The Virginia Wineries Association likens “the story” of Virginia wine to that of Virginia itself: “a tale of secondary characters from the Old World who learned to thrive in a new environment.” Faced with unconventional growing conditions, generations of Virginia winemakers were willing to adapt and experiment to perfect their “agricultural art.”
Virginia has been in the wine business since the 1600s when early European settlers tried (and struggled) to cultivate European vines. In fact, there was even a law that required colonists to grow grapevines for the good of the economy. After two centuries of challenges, winemakers figured out how to grow hybrid grapes and others that thrived in the climate and soil. By the late 1800s, Virginia was a top-five U.S. wine production state, but that success was foiled by Prohibition and the Great Depression. The industry was reborn in the 1960s and 1970s, and now Virginia is home to more than 300 wineries, and vineyards cover 4,000 acres across ten regions.
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The commonwealth has eight unique American Viticultural Areas. AVAs are wine grape-growing regions designated by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. Each geographic and climatic “terroir” exhibits a combination of soil, climate, elevation, and history that distinguishes its wines from surrounding areas.
Staunton has easy access to two wine regions:
- The Shenandoah Valley AVA is the commonwealth’s largest and oldest, known for fertile limestone soil and a relatively dry climate, which is good for Cabernet Franc, Riesling, and Chardonnay grapes.
- The Monticello AVA surrounds Charlottesville, extending from the eastern slopes of the Blue Ridge into the Central Piedmont region. Bordeaux varietals, Petit Verdot, and Viognier thrive in the clay soil.
Both regions have made headlines recently: A blind tasting in Paris put Virginia wines ahead of their French counterparts across four categories, while the Shenandoah Valley AVA was named a “Napa Valley Dupe” on The Today Show (fast forward to around 2:45 to see the clip).
For those looking to learn more, a recently released documentary, We the Wine People, takes a deep dive into the history of Virginia’s wine industry, from its roots in colonial plantings in Jamestown to Thomas Jefferson’s dream to cultivate European grapes at Monticello to its modern renaissance in multiple regions throughout the state, including the Shenandoah Valley.
Downtown Staunton sips
Today, Virginia’s wine attracts enthusiasts from around the world, and Staunton is an ideal home base for wine enthusiasts exploring the region’s viticulture. Below is a guide to sipping your way through Staunton and its neighboring wine regions, starting with tasting rooms, bottle shops, and restaurants highlighting Virginia wines in Staunton.
- Ox-Eye Vineyards, with an estate near Swoope, Virginia, has been producing 100 percent estate-grown wine since 2010. Visitors can enjoy tastings led by experienced guides in the Staunton tasting room. Learn about the wine-making process and how to enjoy different types of wine, including varietals that are not common to Virginia. Stick around and share a glass or bottle of your favorites on the covered patio. The upstairs lounge features local art. Accompany your wine with an Ox-Eye charcuterie board or bring nibbles from home or from a local restaurant.
- Pour Decisions Winery puts a fruity twist on the local wine scene, specializing in wines made with peaches, plums, blackberries, blueberries, and more, rather than traditional grape wines. The boutique winery makes and serves its wines in its Staunton tasting room and welcomes the community with events like live music, paint and sips, and comedy nights.
- Accordia Wine Bar and Eatery features wines from Virginia wineries, including Barren Ridge Vineyards, and also carries a large selection of wines from around the world. This wine bar and bistro takes wine education seriously, so if you ask questions or attend a guided tasting, you will come away more savvy about how wine is produced and what to pair it with. Accordia also serves charcuterie boards, tapas, and pintxos that pair with the wine selection.
- Yelping Dog stocks more than 1,500 bottles of wine hailing from both Virginia and around the world. Local selections are often on the menu.
- The Green Room also features Virginia wines on its curated wine, craft beer, and cider menu.
- You can also often find Virginia wine at a number of Staunton’s restaurants like the Chop House Tavern, Sama Sama, BluPoint Seafood, the 1924 Lounge, Zynodoa, Mill Street Grill, Queen City Bistro, and Seed to Tail Kitchen and Market. Ask your server for a wine and food serving suggestion.
Nearby vineyards
Enjoy both the Shenandoah Valley and Monticello wine regions, with scenic mountain views and opportunities to explore nature. After a day of sipping through Virginia wine country, return to Staunton for a lively arts and culture scene, a walkable historic downtown, independent restaurants, and plenty of opportunities to explore.
