Barboursville Vineyards- Barboursville, VA

Barboursville Vineyards is truly in a league of their own. Not only were they one of the first wineries established in Virginia, their estate contains ruins of a home designed by Thomas Jefferson. Yes, architecture, history and wine, all found in a stunning setting. Although there are hundreds of wineries in the region, this unique experience is not to be missed.

On land sustainably farmed by his family since the 18th Century, Virginia Governor (1812-14), Senator (1814-25), and Secretary of War (1825-28) James Barbour built a grand brick Flemish-bond mansion, designed by his friend Thomas Jefferson. A classic design, it was built for the ages; unfortunately, despite being brick, it was not fireproof. On Christmas Day 1884, it was destroyed by fire. However, the ruins remain.

Viniculture of course was not a new idea to Virginia when Gianni Zonin purchased the property in 1976; in fact, Jefferson himself labored fruitlessly for years in the pursuit at Monticello. Nor was it new to Zonin, heir to an Italian family wine enterprise established in 1821. It just wasn’t being done at that specific time and place. Proving everyone wrong, the vineyard was a smashing success; in fact, in 2013, Wine Enthusiast awarded Zonin with its Lifetime Achievement Award.

As you can imagine, the wines here are largely Italian, such as pinot grigio, barbera, and sangionvese; but they have a robust tasting menu, with options such as sauvignon blanc, viognier, merlot and cab franc as well. Inside, with their fabulous charcuterie, I enjoyed their cab franc. Immensely, in fact-it was my all around favorite. Outside, in the sweltering summer heat, the viognier was absolute perfection.

The winery has several indoor and outdoor options for tastings, all set up for social distancing. You are also free to roam the 900 acre estate with your purchase, including the ruins. An all around excellent experience, I will certainly return for tastings in the future.