Tag: keswick vineyards

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Culture Food & Drink

Drink in color

Stinson Vineyards’ Tannat has an earthy, complex flavor—perfect for fall. Photo: Staff photo

As summer disappears and temperatures begin to drop, wine drinkers look for more weight, more depth, and more complexity in their glass. This is, in part, to temper the chill in the air, but it also means wines that will better pair with the food of the season. Autumn leads to more roasting, smoking, stews, and heavier desserts. It also means more cooking over coals, hanging out on the deck, and time spent around open fire. 

Almost all red wines fit naturally into the seasonal shift. If you stick strictly to white wines, the lean, crisp whites and rosés that were a mainstay of the beach and poolside won’t feel as substantial as wines with more weight and texture. Look to flavors that tend toward stone fruits and tropical fruits, as opposed to just citrus notes.

Here are some new locally produced wines suited to your autumn tailgate, barbecue, or firepit.

The 2020 Keswick Vineyards Rives White is a blend of pinot gris and chardonnay that has lighter citrus fruit notes combined with deeper flavors of white peaches and apricots. The fruit is complemented nicely by hints of vanilla. A medium weight on the palate yields easily to a crisp, acidic finish, and it would be a perfect pairing with roasted chicken or a root vegetable gratin.

The 2019 Gabriele Rausse Winery Roussanne is produced from 100 percent Virginia-grown roussanne grapes, an unusual variety for the state that is not widely known or planted. Rausse’s European roots are obvious here. After fermentation is complete, 75 percent of the wine is aged in French oak barrels and 25 percent is aged in Italian terracotta amphorae for one year. The resulting wine has an elegant floral nose that hints at orange blossoms, a palate that is broad and full, with flavors of tangerine and vanilla that are almost reminiscent of a baked pastry. It finishes without sweetness and just a hint of textural astringency. Try this with a pork roast, smoked turkey, or roasted sweet potatoes. 

When the temperatures are too high, even dedicated red wine drinkers have a hard time thinking about consuming big-bodied tannic wines. So, the transition into autumn is an exciting time because it’s a chance to bring out wines with more flavor and complexity. In Virginia, as in other parts of the world, varieties such as petit verdot and tannat are often utilized in blends with other red grapes to achieve deeply colored, structured, and boldly flavored wines. 

The 2017 Hark Vineyards Spark is a red blend of cabernet franc, merlot, and petit verdot that was aged in oak barrels for 20 months. Deeply garnet colored, the nose is full of sweet tobacco, black fruit, and vanilla. The taste follows the aromas, with black plum and blackberries combining with smoke, leather, and baking spices. While this has enough structure that it should age well, it also would pair well now with a steak, a smoked brisket, or a venison stew. 

In addition to being used in blends, petit verdot and tannat are also being made in Virginia as single varietal wines. The 2017 Stinson Vineyards Tannat is an outstanding example of this. While tannat is a grape that brings very prominent tannins, Stinson has produced a version that reveals a lifted and elegant fruit structure of cherry and plum on top of those tannins. Aged 27 months in oak, there are also flavors of smoke, tobacco, and earth that add complexity and weight. The combination of fruit with a smoky, earthy backbone makes this a great match for barbecue, smoked sausage, or a spicy black bean soup.

Wine as an option during, or even in place of, the dessert course is often overlooked. While some may tend toward harder spirits like bourbon or brandy around a fire, an interesting option might be the many dessert wines produced by adding brandy to wine. This is an old and traditional winemaking technique that stops fermentation to maintain sweetness, and at the same time fortifies the wine (increases alcohol) to give it body and concentration. 

The Afton Mountain Vineyards VDN (non-vintage) takes its name from the vin doux naturel style of winemaking that originated in southern France. Although these wines are sweet, the process of making them does not involve added sugar. Instead, brandy is added to grapes to stop fermentation, preventing the yeast from converting all the sugar from the grapes into alcohol and thus leaving residual sweetness in the wine. The Afton version comes in at 20 percent alcohol and is made from a blend of malbec and tannat grapes. It is full of deep plum and berry flavors combined with a pleasant sweetness. Try it paired with a blackberry cobbler, caramel-pecan pie, or anything chocolate.