Shenandoah Valley wine region
- Start at Barren Ridge Vineyards. Located on the grounds of a former apple orchard, this vineyard is family- and dog-friendly and boasts long views over Augusta County farmland. Check the schedule for live music.
- Noer Vineyards brings a family vision to life in the Shenandoah Valley, with estate-grown grapes and a welcoming tasting experience. The story began with a search of more than 85 properties before the family found its home in Verona, where visitors can now enjoy tastings on Saturdays and Sundays.
- Rockbridge Vineyard and Brewery is known for award-winning, minimally processed wine, a relaxed setting, and live music on Sunday afternoons.
- Bluestone Vineyard in Bridgewater makes small-batch wines from estate-grown grapes. Visitors can see sunsets from the west-facing tasting room and patio.
- The Purple Wolf Vineyard in Harrisonburg serves lavender-infused wine, sangria, and wine slushies. Visitors can explore both the vineyards and the lavender farm.
- While not a winery, Common Wealth Crush Co. is a creative incubator for Virginia winemakers, bringing independent producers together to experiment, collaborate, and bring new ideas to life in the glass at its urban tasting room in Waynesboro.
- More area vineyards with views include CrossKeys Vineyards, Marceline Vineyards, Above Ground Winery, Jump Mountain Vineyard, Ecco Adesso Vineyards, and Great Valley Farm Brewery and Vineyard.
Monticello wine region
- King Family Vineyards in Crozet combines Monticello AVA wines with Blue Ridge Mountain views and a polo field where visitors can enjoy summer matches alongside a glass of wine.
- If you would rather sightsee from above, Afton Mountain Vineyards is a spot for tasting several varietals of Virginia wine and reveling in the views of the Blue Ridge.
- Pollak Vineyards pairs estate-grown wines crafted with a French influence with a relaxed tasting experience and views of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
- Veritas Vineyard & Winery combines a wide-ranging portfolio of Virginia wines with mountain views, seasonal dining at The Terrace, and a setting for lingering over a tasting.
- Hazy Mountain pairs estate-grown wines from both the Monticello and Shenandoah Valley AVAs with Tuscan-inspired architecture and panoramic views of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
- Valley Road Vineyards showcases estate-grown wines in a Blue Ridge setting, making it a stop on a Virginia wine-country outing.
- Explore more of the Monticello AVA at Cardinal Point Vineyard & Winery, Flying Fox Vineyard, Michael Shaps Wineworks, Chisholm Vineyards, and White Hall Vineyards, each offering its own take on Virginia wine amid the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Wine experiences
The Virginia Scenic Railway serves Virginia wines and local craft beer on its excursions. Choose dining class tickets or reserve a spot in the dome car or the luxury lounge, which both provide walk-up bar service along with views. Sip & Savor excursions welcome each month with a seasonally appropriate guided tasting from a Virginia winery or cidery. The three-hour round-trip departs from Staunton’s Bridge Street depot, and an onboard expert shares tasting notes and stories about every bottle.
Want to make new memories this fall? Book a Sip & Saddle package during a stay at the Iris Inn. Guests explore mountain trails on a guided horseback ride that ends with a tasting at Afton Mountain Vineyards. Afterwards, return to accommodations at the inn, where guests can relax at the spa, in a private hot tub, or in the views of the Shenandoah Valley from above. Other packages like the Wine Down and Relax package also include Virginia wines.
Along with accommodations and food, the Blackburn Inn’s Sip, Stay, and Explore package includes a winery tour and tastings at Barren Ridge Vineyards and Ox-Eye Vineyards Tasting Room.
Explore vineyards along the Shenandoah Wine Trail, which maps 23 vineyards between Winchester and Natural Bridge and connects visitors to wine, scenery, and local culture. Check the website for details about the individual stops as well as upcoming experiences and events like the 2026 Shenandoah Cup Celebration in Harrisonburg on November 19. Taste wines, sample hors d’oeuvres, and root for favorite bottles to take home the glory.
The Monticello Wine Trail connects more than 40 wineries across Central Virginia’s Monticello AVA, where visitors can discover wines, vineyard landscapes, and the region’s winemaking heritage while planning a tasting route.
Follow Corkscrew Racing for upcoming opportunities to join fellow runners in races that reward finishers with cider, wine, or margaritas at the finish line.
Norm’s Executive Transportation provides customizable wine tours in both the Staunton and Waynesboro and Charlottesville areas. Spend the day indulging in the vineyard experience with friends and know there is a ride home.
Visit Staunton and uncork Virginia wine this weekend.
