Cardinal Point Vineyard & Winery

It was our third stop on the VA 151 tour. A small but nice winery. Very quite and not so crowded. I thought the Reds were nicer than the whites, but., a great relaxing day.

Terrible service. We came in with a group of 9 people after a day of touring other vineyards and craft beer places in the area, we were immediately shamed for not having a reservation. We left immediately, sorry to inconvenience the folks at this place. We will not be back and it’s a shame since we have been purchasing from all the other stops! Too bad.

We went and did a tasting on a Saturday night (like most wineries in the area, the close at 5:30, so by night I mean 5:00). Military, veterans, and teachers get free tastings so they get major Points for that! They wines were all delicious! They had a few different wines including a hopped wine! Wine was great, service was great! It’s only downfall is that it’s a small place– not a lot of seating, and the view is not as good as other wineries in the area (although there really is nowhere in the Afton area without an amazing view)!

I brought a group of bachelorette party-​goers to Cardinal Point as the first stop of our wine tasting weekend. We were actually staying in the vineyard farmhouse up the hill — which was lovely, by the way — and so we were able to walk to the tasting. We’d made a reservation in advance, which I recommend for larger groups as the tasting room was already getting busy by 12:30! The woman who did the tasting with us was relaxed, friendly, and very knowledgeable. And the wine was delicious! A great little spot — can’t wait to go back on my next trip to the area.

They weren’t welcoming at all! Make a reservation before you come with a group, even if it’s a weekday afternoon. They even talked about our group after the lukewarm reception. Bad business acumen!

I experienced Cardinal Point during the Wine Lovers 5K back in February. The winery is on the smaller side for Charlottesville vineyards, but because of this, it is full of charm. They have a small tasting room that doesn’t have seating inside, but there is a very large wood patio with plenty of seating and heat lamps. They have a tasting discount for teachers/​military if you are there for a normal visit. A tasting came with the race entry, so we enjoyed five or so different wines. None of them stood out that much to me, but I felt a little rushed with a large line of people behind me. I’d love to go back and try their wines again!

This is the first winery we went on our weekend in Charlottesville and we were their first tasters of the day. The lady leading our tasting was wonderful, kind, informative and super helpful. My friend and I normally are red wine drinkers but the white wines here blew us away. I walked away with a bottle of their Green, a type of vino Verde that no other wineries offered on our trip. It was a crisp, light wine with a tart note. My friend loved their Quattro, a more complex white wine with tropical notes. They are dog friendly and had some friendly dogs of their own wandering around.
We had a picnic lunch on their patio, it wasn’t as scenic as other wineries but still a good, spacious setup.
The staff is very personable and friendly and it’s one of the smaller wineries but ultimately, one of our favorites.

We stumbled upon this place and it was such a wonderful surprise. The staff was so friendly and laid back. The wine was good, they have a great patio area and it was exactly what a wine tasting experience should be, relaxing and fun. Tasting price was cheap, free for teachers and military. Don’t miss this one, looks to be very animal friendly too.

A hip winery with a unique take on some old classics and a large patio space open year round.
The immediate impression I had walking into Cardinal Point is that it feels young and full of energy — our pourers were all twenty-​to-​thirty-​somethings, there was modern Americana décor, and lots of colored chalk. This is not a stuffy/​uppity winery or an adult Disneyland winery; instead it feels vibrant and hip, with a modest tasting area, plenty of outdoor seating on the patio (enclosed in the winter) along with some corn hole for good measure. The winery is also dog friendly indoor and outdoors, and chances are you’ll find yourself introduced to a golden retriever named Tucker.
The wine selection parallels the originality of the winery. The wine is crisper and fruitier than others you’re likely to have, but there’s enough flavor and craftsmanship here to appeal to novices as well as snobs. Our tasting ($ 5) began with three excellent whites: the Green, the A6 and the Quattro. The Green hardly tastes like a wine but more of a dry apple cider. The A6 and Quattro are also aromatic fruity wines, with my favorite of the three being the Quattro. Next were the reds — Rockfish Red, a lighter red that non-​red drinkers can still enjoy, the Cabernet Franc, a little heavier with much more of a dark cherry flavor, and the Union, a mix of the Petit Verdot, the Cabernet Franc and the Tannat and the heaviest of the red with bold flavors of blackberry and leather. As a red drinker, I appreciated the differences between the three, especially the Union. Last was the IPC, a wine I’ve never encountered before that smells like an IPA beer but tastes like a lemon drop (it tastes much better than it sounds).
Overall, Cardinal Point is another can’t-miss on Nelson 151. The winery takes some chances with its wines and manages to hit them all out of the ballpark. And if you’re under thirty or young at heart, you’ll love the vibe.

Very nice wines, with the whites shining through. Tastings are $ 5 and you get a nice selection of various wines. Service is friendly and not overly pushy.
There were several dogs in the main building, a few behind the counter and a couple mingling with the crowd. There was also a cat taking a nap on the deck outside… so this seems to be an animal-​friendly place. As long as you’re not allergic and don’t dislike animals, this place would be fine for you.
Not the prettiest scenery, but not bad either.

