50 West Winery and Vineyard
After purchasing 50 West in 2022, owners Chris and Katie Key decided to turn the farm winery into an adults-only destination. Settle in on the quiet porch or sprawling lawn for views of the Bull Run Mountains and enjoy live music on Saturdays from spring to late fall. Peruse the light menu of meats, cheeses and spreads to complement the popular 2022 Sangiovese Rosé or 2020 Merlot. The Keys have plans to build a sparkling wine production facility and winemaker Jason Burrus will employ “méthode traditionnelle”–a Champagne production method with fermentation occurring in the bottle–for 50 West’s future sparkling releases. Also in the works: a cigar lounge that will be open to the public. Reservations are suggested but not required unless you have a party of more than nine people. //39060 Little River Turnpike, Middleburg, Virginia
Wine club: Membership includes 2 bottles every other month, first access to new releases, discounts on purchases, free tastings and invites to member-only events.
Crimson Lane Vineyards
Founded by Arlingtonians Tom and Deanna Herrity, Crimson Lane opened in early 2023 under the guidance of winemaker Dominick Fioresi. Walking into the soaring tasting space–designed by Napa-famed architects Backen & Backen–feels more like entering a high-end dining room with several seating options, including an extensive enclosed porch with sprawling views of the Virginia countryside. Energy conservation is important here. Electric vehicle owners will smile when they pull in and see free chargers available (part of the winery is solar-powered). Reservations are required and tastings are not cheap, starting at $45 per person. A limited food menu is available with dishes such as empanadas, crab cakes and local cheeses. Vineyard tours will be available later in 2024. //13334 Crimson Lane, Linden, Virginia
Wine club: Two tiers available with two shipments a year. Members receive access to special events, seminars and members-only spaces. Waitlist only.
Delaplane Cellars
This winery, which opened in 2009, has always been for grownups. The inside tasting area is designed like a comfortable living room, and live music on the weekends doesn’t blare, but rather complements quieter conversations. Taste the winery’s first sparkling offerings–Blanc de Blanc (2020 Xavier) and sparkling rosé (2020 Claire)–as well as both a single-varietal 2022 Tannat and 2022 Petit Verdot that will be released later in 2024 under winemaker Rick Tagg. Indoor and outdoor seating is available year-round. In the cooler months you can reserve your own igloo-style tasting pod to share with friends. Reservations are recommended, especially on weekends. //2187 Winchester Road, Delaplane, Virginia
Wine club: Pre-selected (swaps available) quarterly mix of three bottles, plus free tastings, special events and discounts.
Greenhill Winery & Vineyards
Greenhill opened in 2013 as an adults-only destination–one of the first in Virginia created with that designation in mind. The tasting room features elegant furnishings and private table-based tastings. Beautiful weather outside? Opt for a table on the covered terrace or expansive lawn. A curated menu features small plates, truffle popcorn and Sturia Oscietra Caviar served with local Route 11 potato chips. Pair the fish roe with Greenhill’s popular Blanc de Blancs or order a glass of the 2023 rosé once it’s released in May. (Note: You may want to act fast, as the last vintage sold out quickly last season.) Seating is generally first-come, first-serve, although reservations are required for groups of 10 and for the members-only club lounge. //23595 Winery Lane, Middleburg, Virginia
Wine club: Members buy at least 12 bottles a year and receive bottle discounts, complimentary tastings, access to the member lounge and event invitations.
Linden Vineyards
Linden, one of Virginia’s oldest and most celebrated wineries, is led by owner and winegrower Jim Law, whose approach to wine is inextricably connected to the land. Law regularly shares detailed updates and notes on how the ever-changing Virginia climate and the winery’s three unique vineyard sites impact Linden’s wines. Comparative wine tastings, where Law often makes an appearance to answer questions, change seasonally. This spring the focus is on Linden’s single vineyard Chardonnays, Sauvignon Blancs and red blends. This isn’t the place to bring a crowd: the cozy tasting area limits party sizes to a max of four and reservations are required. //3708 Harrels Corner Road, Linden, Virginia
Wine club: Anyone who purchases six bottles becomes a Friends of Linden member for a year, with access to exclusive events such as vineyard tours and to the winery’s deck to relax with a post-tasting glass or bottle.
