Sabin Wine Journeys

February 24, 2024.   Barboursville Vineyards, near the little crossroads of Barboursville in Orange County, is unquestionably, one of the most recognized and applauded wine operations in Virginia.   They have won the Virginia Governor’s Cup five times, the last in 2021.   When Queen Elizabeth visited Virginia to commemorate the founding of Jamestown, it was Barboursville wine that was served at the reception.   Barboursville, consistently appears on lists of Virginia’s best wineries.*   We last visited Barboursville in 2021 and wrote somewhat disparagingly of the tiny antiseptic "Discovery" tasting room where visitors received tasting samples in automated amounts from dispensing machines.   Those machines are still in place, a remnant of COVID, but we understand are being phased out in favor of humans.   Today, we drove to the winery almost by accident.   I misread the opening time of a winery we planned to visit, and with time on our hands de...

  Barboursville Vineyard and Winery.    July 6, 2021 Barboursville Vineyard and Winery is one of the oldest operating wineries in the Commonwealth, having been established in 1979 as the U.S branch of the Italian wine company Zonin.   Francesco Zonin is still the president.   Gabriele Rausse, formerly the winemaker, is also secretary.   The winery overlooks the vineyards and the ruins of Governor James Barbour’s estate, designed by Thomas Jefferson and completed in 1821.   The property includes a gourmet restaurant, Palladio, and lodging in the 1804 Inn and Cottages.   Barboursville is one of the most highly awarded wineries in the Commonwealth and a large producer as well.   I rate the wines highly but the atmosphere of the tasting room marginal.    First, the tasting room experience.   The tasting room was small and cramped.   We visited on a weekday, and even then the space was crowded.   I can only imagine t...