Sabin Wine Journeys

March 29, 2024.   Throughout the day on this Good Friday, the wind continued to grow shaking the blossoms down like snow.   The temperatures leveled in the 50’s in spite of a friendly sun.   While we were in Amissville, Rappahannock County, we decided to take an unplanned visit to Magnolia Vineyards which is on the road to Viewtown south from Route 211. Magnolia sits on the crest of a hill so that it captured all of the wind that was blowing that day.   It almost blew us off out feet.   We were fortunate to find owners Glenn and Tina Marchione at the winery along with their rescue dogs who welcomed us in from the gusts.   Glenn is the winemaker and vineyard manager, a tall man with a close-cropped grey hair and reticent smile.   Tina is petite with dark eyes.   They met while working on an IT project for two different government contractors and discovered they were both grandchildren of Italian immigrants.   On a trip to the Old Country, they discovered a love of wine and first

January 16, 2023.   To start off our new year of winery visits and tastings, we decided to pick a brisk and sunny holiday to visit Barrel Oak Winery in Delaplane, Fauquier County, within the Middleburg AVA.   This was maybe our third trip to Barrel Oak since they opened in 2008.   Over the years, Barrel Oak has added a brewery, which we aren’t going to review for this trip, and just last year changed ownership when founder Brian Roeder wanted to return to family in California.   According to Jennifer Schaefer, Barrel Oak is now owned by White Star, although Virginia State Corporation Commission records show Barrel Oak is a fictitious name for Grape and Grain, LLC, a corporation with the same principal address as White Star in Bethesda, Maryland.   Some reports are that the sales price set a record for Virginia wineries at around $14 Million. Let’s get past the wonky stuff.   The winery has always been fun and welcoming to families and their dogs, achieving the distinction of “Most