Take an autumn trip to one of the region’s serene wineries for a guided tasting, group hangout, cider festival, or other seasonal delight. Here are a few vineyard experiences we recommend:
Warm up around a fire pit
Windridge Vineyards, 15700 Darnestown Rd., Darnestown, MD
Spend quality time with friends gathered around one of Windridge Vineyards’ outdoor gas or wood-burning fire pits. Wine enthusiasts can sip estate-grown wines while taking in fall foliage views of Maryland’s Piedmont landscape. For food pairings, you can order crab cake sliders, charcuterie boards, and other indulgences from the kitchen (ongoing Fri-Sun, $35 reservation fee for up to eight people).
Raise a glass of cider
Great Country Farms, 18755 Foggy Bottom Rd., Bluemont, VA
Satisfy your taste buds with small-batch pours of Virginia hard ciders at the inaugural LoCo Cider Fest at Great Country Farms. In addition to the tasting, visitors can catch glimpses of the Blue Ridge Mountains, listen to live music from Six Strings and Bourbon, play lawn games, and watch apple cider pressing demos (November 15, $35+ for adults, $15 for kids).
Have drinks with a view
Crimson Lane Vineyards, 13334 Crimson Ln., Linden, VA
Elevate your wine outing with a scenic guided tasting at Crimson Lane Vineyards this autumn. If you reserve a seat or swing at the rustic East Porch—a covered open-air patio—you can participate in an expert-guided tasting of vintage libations during the two-hour reservation (through December 8, $45+).
Sips and crafts
Two Twisted Posts Winery, 12944 Harpers Ferry Rd., Purcellville, VA; and 868 Estate Vineyards, 14001 Harpers Ferry Rd., Hillsboro, VA
Plant parents can join a floral arrangement workshop to build their own custom flower bouquets at Two Twisted Posts Winery ($30). Or, learn how to craft a mosaic lamp while enjoying a glass of wine from 868 Estate Vineyards (November 2, $103).
Toast inside a wine tent
Potomac Point Winery and Vineyard, 275 Decatur Rd., Stafford, VA
Go on a mini glamping adventure at Potomac Point Winery and Vineyard this fall. Starting next month, couples and friends can rent a charming wine tent decked out in stylish rugs and comfy pillows to share conversation and treats. There’s toasty mulled wine, cheese and charcuterie, dessert cake, and plush blankets available to order (Wed-Sun, mid-November through March, $150+ for up to 12 guests).
Briana A. Thomas is a local journalist, historian, and tour guide who specializes in the research of D.C. history and culture. She is the author of the Black history book, Black Broadway in Washington, D.C., a story that was first published in Washingtonian in 2016.
