Picture it: a beautiful, sunny day in the rolling hills of Virginia wine country. You have a driver, an itinerary dotted with private tastings and tours at gorgeous wineries, a gourmet lunch, and most importantly: lots (and lots) of delicious wine. With this Virginia wine tour by DiVine Wine Tours, you'll get all this and more!
NOTE: We understand that traveling may not be possible during this pandemic. However, we still think we should be able to be inspired and create a bucket list for the future! Also, some of these wineries and the wine tour company are offering special services right now!
I live in the heart of Loudoun County's wine country, within 20 miles of more than 40 wineries, yet I can't say I've ever been to half of them. And I'm a wine lover! A wine-worshiper, even! (It's well-known in these parts that my nickname is "Chardonnay-nay"). That being said, there are limitations to getting out to wineries -- like taking the time to plan, research, and organize the trip, as well as the biggest obstacle: driving! After my friend Lila and I went on a Virginia wine tour with DiVine Wine Tours last weekend, though, I found out what I'd been missing. This is the ONLY way to explore Virginia wine country!
Lila photographs me and my Chardonnay-nay purchase at Willowcroft Farm Vineyards
About the Tours
There are lots of Virginia wine tour options to choose from at DiVine Wine Tours. You can book a private tour for your party, which includes transportation, all tasting and private tour fees at the wineries you visit, endless bottled waters, gourmet sandwiches (chips and cookies, too), photographs taken by your guide, and a free wine tote -- all for $140-$170 per person. DiVine offers private group tours for parties ranging from two people (hello, they help with wedding proposals!) all the way to bus tours carrying 200 people. Their tours would be perfect for a corporate group outing. It's easy to bond while "oohing and ahhing" over the gorgeous scenery, and the wine does a crucial job: breaking down walls and building easy camaraderie.
No, these aren't best friends -- these ladies didn't even know each other six hours prior. This could be your corporate event!
If you don't have a big party and just want a tour for you and a date, or a friend or two, go with one of their public Virginia wine tours. That's what my friend Lila and I did! You can just hop in the van with other small parties at the meeting place (in front of Hyatt Regency Hotel at Reston Town Center), and you'll still get all of the tour services above, from 10:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Our DiVine Wine Tours chariot awaits!
About My Experience with DiVine Wine Tours
Brennan, our super-friendly tour guide, told us about the wineries we'd be visiting on our tour: 1). Zephaniah Farm Vineyard, 2). Stone Tower Winery, and 3). Willowcroft Farm Vineyards. These properties were hand-picked by the owners, Luke and Amy Denton, to represent a well-rounded experience of Loudoun wineries. Also, since our tour was called The Storybook Tour, all three wineries told a detailed narrative about their properties and winemaking experiences.
Image courtesy Zephaniah Farm Vineyard's Facebook page
At Zephaniah Farm Vineyard, we were seated at a long table in the tasting room, which is actually the owners' antique-filled living room. Owners Bill and Bonnie Hatch's farmhouse is a gorgeous brick home built in 1820, and with their son and twin daughters working alongside, their winery is a connected and lovely family operation.
Image courtesy Stone Tower Winery's Facebook page
Stone Tower Winery was next on our Virginia wine tour and a very short drive away. Zephaniah is the intimate, vintage experience, and Stone Tower is a huge, modern (but still rustic) winery spread over several complexes. The view was amazing, and our tour host, greeted us with a glass of bubbly called the Wild Boar Rosé Cuvée. Another direct opposite to our seated tasting at Zephaniah, this tour was a walking tour and led us into tank rooms, cellars (we got to drink right out of a barrel!), and ended with chocolates, water, and individual bags of Stone Tower tasting glasses to take home.
Image courtesy Willowcroft Farm Vineyards' Facebook Page
After eating our delicious gourmet sandwiches and enjoying the views on Stone Tower's immense patio, we hopped back into the van and headed to our last stop, Willowcroft Farm Vineyards. There, our tasting host gave us a thorough education on the selection of Willowcroft wines we were tasting. I loved the Chardonnay-nay (formally called Willowcroft Chardonnay Virginia 2016 Reserve) and ended up buying a bottle! (I should have bought more than one. I know that now). The view of Loudoun Valley and the Blue Ridge Mountains was breathtaking, and it was a relaxed, beautiful setting to a truly indulgent day. (Take it from a 43-year-old mother of three who definitely needed this)!
So what are you waiting for? Book with DiVine Wine Tours for a public or private Virginia wine tour today! I promise you won't be disappointed! Have you been to these wineries? Interested in booking a wine tour? Discuss in the comments below!