Fall for these local bottlings

2020 Keswick Vineyards Rives White Blend

$27.95 for a 750ml bottle

keswickvineyards.com

2019 Gabriele Rausse Winery Roussanne

$26 for a 750ml bottle

gabrieleraussewinery.com

2017 Hark Vineyards Spark Red Blend

$42 for a 750ml bottle

harkvineyards.com

2017 Stinson Vineyards Tannat

$37.99 for a 750ml bottle

stinsonvineyards.com

Afton Mountain Vineyards VDN (non-vintage)

$32 for a 325ml bottle

aftonmountainvineyards.com

Categories
Coronavirus News

Tough call: Some local businesses reopen, while others hold off

Three Notch’d Brewing Company was one of the area establishments that welcomed back customers May 15, under Phase One of Virginia’s reopening. “We’ve really been preparing to do this for eight weeks,” says Scott Roth, the brewery’s president. PC: Sanjay Suchak

On Friday, May 15, a number of Virginia businesses got the green light to reopen (with restrictions), as part of Phase One of Governor Ralph Northam’s plan. But locally, response has been mixed, with some establishments instituting new safety measures to bring in badly needed customers, while others stay shut for now. Though the number of positive COVID-19 tests and hospitalizations in the state have declined over the past two weeks, there has been at least one new reported case of the virus almost every day for the past two weeks in the Charlottesville area.

Under Northam’s plan, restaurants with outdoor seating (along with places of worship) can reopen at 50 percent capacity. With its ample outdoor space, Three Notch’d Brewing Company is in a position to be a “leader in the community in setting a really high standard for what [reopening] should look like in our industry,” says president Scott Roth.

“We’ve really been preparing to do this for eight weeks. We’ve had a gloves-and-mask policy since March, and have required that our employees do daily wellness checks and screenings,” Roth adds. “[We’ve] been able to secure hand sanitizer to put on every table…[and] have 40-something-odd seats spaced appropriately on the patio,” among other health and safety measures.

In-person sales are vital to local craft breweries and wineries, and many have taken the opportunity to reopen. Random Row and Decipher Brewing have implemented policies similar to those at Three Notch’d, while Devils Backbone and Starr Hill are also requiring reservations and asking patrons to wear face coverings when not seated at their table. Champion Brewing announced its two locations will remain closed except for takeout and delivery, while it “continues developing plans for safe outdoor seating.”

Some wineries, like Keswick and Veritas, are also requiring reservations, while Knight’s Gambit allows walk-ins.

Multiple local restaurants have opened up their outdoor seating too, such as Ace Biscuit & Barbecue, The Lazy Parrot, and Martin’s Grill.

Under Phase One, non-essential retail is also allowed to open at 50 percent capacity, and several local retailers are now allowing limited in-person shopping. Customers can schedule a private shopping appointment at downtown boutiques Darling and Arsenic and Old Lace Vintage, as well as at The Artful Lodger and Lynne Goldman Elements. They can also shop (without an appointment) at certain stores, like Mincer’s at Stonefield, which is allowing no more than six customers inside at a time, and is requiring all customers and employees to wear masks.

Following state guidelines, some nail salons, hairdressers, and other personal grooming businesses across town have opened up by appointment only, including Boom Boom Nail and Waxing Lounge, His Image Barber Shop & Natural Hair Studio, and Hazel Beauty Bar. While restrictions vary at each establishment, all customers and employees are required to wear face masks at all times, forbidding services (such as lip waxing) that require removal of masks.

Despite all of these reopenings, dozens of other local businesses have decided to stick with contactless curbside pickup and delivery for now, citing health and safety concerns.

“Some of you may ask what it will take for us to reconsider and open our doors again. Again, in all honesty, we’re not quite sure. Certainly, a much more robust testing and contact tracing policy by our state and country,” said Ragged Mountain Running Shop in a May 12 Facebook post. “Beyond that, the emergence of more effective treatment options, widespread antibody testing, and on the distant horizon, a vaccine.”

While a couple of restaurants on the Downtown Mall, such as Vita Nova and Taste of India, have opened up their patios, many have decided to hold off—including Draft Taproom, The Whiskey Jar, Ten, The Fitzroy, The Pie Chest, The Alley Light, Citizen Burger Bar, and Zocalo.

Some, like Citizen Burger, pointed out that the mall is not the ideal location for safe outdoor seating. Though tables can be spaced at least six feet apart, restaurants have a limited amount of patio space available. Mall pedestrians are also able to walk right next to the patios, making it potentially more difficult to enforce social distancing guidelines.

