RdV Vineyards is hands-down the best winery in Virginia and with over 300 to choose from, that is saying something! About an hour from DC, it is a must-try for any wine lover. RdV is putting Virginia wine country on the map. Their specialty is a Cabernet Sauvignon blend that straddles the gap between Napa and Bordeaux styles, appropriate considering Virginia is geographically situated about halfway between the two. Their wines are highly rated and are frequently featured on the wine lists of DC’s Michelin-starred restaurants. After trying a glass, at Metier, during an Anniversary dinner a couple years ago, we knew we had to make a trip.
The Winery
RdV Vineyards is nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, in the historic town of Delaplane. Founded by Rutger De Vink, who grew up in Europe and had a strong vision of creating an American iconic wine. After three years of searching, De Vink finally found the perfect terrain to start making his dream a reality. The extremely hilly and rocky terrain is actually the perfect condition for making wine with depth. De Vink installed giant, test-tube-like samples of the soil outside the cellar so when you tour, it’s super cool to see for yourself the rocks and granite the hills are made of. The winery is stunning and very welcoming. The tour will take you downstairs where you can see the wine production area, which was shockingly small and then proceed into the wine cave and barrel rooms. The winery is beautiful inside and out and perfect to spend an afternoon taking in the views with amazing wine.
View entering the winery
Winery entrance
Wine bottling area
Wine blending room
Check out the size of that bottle 😉
Wine Cave
Planning A Visit
Before you book a party bus and pull up on your next winery hopping tour, you should know that tastings are by appointment only and are currently offered at $120 per person (no, that’s not a typo). Before you scoff at the price tag, this is not your typical wine tasting. These are world-class wines that are highly sought after, earning praise from big names like James Suckling and Robert Parker and the exclusive experience is priced accordingly.
The tasting experience includes an intimate guided tour of the stunning winery and caves followed by a vertical flight of three wines that showcase their world class blends. We loveeeee a charcuterie board and thankfully their experience includes a seasonal charcuterie and cheese board that perfectly complements each wine.
Seasonal and local charcuterie board
The Wine
After our first visit, we were hooked and needed no more convincing to buy as many bottles as we could get our hands on. Easier said than done. We were not exaggerating when we said this wine is highly sought after! The winery produces just 2,000 cases per year (less than 0.2% of Virginia’s total production) and only members are guaranteed an allocation. After about a year on their waitlist, we were lucky enough to become ambassadors (aka members) and look forward to our annual allocation announcement, special events, and other fun perks. Even if membership is not for you, we highly recommend planning a visit to celebrate a special occasion, impress visiting family or friends, or just to shake up your weekend routine. Their wine and vineyards are truly one of a kind and we are lucky to live so close.
Wine Tasting: 2013 Lost Mountain, 2020 Rendezvous and 2020 Lost Mountain
2013 Lost Mountain: 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Cabernet Franc and 20% Merlot
2020 Rendezvous: 56% Merlot, 26% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc and 8% Petit Verdot
2020 Lost Mountain: 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Cabernet Franc and 1% Merlot
On our most recent visit this past fall I recently discovered a new favorite, Aubry Champagne (below). I mean, just look at the color, so good!
Aubry, Brut, Jouy-Les-Reims NV
Cheers to RdV Vineywards for making an iconic American wine.
After all, life is too short to drink bad wine 😉
Let us know if you visit!
Gina