Sabin Wine Journeys

August 4, 2022.  After attending the pre-harvest meeting of the Loudoun Wineries and Winegrowers Association hosted by Hillsborough Vineyard and Brewery, I decided to stay after to visit the Baki family and sample their wine.   Hillsborough Vineyard has a steep 14 acres of vines just east of the small town of Hillsboro on busy Route 9.   Note for purposes of searching and Googling that “Hillsborough,” the vineyard, is spelled differently from “Hillsboro,” the town.   Hillsboro, the town, is famous for being among other things, the birthplace of Orville and Wilbur Wright’s mother, Catherine Koener, from early German settlers in Loudoun County.   Kim and I last visited Hillsborough in the winter of 2017 and noted both the view and the wines. The Baki family, from Turkey, purchased the vineyard property and planted the first vines in 2001.   The original tasting room, an 1830’s stone barn, opened in 2002 and was renovated in 2013.   Kerem Baki is the v...

We are now home after our second annual excursion to the Monticello AVA.   Over 320 traveling miles took us to eleven wineries or vineyards in three and a half days.   We sampled 51 wines and brought 11 bottles back with us.   You’ll see those wines listed at our year-end round up of best wines.   We dodged innumerable rain drops but got caught by just as many.   We met some interesting folks along the way working the wineries and customers relaxing like us.   On the last morning of our trip after checking out, we needed to kill some time until the first winery opened.   Kim and I drove to the Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Museum on Pantops Mountain, about 15 minutes east of downtown Charlottesville.   This gem of a museum is the only one dedicated to Australian aboriginal art in the United States.   It opens at 10:00 and is free.   You will be startled by the intricate beauty of native art, and it will get your brain moving again. It is a ...

July 10, 2022.   Our last stop before turning resolutely towards home was Montifalco Vineyard in Ruckersville near Route 29.   Seating is out-of-doors in the garden of owner, Justin Falco’s home right up on the vines.   In the colder months, they bring out the firepits and space heaters.   There is a very small tasting room inside.   Pets and outside food are welcomed – outside.   Limited cheeses and charcuterie are available.   The Virginia Wine Pass accepted for discounts off purchases.   This small adults-only operation opened in 2016 and produces around 1,000 cases per year from five acres at this location and another five acres from their estate vineyard in Barboursville with Merlot and Petit Verdot.   Sometimes, Montifalco supplements their fruit with grapes from vineyards in the Lodi area near Abingdon.   Kim and I sat in the “Rainbeaux Lounge” and listened to live folk music as we sipped along.   (Kim wants you to know tha...

Now that the rain finally stopped and after indulging in a number of good wines and conversations, we began our trip home.   Our first stop on the return trip was Chisholm Vineyards at Adventure Farm in Earlysville.   The vineyard lies just west of the Charlottesville Airport.   In fact, you will probably have to drive around the main runway to get there.    Adventure Farm was originally a cattle farm, founded in 1950 by Morris and Gigi Chisholm.   Gigi still lives on the property and visits sometimes.  They still sell beef, corn, and soy.  All of their wines are from estate-grown grapes although Chisholm relies on Early Mountain for winemaking.   The small and comfortable tasting room was opened in 2014.    There is ample outside seating both in front of a stage that features entertainment or under a trellised patio if you want shade.   If swaying to the music is what you want, the Cajun band we heard that afternoon made yo...