Weston Farm Vineyard & Winery

We planned a day trip to Charlottesville and this was second on our list. We started at Coopers and they set the bar for the day.
This place was out of the way and not worth the effort. The woman pouring didn’t offer any information and seemed uninterested in helping. She talked about how she enjoyed catching up on paperwork on days like this. we got the feeling she wanted us to hurry through the tasting so she could get back to it.
As for the wine there wasn’t a single one that we liked. Some of them were flat. But the Norton oh my gosh, it was terrible. For it being native to Virginia it should be done well here they have ruined the grape. I can’t express how much we disliked the Norton and Norton reserve.
If you like sweet fruit juice you may enjoy their fruit wines. They taste sweet and syrupy.
Overall we were highly disappointed with this place, the only positive was there were Lindor truffles out and I’m a sucker for Lindor chocolates.

We stopped in on a nice Sunday and really liked the layout of the grounds, they’re beautiful. We went into the tasting room and the lady giving the pouring seemed friendly enough to do the pouring, but didn’t elaborate on the wines, vineyard, winery, etc. We did get some info, only after asking. It’s just nice to know where the grapes come from, how they ferment wines, their style, etc.
Upon tasting the wines, we found that several were flat or tart, like vinegar. We noticed that the wines were all sitting out on the counter, including their Viognier. They did appear to be capped, but we all couldn’t help but wonder if they were corked on the day we visited or a day or two prior.
There were 6 of us, who are quite familiar with VA wines and this particular experience baffled all of us, because the wines and the venue had the ability to be so much better.

We were excited to try some local wineries and this was our second stop of the day. The tasting room was beautifully decorated featuring local crafts and workmanship. They offer seating for relaxing and listening to live music and a large bar for the wine tasting. Sadly those are the only good things I could glean from our visit. Our disappointment most likely resulted from multiple events occurring simultaneously during our visit (bad timing). The tasting room was packed and there was no possibility of personal service at the tasting bar. We had our tasting in the middle of the room apparently to reduce the backlog of people waiting. The experience was rushed as numerous times I was obliged to «gulp» my wine down so that the next wine could be poured. No information was provided on the selections and we learned nothing about the facility or owners. I am sure on a less busy day that our experience would have been much different but that being said, we will probably not return as the majority of their wines were much sweeter than our normal preference.

I’ve tried Weston Farms wine previously at wine festivals, but Saturday was my first time actually visiting the winery. Well, color me impressed. The woman who poured our tasting was so incredibly friendly, not to mention the wine was quite tasty. I love that their logo incorporates the family dogs, and that these pups can be seen roaming the tasting room. Just a little touch to make you feel like you really are visiting a family business filled with passion.
We ended up bringing home a bottle of the 2010 Chardonnay, and that’s a pretty big deal coming from someone who doesn’t typically go for Chardonnay. I liked most of the wines we tasted, and could definitely see myself going back for another tasting in the future… as well as purchasing a few other bottles.
I didn’t have any preconceived notions or expectations of the winery prior to visiting, and I really enjoyed the bright, open feel of the tasting room. There were also a few vendor tables with items being sold, which I’m guessing are locally made (although don’t quote me on that). We were really only there for the wine, so I didn’t take a super close look. But I thought it was a neat addition to the experience.
All in all, a down to earth vibe with friendly staff, passionate owners, and a fun, casual environment.

Probably more like 3.5 stars, but considering the newness of this place I decided to round up.
Visited in this fairly new winery (opened last May, I believe) on the way to some Charlottesville wine stops yesterday. The vineyard itself is pretty: it’s a farm winery with a fairly big tasting room. Lots of tables and chairs. When we went, the owner had recently broken her hip, so her brother did the tasting. He probably wasn’t as knowledgeable as she would have been, but he was really nice.
The tasting fee was $ 3, $ 5 if you wanted the glass. They had 5 wines for tasting: one white, three reds and a rose. From a nearby seat, the owner told us Gabrielle Rausse was her consultant, so, no wonder the wines were tasty! Our favorites were the Rosso, a blend of Cab Franc and Norton, and the pure Norton, so we took one of each home. We liked the Cab Franc too, but it was on the thin side. We tend to prefer thicker, bolder Cab Francs so we skipped this one. Considering how new this place is, I was pretty impressed with the flavor and quality. The prices were also pretty good: all the bottles were under $ 20.
Apparently in the spring and summer, this place hosts live music. This seems like it’d be a fun way to hang at a winery without driving all the way to Charlottesville.
I’ll definitely stop back to try future releases.