Brooke Fossett, owner of The Brow House, has also decided not to reopen under Phase One, because she and her employees did not feel it was safe to do so.

“We literally touch people’s faces,” she says. “Salons and spas should not have been in Phase One. I know how bad some of them—and us—are struggling, and I wish that there was more support from the government for our industry.”

Hairstylist Claibourne Nesmith, who will not be opening her salon, The Honeycomb, until Phase Two, also thinks that personal grooming businesses should not be open now, and were thrown into Phase One “to appease people,” she says.

“Right now we don’t have adequate access to PPE…We don’t even have Barbicide or reusable tools that they are requiring for us to have,” says Nesmith. “If we’re getting all these requirements to be this careful, it kind of sounds like we’re not ready to go back.”

And under the state’s restrictions, those in the personal grooming industry who do go back to work will not be able to make much money, due to their limited amount of appointments (and tips), says Nesmith, who is currently advocating with others for partial unemployment benefits for employees who rely on tips (including waiters).

“This is just above our pay grade,” she says.

Categories
Knife & Fork Magazines

A taste of home: Virginia wine pairings for classic holiday meals

There’s a Virginia wine for every classic holiday dish. Just follow our little guide! Photo: Morgan Salyer

If you haven’t already noticed, it’s time to take a look. Over there, in the wine section at your favorite market, the made-in-Virginia selection has grown. The commonwealth’s industry is coming into its own, presenting a bounty of bottles that will not only please the crowd but also impress the connoisseurs at your holiday table. That said, we understand there are still choices to be made, so we’re here to remove the guesswork. We can’t guarantee you won’t be dissed by that guy, the wine know-it-all. But opting for local wines—like these exceptional bottles—will make you look just that much more enlightened. We even throw in a cider recommendation, because…cider.

Easy-drinking white

Deer Rock White, DelFosse Vineyards

This wine checks all the boxes for a one-size-fits-all white: Its blend of four grapes comes together with light, tropical aromas and a touch of sweetness on the tongue for under 20 dollars. The 2017 bottling—a blend of viognier, pinot gris, petit manseng, and sauvignon blanc—won gold in this year’s top Virginia wine competition, the Governor’s Cup. $18. DelFosse Vineyards. 500 DelFosse Winery Ln., Faber. 263-6100. delfossewine.com

Easy-drinking red

Table Red, Flying Fox Vineyard

A versatile, smooth, semi-dry blend of cabernet franc and merlot, Table Red fits in anywhere, from hors d’oeuvres to dessert. Drink it chilled or mull it for warmth when you go a-wassailing—just heat with a few cinnamon sticks and cloves. $18. Flying Fox Vineyard. 10368 Critzer Shop Rd., Afton. 361-1692. flyingfoxvineyard.com

Easy-drinking cider

Ragged Mountain, Albemarle CiderWorks

Albemarle CiderWorks is known for crafting complex ciders that rival wine in finesse and the knack for elevating food flavors. Crafted from a blend of apples including Albemarle Pippin, Goldrush, Pink Lady, and Virginia Gold, Ragged Mountain is among the cidery’s simpler styles, with a nice balance of sweetness and acidity, making it approachable for cider newbies, and also a good pairing for rich foods like aged cheddar cheese. $15. Albemarle CiderWorks. 2545 Rural Ridge Ln.,, North Garden. 979-1663. albemarleciderworks.com

 

Appetizer pairing

2011 Blanc de Noir, Keswick Vineyards

The region’s abundant fall produce makes it simple to whip up an over-the-top platter: think beet hummus, smoky grilled zucchini, roasted peppers with feta and oregano, and homemade spiced apples. All of these flavors demand a vibrant sparkling wine like this one, which is made from the red cabernet franc grape but using the traditional methods of the France’s Champagne region. $35. Keswick Vineyards. 1575 Keswick Winery Dr., Keswick. 244-3341. keswickvineyards.com

