The Winery at La Grange

(Been there, checked it!)

Very rich in history and very rich in wine, the new Winery at La Grange opened September 2006 as Prince William County’s only established winery. The red brick three and a half story La Grange manor house built in the 1790′s has survived numerous owners and finally has come to rest with an unique group of investors brought together by Chris Pearmund. While the 5,500 Cabernet Sauvignon vines grow silently, the manor house is completely refurbished, new Winery building is ready and wine is aging.

The Winery at La Grange’s current inventory of 5,500 cases of wine include: Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Viognier, Rosé of Merlot, Cuvee Blanc, Norton, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Meritage, Tannat, Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon and a Port styled wine called Snort.

Open Daily – 11am-6pm (Tasting Fee $5).
Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years and Easter Sunday.

We visited The Winery at La Grange on 21 August. Here’s a link to Nancy’s post on our visit. Winery at La Grange is the third in Chris Pearmund’s impressive portfolio of wineries in Virginia, along with Vint Hill Craft Winery and Pearmund Cellars.

All photos from this winery

Along with business partners, Pearmund removated a Civil War-era manor house as the centerpiece of this venue, which lends itself as much to private events as it does to a summer afternoon on the stone patio with a glass of Pinot Gris ($7) a freshly-baked baguette ($4.50), and a side of salmon pate ($8.50) or crab & artichoke spread ($8.50). Lots of other snack choices are available, and the staff is obliging about rustling some up even if it’s 10 minutes to closing.

The tasting room, with its fireplace, high ceilings, and wood trim – as well as the glass of Rose left on the mantel for the ghost of long-gone proprietor Mr. Bernoni – recall the history of the place. Downstairs, Bernoni’s Lounge is a fun hangout for short folks (the low ceiling will wreak havoc on hairstyles if you’re over 5’7” or so), and upstairs two cozy parlors make you want to hide out past closing, to experience the mood of the old house once the sun starts going down. Then you remember Mr. Bernoni, and you think better of it.

Outside, an arbor of boxwood hedges create a romantic tunnel drawing you to the dimly-lit barrel room. The lawn – with a distant view of a spectacular white mansion – is dotted with all manner of seating options, and the outdoor fireplace patio gets you thinking about all your friends, and how great it would be to rent this space for an evening, but how much would that cost? Oh, what the heck, life’s short. Live large.

Currently the winery offers no estate-grown bottles, relying on high-quality partner vineyards, including Honah Lee in Orange and Toll Gate in Flint Hill. The $5 tasting lets you sample 10 wines, plus $1 each for three reserves. We anteed up $35 for a bottle of port-style wine called – how could we resist? – Snort.

Fun place. Great sense of humor. We’re definitely going back.

Pinot Gris; Fletcher’s Chardonnay; Viognier; Rose of Merlot; Cuvee Blank (blend of whites); Norton; Benoni’s Dead But Still Red (Cab Franc); Cabernet Franc; Merlot; Meritage (La Grange does it as Cab Sauvignon, Merlot, Cab Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec); Cabernet Sauvignon; Tannat; and Snort (Port-style desert wine of Petit Verdot, Tannat, Touriga Nacional, and Tinta Cao).

From Washington, DC, Fairfax, Manassas and areas East
Take I-66 West. Exit at Haymarket (Exit 40) Turn left at the top of the exit onto US-15 South. Go to the second traffic light and turn right on VA- 55. Just under 1 mile, turn at first right onto Antioch Road. The winery will be about 3 miles North on Antioch Road, entrance on the Left.

From Warrenton and areas South
Take US-29 North towards Gainesville. Turn left on US- 15 North towards Haymarket. Left at first light (Sheetz on Right) on to VA-55. Just under 1 mile, turn at first right onto Antioch Road. The winery will be about 3 miles North on Antioch Road, entrance on the Left.

From Leesburg and areas North
Take US-15 South towards Haymarket. When you’ve gone over the I-66 overpass, take the next right onto VA-55. Just under 1 mile, turn at first right onto Antioch Road. The Winery is approximately 3 miles North on Antioch Road, Entrance on the Left.

From Front Royal and areas West
Travel I-66 East towards Washington, DC. Take the Haymarket Exit (Exit 40) Turn right at the top of the exit onto US-15 South. Go to second light and turn right onto VA-55. Just under 1 mile, turn at first right onto Antioch Road. The winery will be about 3 miles North on Antioch Road, entrance on the Left.