“150 Wineries in 150 Days: Virginia” – Stop #5
There’s a map and more information on the page about Rogers Ford Farm Winery.
Rogers Ford Winery, Sumerduck, VA
Carlotta Puckett could not have been more welcoming. You’d think after hosting a group of 70 or so heritage-seeking visitors the day before – at a winery that could fit maybe five very thin women in the tasting area – that she would be a little tuckered out. But no, she was warm and laid back and ready with some great stories about the 30 years of winemaking she and her husband, John, have shared.
Rogers Ford is off the beaten track a bit, outside the tiny town of Sumerduck, east of Culpeper, and Rick and I had Carlotta to ourselves. We admired the massive, 200 year old maple tree shading the small front deck of the little white house that served as the tasting room. Even older than that tree was the gorgeous mid-1600s slab of wood serving as the tasting bar – part of an ancient, fallen tree from Hickory Hill, former home of Robert and Ethel Kennedy in McLean, VA. Carlotta had much to share, and us with so little time…one of the disadvantages of taking on such a big project. This is where you want to settle in and just chat for a bit.
The Pucketts started their Virginia winemaking with the now-defunct Dominion Winery in 1985, opening Rogers Ford in 2001. They specialize in classic dry and semi-sweet wines, and their decades of wine-love show – we picked up a bottle of the delicious Jacob Christoper Chardonnay (with its unusual and attractive flavor of cinnamon) AND a bottle of the green apple-scented Vidal Blanc. (Tasting $5, or just $2 if you don’t want to keep the glass.)
As we drove away, I said to Rick, “We’re going to have to keep an eye on our wine purchases. We’re spending a lot of money.”
And Rick said, “Carlotta was lovely and the wine was good. What more is there?”
Hours: Spring and summer 11-6 Friday – Monday; winter 11-5 Friday – Monday
Tags: app, Rogers Ford, travel Virginia Wine in My Pocket, Virginia, wine, wineries
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Nancy and Rick, I hope you enjoyed your visit to Rogers Ford and I’m sorry that I missed you. I was working with Dad in the winery. Good luck with the big project and please come visit us again when you have more time. We’ll make sure you get a proper tour.
-Johnny Puckett
Hi Johnny – we would love to come back! We’ve got about 120 more wineries to do on our “150 Wineries in 150 Days Tour,” and then we’re going to start over again!
Keep up the great work – enjoyed the bottle of Vidal Blanc we picked up from you the other day!