FOOD & DRINK GUIDE LOUDOUN Uncorked Loudoun is an oenophile’s dream. /'ēnəˌ fīl/ -a connoisseur of wines. The opening of Willowcroft Farm Vineyards in 1984 marked the birth of DC’s Wine Country®. Forty-plus years later there are more than 50 wineries in stunning settings, from historic farms and river-crossed valleys to vine-covered hillsides. Varied topography, temperate climate and well-drained limestone soils deliver terroir suited to many grapes and styles. Chardonnay and Bordeaux (Cab Franc, Cab Sauv, Merlot) do well, but so does Spanish-style Albariño and Nebbiolo reminiscent of Italy’s Piedmont. Middleburg’s Chrysalis Vineyards at The Ag District is said to have the world’s largest planting of Norton, the Virginia grape, and is part of a collaborative Norton Network along with four other Loudoun wineries. The rising star however is French-origin Tannat, grown to great acclaim in Uruguay, South America where it is the national grape. The dark, intense, acid-driven red wine with lingering tannins has become so successful in Loudoun that the county has partnered with the Canelones region of Uruguay on a wine exchange program, the Southern Hemisphere’s growing season coinciding with harvest in the US. Accolades pour in. Loudoun wines have won Best in Class at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Awards and three wineries (most recently Cana Vineyards and Winery of Middleburg in 2022), have won the prestigious Virginia Governor’s Cup for the best wine in the state. Yet for all the success there’s a family friendly warmth similar to that of Napa in the 1970s; Willamette Valley in the 1990s. In Loudoun, a winemaker will join you for a tasting, an owner will recommend a neighboring estate, collaborations are common. Add in talks, tours, pairings, picnics, concerts and those spectacular views, small wonder Loudoun was voted the 4th Best Wine Region in the US in the 2024 USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Competition. Don’t miss Virginia Wine Month in October! Check out the events calendar at VisitLoudoun.org 40 | VisitLoudoun.org
Explore Loudoun Official Visitor Guide 2025 Explore Loudoun Official Visitors Guide: Page 40
