Sabin Wine Journeys

August 16, 2025.   Reitano Vineyards opened in June 2024 to much fanfare with local elected officials from Warren County and nearby Front Royal in attendance.   Reitano is the brainchild of Shelly Cook, who took her family cattle farm and turned it into an “extravagant vineyard.”   The name “Reitano” comes from Shelly’s grandfather who immigrated from Reitano, Sicily through Ellis Island into America.  We are in the Shenandoah AVA. Reitano has two main buildings with a third one due to open in October 2025.   Currently, the Old Springhouse serves as the tasting room and the main event space.   A pavilion allows for other large events.     The Springhouse rises two stories on exposed wood beams to a clearstory.   A long open hall runs the center of the floor.   Three sofa sitting areas branch off on either side.   The tasting bar occupies the fourth quadrant.   The space is cavernous, modern, and bright.   We saw no firepla...

August 16, 2025.   For some reason, we have neglected visiting Glen Manor Vineyards all these years.   It is not especially far away from our home – being just a little over ten miles south of the town of Front Royal in Warren County and just inside the Shenandoah AVA. Glen Manor sits on land that owner and winemaker Jeff Raymond White’s family has farmed for four generations.   The Commonwealth officially recognizes it as a “Century Farm.”   Jeff learned his trade from Jim Law on the other side of the mountains at Linden Vineyards, and after five years, Jeff established his own Hodder Hill vineyard on the western flank of the Blue Ridge.   The vineyards rise from 1,000 to 1,400 feet elevation with slopes up to 35 degrees.   Lots of granite in the porous soil.   From his original six acres of grapes, Jeff expanded the acreage to its present 19 acres with an annual production of around 2,500 cases. The winery is a small place with a big view of the vine...

June 23, 2023.   For our second annual wine trip to the Shenandoah Valley we ventured further south than last year along that “Trucker’s Paradise” called Interstate 81.   After two and half hours of drizzle, clouds, and semi’s, we reached Rockbridge Vineyard and Brewery just outside the town of Raphine in Rockbridge County.   It was a welcome stop and a welcoming staff for us.   We had a nice prolonged visit with Gratia Bobbitt doing the pouring, owner Shepherd (“Shep”) Rouse providing lots of technical detail, and co-owner Jane Rouse spending time just chatting.                              Shep Rouse and Gratia Bobbitt Shep and Jane Rouse purchased the property in 1988 and incorporated the winery in 1992.   The Rouse’s worked out a deal with their son, Parke, that he could open a brewery if he helped Shep with the winery.   With that unde...