This is definitely one of my favorite wineries in Virginia. The Green always knocks my socks off. Location is beautiful, wine is delightful, price of $ 5 for a tasting is great!
Concerning the tasting – your tasting fee will be subtracted from the total if you purchase a bottle, which is something not many other wineries offer. Additionally, they offer military and teacher discounts.
The whole facility is lovely, beautiful flower beds, the occasional winery dog or cat stopping to greet you, along with well kept grounds that often play host to special events, as well as casual wine sipping. I highly recommend you stop by here for a glass or two!
Enjoy!

Cardinal Point doesn’t have the glamorous façade of many wineries in the area but who needs a faux front when you have stellar wines and enthusiastic customer service. We stopped by after a recommendation by another winery that I might like their hopped Chardonnay. I am a beer girl through and through so, for me, wine is a stretch. Nonetheless, when in Rome… That being said, I hadn’t found anything during several tastings at various locations that really ‘wowed’. Herein comes the Cardinal Point IPC: light, refreshing, and a true delight. You can barely taste the hops but they mellow out overwhelming dryness that I get from Chardonnay’s so, so well. The staff here is laid-​back and human… my kind of people. They don’t try to tell you what you should be tasting nor are they aggressive salesman. It felt more like having a friend introduce you to something new. The location is tucked away in a pretty little hollow. The patio is inviting and comfy and the resident tomcat is bordering on ancient but so sweet. We loved our time here and I regret not getting a case of IPC.

Really enjoyed our wine tasting at CP! The girl that helped us had a great personality and very knowledgable! Made us feel welcomed! Loved the discount for teachers. We all know teachers need their wine! I bought a bottle to take and I am excited to have it. Wish I could have kept the glass, I like to keep it for memories! Will be back for sure and hopefully to try the Quattro!

My wife and I really enjoy the wine from Cardinal Point, so much so that we joined the wine club. While it isn’t my favorite tasting room, which is to say it isn’t as fancy as a few of the others in the area, the staff has always been friendly and knowledgable, even when busy. And if you are looking for a place with food or even a large selection of snacks, you will probably be disappointed. But, who goes for crackers and salami anyway?
The wine is what matters and the Green and IPC just knock our socks off. Different from anything else you will find in surrounding wine regions and worth swinging by to try out. We bought several bottles the day we first visited and have gone back to by cases since. Also, while we love the whites, the Cab F + Vio was surprisingly good and Quattro is a really nice red as well. The more I drink from Cardinal Point, the more I love what they’ve got.

My friends and I had a great time at Cardinal Point yesterday. The girl who poured our wine was friendly and fun. We learned that they give free tastings to teachers, which was a great bonus!
The wines were good, and the tasting room was bright and relaxing. Even though we had finished our tasting when they were closing, they stayed open a little late to let us enjoy glasses of wine on the patio.
The patio and outdoor seating is comfortable and pretty. There are flowers and brightly colored couches. I am definitely planning to go back!

This was our last stop on our day of random wine-​tasting… the building itself isn’t as impressive as some of the others that we went to, but the quality of the wine makes up for that. There were a bunch of animals running around, and some people love that, but I’m allergic so that is my nightmare.
My favorite wine that we tried was the IPC, a hopped Chardonnay! This was mind-​blowing to me, and I loved it. We took home 2 bottles & I’m trying to decide what friends are special enough to get to try it!

We picked a few vineyards to visit along Rt151 and this was our first of the day. We did some research on the web before arriving and found they offered very affordable wines and a nice selection of whites. They even off a green, if you’re into the Portuguese wines, which tastes quite nice!
Their membership benefits are GREAT! If you’re looking for GREAT deals on some good tasting wine, it’s one of the best we’ve come across.
They’re dog friendly and have ample seating in various indoor and outdoor locations, including in their barrel room.
The staff was very knowledgeable and friendly too, including Tucker, the Golden Retriever.
Oh, they offer teachers and military discounts… I would encourage them to offer public safety (police & fire) the same :)

Cardinal Point is one of the best wineries in Virginia. Their selection of whites is especially notable (be sure to check out the Quattro. It’s a little sweet but ridiculously delicious).

They say they are the most unpretentious winery and think that they are right. We went for a tasting. Rose provided very friendly service. Everyone who worked there seemed to be having a good time. My favorite with is the Rockfish Red.

Cardinal Point is home of the «A6,» one of my favorite white wines in the state – a blend of Viognier and Chardonnay. They also have another unique blend called Quattro: Riesling, Gewurtztraminer, Viognier, and Traminette. They sell this at Total Wine too, if you can’t make it down to Charlottesville.
They have several award-​winners here, both whites and reds. Really you can’t go wrong with any of their wines. They know what they’re doing. You really get the feel you’re in a busy, working winery here. Cardinal Point can get busy (it’s a favorite of bikers and hikers), and the patio fills up quickly. The big orange cat outside cracked us up – guests had a dog, and the cat made sure the dog knew who was in charge. A good stop in the southwest Charlottesville «quadrant.»