Virginia wineries are very busy during the summer months and more and more people are discovering they are also great to visit when the weather gets cooler.
Tasting rooms are typically less crowded in fall and winter, meaning you’ll likely get more attention.
“Many times you’ll be talking directly with the winemaker or the winery owners who can give you really in-depth stories about why they made the decisions they made either in making the wine or building the winery and it just really enriches the experience,” said Annette Boyd with the Virginia Wine Board.
And when there’s a chill in the air, tasting rooms become cozy places with plenty of indoor events.
“Sitting next to a fireplace and having one of Virginia’s tannats or Petit Verdots makes a lot of sense and you can really taste and appreciate that wine in an environment that’s designed for it, really,” Boyd said.
Sales at Virginia wineries have increased in the off season. For instance, in January, “in fiscal year 2016, Virginia wineries were selling about 15,000 cases of wine out of their tasting rooms. And last fiscal year that grew to like 22,000 cases,” said Boyd.
For more information about Virginia wineries, tasting room hours and events, visit the Virginia Wine website.
