Chester Gap Cellars

(Note – Geo Coords listed here are not personally confirmed. This is according to Google maps and/or another web source; your mileage may vary!)

On top of the world. That’s literally where you’ll be when you visit Chester Gap Cellars at the northern tip of beautiful Rappahannock County, enjoying not only stunning views from the Cellar’s open-air tasting patio but truly great, hand-crafted wines.

At over 1,000 feet elevation but conveniently located just off of Route 522, near Front Royal and I-66, the Cellars is a prime destination for day trippers or weekenders seeking a tranquil, intimate, friendly place to put their feet up, taste through Bernd Jung’s estate-grown Viognier, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and innovative blends, and let their eyes feast on lovingly tended vines and the endless blue mountains and hills of the southeast Piedmont.

What is the wine all about at Chester Gap Cellars? The Jung family’s commitment to growing the highest quality grapes and Bernd’s commitment to capturing the full flavor of that quality through minimal intervention. High elevation, an eastern exposure, well-drained rocky soils, nearly frost-free conditions, and cooler summer days and nights all add up to grapes that can ”hang” in the vineyard until optimal ripeness is achieved.

Tasting fee $7.
Open Friday 12:00PM-6:00PM;
Saturday 11:00PM-6:00PM;
Sunday 11:00PM-5:00PM;
Memorial Day and Labor Day 11:00PM-5:00PM;
or contact Bernd to set-up a private tasting or off hours appointment (540-636-8086 or e-mail Bernd@ChesterGapCellars.com.)

“Nothing about the drive to Chester Gap Cellars hints at the “”wow”" experience of turning the corner toward the tasting room.  Suddenly, the ground falls away, and the 1000-foot elevation frames a brilliant hundred-mile view.

If you can, settle in to one of the handful of tables and chairs on the deck outside the simple tasting room. 

The hard-working owners do the pouring at the tasting bar, where you can try out a couple of Viogniers, a Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, and a Cuvee Manseng – an interesting blend of Petite Manseng and Viognier.  There’s a nice buzz about the wine quality here at this little winery-that-could.

Private tastings and off-hour appointments are available – call the winery.

No limos/buses.

From DC take I-66 to the Linden exit – exit 13; turn left off the ramp, then right at the first light – follow into Front Royal

From Front Royal, follow Rt 522 south for 5 miles; Turn left into Winery entrance, directly across from the turn for Chester Gap

From Warrenton take 211 west toward Sperryvile; Turn right, north, on 522, follow 522 through Flint Hill, then go approximately 5 more miles; Winery entrance is on the right, just past the turn off to Chester Gap