Roast turkey pairing

Pinot Noir, Ankida Ridge Vineyards

Ankida Ridge Vineyards’ Burgundian-style (meaning, earthy and refined) 2016 Pinot Noir is available online and in some local shops, but consider taking a leisurely drive to buy a few bottles at the winery’s views-for-miles mountain-top tasting room. Each time you pop a cork, you’ll remember the beautiful journey. This wine, which is “rich with ripe red fruits [and] cranberry,” according to Ankida’s website, is perfect with turkey. (For an elegant touch, add some wine to the gravy.) $44. Ankida Ridge Vineyards. 1304 Franklin Creek Rd., Amherst. 922-7678. ankidaridge.com

Holiday ham pairing

Riesling, Cardinal Point Winery

Dry or semi-dry riesling is a classic holiday food wine, but the grape isn’t typically suited to Virginia’s hot, humid climate. At Cardinal Point Winery, though, winemaker Tim Gorman has been nurturing some riesling vines for years, mostly for use in blending. The 2017 harvest gave him just the right conditions to make his first varietal riesling since 2007. With just a touch of sweetness, the pairs beautifully with ham, whether it’s brown sugar-glazed, smoked, or brined with a peppery crust. $25. Cardinal Point Winery. 9423 Batesville Rd., Afton. (540) 456-8400. cardinalpointwinery.com

Veggie pairing

Petit Manseng, Horton Vineyards

Raw veggies can make for a difficult wine pairing, but adding a little heat and spice opens the door to inspiration. Brussels sprouts roasted with onions and beets, savory sweet potatoes with nutmeg, and green beans sautéed in olive oil and seasoned with salt and fresh-cracked black pepper (are you hungry yet?) will find a flavorful complement in Horton Vineyard’s dry, citrus-y 2016 Petit Manseng. $25. Horton Vineyards. 6399 Spotswood Trail, Gordonsville. (540) 832-7440. hortonwine.com

Dessert pairing

Paxxito, Barboursville Vineyards

Barboursville Vineyards’ voluptuous Paxxito is a classic dessert wine. Crafted from early-harvest, air-dried moscato ottonel and vidal grapes, the apricot and nectarine flavors tease out the sweetness of a ginger pumpkin pie with toasted coconut, while its rich texture and fresh acidity also make it a perfect foil for simple frosted sugar cookies. $32 (375 ml). Barboursville Vineyards. 17655 Winery Rd., Barboursville. (540) 832-3824. bbvwine.com

Categories
Food & Drink Living

Fall for it: Expert tips for throwing a wine harvest party

Table settings that include the color blue, like these from The Market at Grelen, in Somerset, are a good match for the neutral hues of fall. Photo: Courtesy of The Market at Grelen

After the harvest rain-out of 2018, this year’s Virginia wine vintage brings especially welcome news: a healthy, plentiful crop of ripe reds and whites, now bubbling merrily away in fermentation tanks before their long winter’s rest. Wineries are preparing to celebrate with harvest parties scheduled for the weekend of October 19, including events at Valley Road Vineyards, Courthouse Creek Cider, and Veritas Vineyard & Winery, among others.

“We kicked off the harvest party theme last year as a way for wineries, retailers, restaurants, and the public to help celebrate October as Virginia Wine Month,” says Annette Boyd, director of the Virginia Wine Marketing Office. “The concept has really taken off. This is an event we want to build each year to celebrate the bounty of all products grown in Virginia, in addition to Virginia wines.”

We loved the idea, so we asked local experts for some tips to help you plan your own harvest party this month.

Harvest wine and food pairing

Priscilla Martin Curley

Co-owner, The Wine Guild of Charlottesville; general manager, Monticello Farm Table Café

“I think a great way to celebrate the Virginia harvest would be to pair a Virginia wine specialty, such as dry petit manseng, with a fire-roasted pork loin served with paw paw jam. The sweet-tart quality of the paw paws married with the smoky char of the pork will bring out the subtle tropical honey notes in the petit manseng while contrasting with the bitter qualities. Plus, it’s an impressive but simple showstopper for any harvest party meal! You can even use the unique-looking paw paw fruit as part of your centerpiece along with some beautiful fall foliage.”