The Vineyards & Winery at Lost Creek
During the pandemic, Loudoun County’s oldest winery expanded its adult-only focus (previously limited to select tasting spaces) to the entire gorgeously landscaped property. The winery opened in 2002, but current owners Todd and Aimee Henkle transformed the setting after taking over in 2012. Lost Creek’s unique culinary program outshines most tasting rooms’ charcuterie and bread offerings, featuring elevated small plates like braised short ribs, smoked trout and roasted baby beets, plus a full weekend brunch and multi-course specialty dinners. Explore the winery’s oaked and steel-aged Chardonnay options and its Bordeaux style red blend Allure–the 2019 bottling of which earned recognition from the Virginia Governor’s Cup competition and several other programs. No walk-ins for groups of more than six people; reservations suggested on weekends. //43285 Spinks Ferry Road, Leesburg, Virginia
Wine club: Three levels of membership include different discounts and a selection of bottles every other month, as well as free monthly tastings and access to a members-only lounge space.
Pearmund Cellars
Pearmund has been operating in Broad Run for more than 20 years. You can order a homemade pizza, a locally brewed beer or a CBD drink along with a dry Petit Manseng or the 2020 8th Mission Black Ops, a military-tribute Bordeaux blend. The winery offers barrel tastings in the winter and futures ordering for pre-bottling vintages, and it hosts events like library wine tastings and luncheons. Reservations to secure tasting space in the barrel room, outside terrace, lawn or among the vines are available but not required, and the winery holds room for walk-in guests. While Pearmund is a 21+ facility, a 280-year-old farmhouse on the property is open to all ages and offers food, wine and beer. // 6190 Georgetown Road, Broad Run, Virginia
Wine club: For $75 a quarter, members receive three bottles–which can be swapped out–and perks such as pick-up parties, discounts and tasting opportunities at sister wineries Vint Hill in Warrenton and Effingham Manor and Winery in Nokesville.
RdV Vineyards
Reservations, starting at $120 per person, are a must for tours and tastings at one of Virginia’s most celebrated and luxurious wine destinations. Your appointment includes a cellar tour, a tasting of several recent vintages and a charcuterie board that pairs with two of the winery’s top selections: Lost Mountain, a Cabernet Sauvignon-forward Bordeaux-style blend, and Rendezvous, a red blend of Cabernet, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. Winemaker Joshua Grainer, who was the first Virginia-based wine professional to earn the venerated Master of Wine title, has been involved in every vintage since the first in 2008. //2550 Delaplane Grade Road, Delaplane, Virginia
Wine club: Two memberships offer access to a yearly allocation of RdV’s flagship wine: Lost Mountain, as well as early options to buy other releases, such as its approachable Friends and Family and rosé.
Slater Run Vineyards
New associate winemaker Karl Selzer, previously with Quièvremont Vineyard & Winery in Washington, Virginia, joined Slater Run Vineyards’ head winemaker Katell Griaud in 2024. The team produces 17 French-style wines, including orange and sparkling bottlings as well as two options that are sulfite-free. The single varietal Cabernet Franc and both of Slater Run’s rosés–a dry Provence-style and a sparkling Pétillant Naturel–are among the winery’s bestsellers. Special events, including dinners, book signings and history lectures, are open to all. Reservations are encouraged, but not required. //1500 Crenshaw Road, Upperville, Virginia
Wine club: Four bottles per quarter–you can skip a quarter or swap out wines–entitles you to complimentary tastings, bottle discounts and access to club-only wines and events, such as a monthly club night with live music.