Sabin Wine Journeys

October 25, 2023.   We continued our drive for about ten minutes or so to Chiswell Farm and Winery in Greenwood.   This is a new winery – only open for two years – owned by the Chiles Family, one of the largest fruit growers in the state.   Haven’t heard of them?   Well, if you are in the Charlottesville area this time of year, pay a visit to Carter’s Mountain Apple House on the same road as you take to Monticello.   Carter’s Mountain is the Chiles’ apple orchard, offering spectacular vistas across the valleys to the east and west.     From here, you can make out Mr. Jefferson’s Rotunda peaking above the old trees at the Academical Village.   You can also pick your own apples or buy apples in any incarnation you wish:   ten varieties of whole apples, apple pies, cider, caramel apples, and of course apple cider donuts.   Yum! The Chiles Family have been in the apple and peach fruit business since 1912, before coming to wine grapes.   Mr. Chiles at age 88 is still involved in operatio

  The Winery at Bull Run.  October 14, 2021.   Continuing our October Wine Month celebration, Kim and I visited the Winery at Bull Run in Centreville.   Bull Run is the center of a large operation.   Opened in 2012 by Jon Hickok, Bull Run reports that with 225 acres, it is the largest operating farm in Fairfax County.   The winery also has an estate vineyard known as Rock Mill located in Little Washington, VA, with over 40,000 vines sitting on 115 acres.   Bull Run operates Sunrise Ridge Winery in Gainesville (see previous post) and the soon-to-be-opened Old Farm Winery in Aldie (expected opening date is November 20 th - watch for that post).    According to its website, Bull Run wines are 100% Virginia grapes, which is glorious.   Bull Run also claims to be the closest winery to Washington DC (Woodlawn Press microwinery in the Alexandria part of Fairfax County might dispute this). The tasting room at Bull Run is full of dark wood looking out across a covered patio to slopes feat