My visit to Chestnut Oak Vineyard
This past Sunday, my dad and I had the opportunity to visit an amazing gem of a vineyard near Barbourville, called Chestnut Oak. I have to take a moment and comment on the fact that the drive from Richmond to Chestnut Oak, was absolutely gorgeous. We went through Route 20, and honestly it was hard to focus on the road, with all the amazing scenery!
Is this not the cutest flight? They made it in-house!
Love seeing all the vineyards be so creative with their flight presentations.
Once you get to the vineyard the views also do not disappoint. If Virginia wasn’t under a heat advisory, I’d say right off the bat to make sure to sit outside when you visit and take it all in. Luckily for us, their tasting room is adorable. I absolutely loved the accent mural on the walls, which was done by a local artist!
My dad and I did a flight, which included:
2017 Euclid: a dry white blend of Petit Manning and Viognier. This one was my dad and I’s favorite wine of the day. We both bought bottles to take home (fun fact: Euclid earned a 2020 VA Governors Cup Silver Medal)!
2018 Red Table Wine: A red blend with hints of anise and chocolate covered cherry.
2017 Petit Verdot: aged in French Oak with dark fruit tones supported by dark chocolate, black coffee and earth
Late Harvest Petit Manseng: their dessert style wine with highly concentrated flavors and aromas
I also bought a bottle of their 2017 Alba, which is 100% Viognier fermented cold and aged 10 months in stainless steel, and won a silver medal in the 2019 Virginia Governor’s Cup. This bottle was recommended to me by Sarah, their tasting room manager, and I’m super excited to find a good occasion to open it!
Janet Bolla, who owns the vineyard with her husband, came by to meet us and showed us around their production facilities which are right under the tasting room. It was awesome to hear her talk about how they set up the vineyard, and how they grow, bottle and distribute all onsite! A Janet took the time to answer a few questions about her experience as a vineyard owner, which I’ll share with you all below.
What made you want to start a vineyard?
Started the vineyard to stay busy in retirement, thinking it’s easy work: It’s not!
How did you guys learn about wine production?
I hired a vineyard manager who is also the winemaker, David Eiserman
What was the biggest challenge in getting started?
Biggest challenge: capital investment for land, equipment, etc.
Location: why Charlottesville/Monticello region?
Because it’s a historical, famous American AVA.
What’s unique about the wine industry in Virginia?
Wine industry in Virginia is evolving and improving the quality of wine very rapidly due to dedicated, committed vintners. Chestnut Oak Vineyard is proud to be one of the newer ones.
Which grapes do to grow?
We have a personal preference for Cabernet Sauvignon. Petit Manseng is very adaptable to VA terroir. Some others we grow include Petit Verdot, Merlot, Viognier and Nebbiolo.
What is your biggest differentiator?
The fact that we are small-producing less than 2000 cases/yearly, thus we can concentrate on trying to make quality wines.
What is your biggest advice for someone wanting to start a vineyard?
Short answer- Don’t. However, be ready for hard work and seek expertise for site selection and suitable varietals for the site.
Adjacent to the tasting room, they have a private room where people can host private events (should’ve taken a photo, sorry guys) which is super spacious! I would definitely host an event there. Wonderful wine. Beautiful views and excellent customer service. Go visit!
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