Kluge Estate Winery and Vineyard

(Been there, checked it!)

Established in 1999, Kluge Estate Winery and Vineyard is one of the East Coast’s most prestigious wineries. The winery is tucked into Carter’s Mountain on the edge of the picturesque Blue Ridge Mountains in Charlottesville, Virginia. Kluge Estates Winery & Vineyard’s 900 acres are located on the same ridgeline of the birthplace of American viticulture, Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello.

Combining meticulous winemaking practices and world talent with a genuine love of the land and support for the Virginia wine community, Kluge Estate is capitalizing on the region’s potential to create world-class wines. We are passionate about wine, food and the enjoyment of the natural beauty that abounds us and invite you to visit our tasting room and to purchase our wines online.

Cheers!

The Farm Shop’s hours are seasonal: January – March, Daily 11am – 5pm; April – June, Sunday – Thursday, 11am – 5pm and Friday – Saturday, 11am – 6pm; July – October, Monday – Saturday, 11am – 8pm & Sunday 11am-6pm; November – December, Sunday – Thursday 11am – 5pm, Friday – Saturday 11am – 6pm. Call 434-984-4855 for up to date details. Tastings cost $10 or $14, depending on how many wines you taste. Tastings are done in cool plexiglass flights, so there is no glass to keep!

We visited Kluge Estate on 24 July. Here’s a link to Nancy’s post on our visit. A new take on an old concept, Kluge (pronounced Kloo-gee) is smart, smart, smart. They’ve cracked the code on making the most of a tasting room. In most wineries, once you’ve been, why go back? To stand at the same old tasting bar and taste the same old wines, listening to the same old patter? Once a year, maybe. But once a month? Once a week? No way – why bother?

All photos from this winery

Not Kluge. Theirs is a high-end lunch spot, a great date place, and an experience for your out of town guests.

Want a traditional tasting? Great. They’ve got a couple of cozy tasting bars with attractive folks pouring nice wines.

Want a little privacy? Ask for a self-guided tasting. For $10, you’ll get a cool plexi holder with 6 generous pours in stemless glasses (or $14 for the “Albemarle flight”). Take it into the garden in front, or to one of the covered picnic tables out back. Or grab a wicker couch on the front porch.

Want a little lunch? Peruse the “visual menu” – a series of see-through deli-style cases, where you can choose from crab cakes, duck breast, or shrimp remoulade ($18), Nicoise salad ($14), quiche, artisanal cheeses, or other tasty snacks.

Once you go, you’ll be looking for reasons to go back. And you won’t have to look too far.

Albemarle Sauvignon Blanc; Albemarle Viognier; Albemarle Rose (blend of Merlot, Cab Sauvignon, Cab Franc, and Malbec); several year-vintages of Albemarle Simply Red (blend of Cab Sauvignon, Merlot, Cab Franc, Petit Verdot); Kluge Estate Sparkling Blanc de Blanc (sparkling champagne-style, made in “the methode traditionelle” using Chardonnay grapes); Kluge Estate Sparkling Rose (blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir); Klege Estate New World Red (blend of Cab Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cab Franc); and Cru (Chardonnay aperitif wine, fortified with brandy).