Where to find it: “Try Horton Vineyards’ 2015 Petit Manseng ($25)—it won the 2019 Virginia Governor’s Cup. I’d also recommend Michael Shaps Wineworks petit manseng ($30). Shaps was one of the first to make a dry version of this wine.” Curley forages for her paw paw fruit, but it’s also available seasonally at farmers’ markets. Horton, (540) 832-7440; hortonwine.com. Shaps, 529-6848; virginiawineworks.com

A fresh take on tableware

Tabatha Wilson

Manager, The Market at Grelen

“When creating your fall tablescape, don’t be afraid to mix up the traditional for something a little more fun—adding color is a great way to spice up your tabletop. Blue is one of our favorites because it is such a versatile color, and when paired with neutral hues it can be very elegant. Colored glassware is a beautiful way to add color to your table. Also, little seasonal touches, like a simple feather in a napkin ring, can make a big statement.”

Where to find it: The Market at Grelen, Somerset, (540) 672-7268; themarketatgrelen.com

Breezy centerpieces

Jazmin Portnow

Owner, Anyvent Event Planning

“My key to a good table setting is to incorporate quirky and unexpected seasonal elements as part of your centerpieces. A wedding trend that will make an appearance in my seasonal and holiday centerpieces is pampas grass. It’s wild, fun, and has a wheat-like aesthetic that’s perfect for fall.”

Where to find it: Pampas grass is readily available at local florists, including Colonial Florist, in Gordonsville. (540) 832-3611; colonialfloristantiques.com

Bring on the fire

Casey Eves

Founder and owner, Casey Eves Design

“For festive events, nothing is better than a supervised fire pit and a s’mores station! The secret ingredient to killer seasonal s’mores? Peppermint bark instead of Hershey bars.”

Where to find it: Feast! co-owner Kate Collier vouches for the peppermint bark personally—it’s made by her mom, Maggie Castillo, of nearby Hunt Country Foods. 244-7800; feastvirginia.com

Blue is a good choice for fall tablescapes because it’s “such a versatile color, and when paired with neutral hues it can be very elegant,” says Tabatha Wilson, manager at The Market at Grelen.

 

More food and wine pairings

The hearty, savory dishes of fall lend themselves well to wines like gewürztraminer, barbera, and cabernet franc. Mulled wine (heated and spiced with cinnamon, cloves, and other typical fall spices) is another great option for outdoor harvest parties. And don’t forget Virginia’s meads, the original party wine. Here are our recommendations; available at the wineries listed.

Gewürztraminer, Afton Mountain Vineyards, Afton ($28)

This aromatic, slightly sweet wine originally hails from Germany, but for a fun food pairing, think more exotic: coriander-spiced roasted chickpeas, garlicky grilled chicken wings, or cinnamon-laced chili. (540) 456-8667, aftonmountainvineyards.com

2017 Barbera Reserve, Glass House Winery, Free Union ($30)

This high-acid wine is a perfect match for a high-acid food like tomatoes, so try heirloom tomatoes with fresh mozzarella and balsamic, or spaghetti squash with a sauce of late-season crushed tomatoes and basil from the garden. 975-0094, glasshousewinery.com

2017 Cabernet Franc, Keswick Vineyards, Keswick ($59)

One of Virginia’s top wines for 2019, this cab franc stands up to strong herbal flavors, so how about surprising your guests with some surprisingly easy Cornish game hens roasted with plenty of herbs like thyme, rosemary, and sage? 244-3341, keswickvineyards.com

Spicy Rivanna, Burnley Vineyards, Barboursville ($15)

This blend is perfect as mulled wine—ready to heat and drink. The winery adds natural flavorings of cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, allspice, anise, orange peel, and lemon peel to their Rivanna Red, and sells it by the bottle. 960-4411, burnleywines.com

Voyage, Hill Top Berry Farm and Winery, Nellysford ($22)

Made from 100 percent fermented honey, this is Hill Top’s version of the mead that the Vikings drank. It pairs with hunks of crusty bread, hard cheese, and cured meats. Pick up a bottle of Cyser (apple mead), Lavender Metheglin (spiced mead), or Hunter’s Moon (spiced pumpkin mead) and treat your mates to a mead taste-off. Hilltop Berry Farm and Winery, 361-1266—N.B.

Categories
Living

Buzzkill: Government shutdown put squeeze on Virginia wineries

Brian Schornberg (right) of Keswick Vineyards says the government shutdown hurt business. Photo: Amy Jackson Smith

Even though the federal government shutdown is temporarily on hold, Virginia’s winemakers have taken an economic hit that will only worsen if the freeze resumes as announced, on February 15. Regardless, the negative effects are likely to linger into the spring and summer,  industry sources say.

