Potomac Point Vineyard and Winery

Find map and Directions on the page about Potomac Point

As we pointed our car in the direction of Potomac Point Winery and Vineyard, the dripping gray day gave over to the warm sunshine we expect from our Julys – a happy beginning for our “150 Wineries in 150 Days Tour” of Virginia.

We’d never heard of Potomac Point (which wasn’t even on the map when we started winery-ing together 10 years ago).  But it seemed as good a place to start as any – and turned out to be the very experience Rick and I were hoping to find in this new day for Virginia’s wineries.

Turning off 95 south at Stafford, a meandering path took us past a hand-painted sign nailed to a tree (CRABS   $80 Live   $100 Cooked), then right at the Decatur Grocery & Seafood Market, where neighbors hung out chatting, and up a narrow two-lane road to the imposing gates of a Mediterranean-themed winery that seemed thousands of miles from its down-home Prince William County address.

Potomac Point is the new face of winery-as-entertainment in Virginia: a helpful guy to point you to one of the (few) empty spots in the large parking area, a well-planned Tasting Room dominated by a 4-sided tasting bar (with six busy attendants and 40 thirsty patrons), a relaxed, inviting Bistro serving tapas and paninis for lunch and dinner.  Guests choose from cozy patios and sunlit courtyards for sitting, sipping, and taking in the rolling hills view – and the occasional wedding, just down the valley. We watched as a bride emerged as if on cue to make her way across the well-tended lawn to her betrothed. This winery is one well-oiled entertainment machine.

Three tastings are available, the Classic for $5 (9 wines), the Reserve for $7 (7 wines) and the Premier for $10  (everything in sight). We opted for the Premier, which came with a complimentary olive oil tasting and (we were told) two wine glasses.  With only a few years under their belt, Potomac Point has put together an eclectic variety of bottlings, including the popular Chianti-style Abbinato, and the La Belle Vie, an award-winning white table wine.  I was intrigued by the Rabelos dessert wine, a port-style offering with a surprisingly dominant taste of coconut, and picked up a bottle for $30.

Other nice touches here include a Little Buds room, with toys for your little ones, and a warm welcome for pooches. (We spotted two well-behaved puppies bellied up to the tasting bar.)

The only disappointment?  As we were paying for our bottle, the cashier picked up our glasses – to wrap them, I assumed. But no, she said we couldn’t have them because they were running low on glasses.  We pointed out that we’d been told our $20 (for two) Premier tasting included the glasses. She said that sometimes it does, but sometimes it doesn’t, if they’re running low. So, no glasses for us.

Unhappy ending to an otherwise impressive visit.

Group tours are $10 per person for private tasting and tour – call ahead.

Hours:  Sunday – Thursday 11-6 (closed Tuesday), Friday 11-10pm, Saturday 11-9:30pm (Bistro open 11:30-4 Wednesday & Thursday, 11:30-4 and 5-9:30 Friday, 11:30-4 and 5-9 Saturday, 11:30-5 Sunday)

Here is a link to all photos of Potomac Point Winery.