Virginia's Historic Winery Is Housed Within A Breathtaking Estate At The Blue Ridge Mountains' Foothills

If you're visiting lively towns in Virginia's majestic Blue Ridge Mountains, there is one stop you should absolutely make. This is particularly true if you're taking the breathtaking Monticello Wine Trail in the Monticello AVA — inspired by the vision of America's third president, Thomas Jefferson. Barboursville Vineyards in Barboursville, Virginia, has everything you need for the perfect day, or several days, of wine-tasting in Virginia. In fact, the original building at Barboursville Vineyards, between Monticello and Montpelier, was designed by Jefferson himself. 

While it burned down in 1884, the substantial ruins are still on the grounds, and you can check them out as you taste some of the vineyard's award-winning wines. That includes their signature wine, Octagon, which has won several awards from the esteemed Virginia Governor's Cup. On this gorgeous spot, you can taste wines, stay on the property, take a self-guided tour, enjoy a fabulous meal, and even visit some artifacts from the early United States, including a letter from President John Quincy Adams naming James Barbour (whose estate this was) as Secretary of War. 

One reviewer on TripAdvisor said of the vineyards, "What an amazing experience! ... We've hit about every vineyard in the Charlottesville area and these wines were by far the best. We didn't taste anything we didn't like. Can't wait to come back when things start to bloom! 10+"

There are several tasting options at Barboursville Vineyards. You can visit the Discovery Tasting Room on the grounds, which is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. They're even open on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve. If you do a tasting ($20 per person at the time of this writing), you can also wander the estate, the ruins, and the Octagon Barrel Room to learn about their signature wine. You can bring a picnic, or enjoy cheese, charcuterie, and light snacks from Chef Michael Clough. For a different (and slightly more expensive) experience, you can enjoy a flight of wine in their Library 1821 room with its tall windows, chandeliers, and columns, which is part of the original winery building. (You need reservations here.) You can also sample cheese, charcuterie, and a rotating Italian-inspired menu. Here you'll find the letter from John Quincy Adams and household china donated by the Barbour descendants. 

The vineyard's Palladio Restaurant, inspired by the cuisine of northern Italy, is open for lunch Wednesday through Sunday, and dinner on Friday and Saturday, with dishes like braised Australian lamb ribs with fennel pesto, tomato-red onion marmalade, and crispy sunchokes, or local egg-saffron fettuccine with mussels, clams, shrimp, basil, and chili flakes, with a roasted garlic butter sauce. You can also stay on the property in the 1804 Inn and Cottages.

If you're heading to the area, be careful that you don't show up at the wrong airport or fly into one that's further away, as this is fairly common. The closest airport is Dulles International, around 90 miles away, with Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport two hours away, and Baltimore/Washington International close to over three hours away.