The primary sticking point is the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, which must approve formulas and labels for new products before they are issued for public consumption, whether by bottle, can, or keg. While TTB employees were out of work, the fine folks who make your adult beverages were out of luck.

“If a winery loses a new wine because it has sat too long [before bottling] and aged-out, that’s a big deal,” says Mary Beth Williams, of Williams Compliance and Consulting, which represents 150 wineries statewide. “The government is tying winemakers’ hands.”

Luca Paschina, general manager and winemaker at Barboursville Vineyards, says most of his recent vintages will make it to market in spite of the shutdown, because wines produced the same way year after year are not subject to TTB approval, known in the industry as a COLA (Certificate of License Approval). Regardless, he’s still concerned.

“I do have two labels awaiting approval,” Paschina says. “They are for wines we intend to release later in the year. We’ll have to wait and see what happens.”

Other wines hijacked by the TTB closure included a new viognier by Septenary Winery, in Greenwood, and a sparkling white by Peaks of Otter Winery, in Bedford. “We wanted to have this wine ready for sale by this summer, but I’m not sure that will happen now,” Danny Johnson, Peaks of Otter’s co-owner, told The News & Advance of Lynchburg.

Closer to home, at Keswick Vineyards, the shutdown impact has been both immediate and quantifiable—and a hindrance to expansion plans the owners had hoped to realize in the spring.

“The majority of our traffic on the weekends is from the D.C. area, and that has been drastically reduced,” says Brian Schornberg, Keswick’s wine club manager and son of Al and Cindy Schornberg, who bought the winery in 1999. “A lot our customers work for the government and [were] not receiving a paycheck. So, they put off visiting, which put a dent in tasting-room sales.”

Keswick has also had “about a dozen wine-club cancellations,” which translate to monetary losses of “several grand a year,” he adds.

Keswick had also applied months before the shutdown for TTB licenses to execute expansion plans, Schornberg says. He declined to reveal specifics, but hinted that the winery may be looking to increase wine production or make another type of alcoholic beverage. Whether that’s cider, beer, or spirits, the plans are on hold.

“We were hoping to have all of our plans approved so we could begin production by April,” he says. “That’s not going to happen. We’re kind of handcuffed, to tell the truth.”

The shutdown came on the heels of a grape harvest depleted by the year’s record-breaking rainfall, which caused some wineries to lose 40 percent or more of their fruit.

“The 2018 vintage was already weird,” Williams says. “Winemaking, and bringing a wine to market, is extremely time-sensitive. It may not seem like a huge problem today, but I do think it’s going to emerge as one in as soon as a couple of weeks.”

Categories
Living

LIVING Picks: Week of October 18-24

Potter’s Craft Cider will offer 10 ciders on tap as well as a hot, spiced, fortified cider at its wassail event.

Health & Wellness
Working Woods Walk
Saturday, October 21

Hike through Montpelier Demonstration Forest to learn about forest conservation and its many perks, today and historically. $5, 2-4 pm. James Madison’s Montpelier, 11350 Constitution Hwy., Montpelier Station. (540) 672-2728.

Family
Apple festival
Saturday, October 21, and Sunday, October 22

This fall festival includes food vendors and crafts, hayrides, apple sling shot, corn maze, apple butter, cider, bouncy houses, a kids corner and live music. Free admission, 9am- 5pm. Drumheller’s Orchard, 1130 Drumheller Orchard Ln., Lovingston. drumhellersorchard.com

Food & Drink
Wine Down Wednesday
Wednesday, October 18

Wind down midweek with live music from Chamomile & Whiskey and wine tasting at Keswick Vineyards’ last Wine Down Wednesday of the season. Admission is free, 5:30-8:30pm. Keswick Vineyards, 1575 Keswick Winery Dr., Keswick. 244-3341.

Nonprofit
Pancakes for Parkinson’s
Saturday, October 21

Enjoy pancakes while supporting a good cause at UVA’s 14th annual Pancakes for Parkinson’s event. Admission is free but donations are welcome, 9am-1pm. UVA South Lawn. p4patuva.com

Categories
News

War on weddings: Looming legislation troubles local businesses

Keswick Vineyards owner Al Schornberg says a one-acre vineyard is only a $20,000 expenditure and compares it to the millions invested in growing grapes at Keswick. He hopes to see stricter restrictions. Photo by Martyn Kyle

Some professionals in the wedding business see Albemarle County’s attempts to further regulate events at farm wineries, cideries, breweries and distilleries as a blatant attack on a burgeoning industry—and they’re not sure why.

