Though the State of Virginia would not be one of the first places you would think of when thinking of wineries, growing grapes for wine has actually been a part of the state’s history since it’s beginnings. Thomas Jefferson was the first person to introduce wine grapes to the state way back in the late 1700’s when he brought some vines over from France. Now Virginia is the 5th largest grape producing state in the country. Wineries are popping up all over the state of Virginia, just as they are everywhere else. And a lot of these wineries are surprisingly very good. Currently, there are about 230 wineries located throughout the state, though mostly in the northern regions. We stumbled across one of these fantastic wineries as we were headed back to Dulles Airport, in Washington D.C. Our delicious find was the Willowcroft Farm Vineyards, located in Leesburg. It is new to me because I have never really been through this area before, however Willowcroft has been around, “making award winning wines since 1984”. Willowcroft is the oldest winery in Loudon valley, and is the 8th oldest winery in the State of Virginia.
Willowcroft wines sits atop Mount Gilead with stunning views of Loudoun Valley and the Blue Ridge Mountains. Home to the winery and the tasting room is a charming, old rustic barn that was built around 1875. Willowcroft is Loudoun Valley’s original winery. Willowcroft grows twelve types of grape varietals on approximately 13 acres of beautiful, rich, lush and fertile grounds. They use mostly their own grapes but do use some of the varietals from some of the neighboring vineyards as well. French hybrids varieties account for nearly 20% of total wine grape production in Virginia, while American varietals make up only about 5% of the total. As of 2012, the top 5 varietals produced are Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Vidal blanc and Viognier. One of the other varietals I was introduced to while at Willowcroft was their Albarino, which was a deliciously new experience for me. Willowcroft offers flights that are pleasing to the dryer palette, like mine, as well as for those who prefer their wines a little on the sweeter side. They have something for everyone.
The Winery and Tasting Room.
The Grounds.
The Medals.
Making mew friends with the Staff and fellow wine enthusiasts. Our wine expert Aaron.
Mary and my new friend Dorthy Memelas.
*** Willowcroft Farm Vineyards is located at 38906 Mt. Gilead Road, Leesburg, VA 20175 and can be found at http://www.willowcroftwine.com
*** Dorothy Memlas is a Remax realtor for the region. So if you are looking for a place by the winery, or maybe even a winery to purchase as your own, Dorothy is the one to call or contact at http://www.MyMontgomeryHomeFinder.com
A Jeanne in the Kitchen 
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