a kind of blue-grey limestone that is abundant in the area.   It is darker than normal limestone.   (Here is an article on bluestone for you, posted by James Madison University:   https://www.jmu.edu/centennialcelebration/bluestone.shtml ...

June 26, 2023.   Our last stop on this short trip to the Valley was a visit to Brix and Columns Vineyards in McGaheysville, Rockingham County.   Our approach to the winery is through the part of the 16 acres under vine and the pastures of the working farm just off of Route 33 between Harrisonburg to the west and before ascending into the mountains to the east.   Standing on the portico of the winery with its stately columns, you are almost under the promentory of Massanutten like a brooding spirit.   Roger and Stephanie Pence bought the 160 acres of Six Penny Farm in 2003 and soon had a wedding venue.   Then winery owners came asking to lease some of the acreage for grapes.   The Pence’s took the hint, and, after taking enology courses, began planning grapes in 2015.   Brix, of course, refers to one of the common measures of grape sugar.   Columns refers to the white columns that line the approach and, with the red bricks, give the property a ...