Amid crowd murmurs that the county is working toward finding “a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist,” senior planner Mandy Burbage presented a staff report to supervisors and planning commissioners at a joint work session June 14 that recommended limiting events at those venues to 24 per year.

Jen Fariello, a wedding photographer who spoke along with other industry professionals including event planners, limousine drivers, caterers and musicians, says capping weddings at these types of farm venues could imminently harm her business.

“We have an incredibly positive and thriving and profitable wedding industry,” she says. “We cannot talk about the huge success of the wedding industry without it being tied in to the farm winery, farm cidery and now brewery and distillery industry. They’re incredibly linked.”

While Charlottesville and surrounding counties are known as a hub for destination weddings, Fariello says brides and grooms-to-be aren’t attracted to the area for its mass of hotels or restaurants—it’s the “bucolic countryside” they’re attracted to.

Borrowed & Blue’s co-founder and CEO Adam Healey calculates the wedding industry as having an economic impact of $158 million in Albemarle County, and the local wedding market has been ranked as one of the top five for destination weddings on the East Coast, he says.

“Why are weddings being attacked?” Fariello asked. “Why would the county squash the golden goose?”

And she was happy to learn that most supervisors and planning commissioners felt the same way.

Diantha McKeel, vice chair of the Albemarle Board of Supervisors, said it best: “I’m not excited about caps.”

A current issue, staff reported, is the number of places acting as farm wineries, cideries, breweries and distilleries. The comprehensive plan dictates that those businesses should not be solely event venues and, according to the county’s senior planner, “that potential does exist.”

Al Schornberg, owner of Keswick Vineyards and one of 27 members of the public to speak at the meeting, says those types of venues, or “faux wineries,” as he calls them, are already here among 29 local wineries currently classified as farm wineries.

“There’s companies that want to take advantage of the farm winery ordinance to do events without really making the investment in vineyards and cellars,” Schornberg says. According to state regulations, 51 percent of a farm winery’s grapes used to make wine must be grown on the farm. Staff recommended going a step further in the county and requiring each winery to also have at least one acre of vines on-site. But, for Schornberg, who says he has invested millions of dollars in grape growing, a one-acre vineyard—or roughly a $20,000 investment—isn’t enough to inaugurate a legitimate winery.

“Any winery or any establishment that claims to be a winery and doesn’t have a cellar isn’t really a winery,” he says. Though he won’t point fingers, he says some new wineries seem to follow that trend. And “it’s not really fair to legitimate farm wineries who have made the investment in vineyards and cellars and things like that,” he says. “It’s not a level playing field.”

Officials agreed that the zoning amendment to ensure that farm wineries, cideries, breweries and distilleries are not just taking on that name in the guise of an event venue should move forward.

“Where does it end?” rural landowner Elizabeth Neff asked, encouraging the officials to look 50 or 100 years into the future if events at farm venues in question aren’t capped. “How do you want rural people to live?”

Complaints from neighbors mostly came from noise from events and the number of people visiting the county.

A 50-vehicle trip event cap (or 25 each way) exists in the current ordinance, triggering the need for a zoning clearance, which is a $50 permit.

“That’s an awful lot of people in a car if you’re going to have 200,” commissioner Mac Lafferty noted. Currently, a special use permit is required for events at farm venues with more than 200 people. A zoning ordinance allows venues to play amplified music at a cost of $50, but the new amendment proposes the need for a special use permit, which could cost about $2,000.

Ultimately, as new legislation that would limit their labor loomed, the faces of farm wineries, cideries, breweries and distilleries made it clear to county leaders that partnering with the event industry makes their work possible.

“We have not seen the issues that apparently are out there,” Charlotte Shelton, the owner of Albemarle Ciderworks, said. Generating revenue through holding events, she said, “can be the difference between breaking even or stumbling along.”

By the end of summer, county staff will have a draft of the text amendment.

Corrected June 24 with information to reflect that the 50-vehicle trip event cap already exists and a $2,000 special use permit to allow amplified sound at events would be a one-time cost.