Why Virginia Wine 

The history of Virginia wine dates farther back than the history of Virginia itself. When English settlers landed on Virginian soil and established the Jamestown colony in 1607, they noted that native grapes grew in abundance. Despite their efforts, though, they failed to convert these native grapes into palatable wines. The vines were afflicted with disease and the deadly grape phylloxera insect, so the English Colonists soon focused their efforts on a more successful crop— tobacco. 

Next up was Thomas Jefferson, For over 25 years, he experimented tirelessly with planting different European grape varieties at Monticello but, like the Colonists before him, he was largely unsuccessful. 

By the turn of the 21st century, there were over 70 working vineyards. Today, Virginia has more than 4,000 acres of vines and 10 AVAs. In less than 50 years, the number of wineries has exploded from 50 to more than 300, with vineyards planted in a combination of local, European and hybrid varieties. 

Jefferson would be thrilled with the current state of the wine region he dreamed of. The Wine Enthusiast Wine Star Awards honored The Charlottesville area’s Monticello AVA in 2023 with the designation of Wine Region of the Year. This is an exceptional recognition as the finalists were all internationally acclaimed destinations with a thriving viticulture industry: Lambrusco, Italy; Provence, France; Swartland, South Africa; Victoria, Australia. 

But the Monticello AVA is not the only region producing world class wines in Virginia. 

The Shenandoah Valley region is Virginia’s first AVA, identified in 1982. Limestone soil, which is common to the Valley, has been long associated with great wine growing regions in Europe. The Shenandoah Valley AVA’s climate allows grapes to attain higher acidity, generally regarded as good in wine. The cooler, relatively dry climate, soil composition and position between two mountain chains makes the Shenandoah Valley more ideal for viticulture than any of the

state’s other regions. The Shenandoah Valley is relatively dry, a “rain shadow” between the Blue Ridge and Allegheny Mountains; the annual rainfall in the Valley is one half that of the Virginia average. The growing season in the valley is distinctly warmer and drier than in neighboring Virginia regions, which don’t have the natural rain barrier from the nearby mountains and where, east of the Blue Ridge, vineyard soils are primarily clay and loam.^] The conditions in the Shenandoah Valley AVA are thus more hospitable than those east of the mountains for Cabernet Franc, Chambourcin, Cabernet Sauvignon, Lemberger, Petit Manseng, Petit Verdot, Pinot Noir, and Riesling. 

The Northern Virginia area could be America’s next great wine region, according to the Wall Street Journal’s longtime wine columnist.