At around 120 wineries in the state, Virginia is certainly establishing itselt as a producing region. The awards have followed for some of the vineyards, notably Barboursville. The Charlottesville area is fortunate to have 24 wineries that together form the Monticello Wine Trail. The fancy brochure put out under that name recommends six vineyards for four wine trails, north, south, east, and west, but six wineries in a day can lead to some rowdy groups of soccer moms and culture-seeking college students. The website offers some pared down trails of no more than five vineyards, which still seems a little excessive.
A 11/09/07 C-ville article presents the idea that supporting Virginia wineries will help resist rural development, and agritourism will help the local economy. In addition to these benefits, supporting local wines over far-flung varieties reduces the use of petroleum in their delivery. Lastly, the benefits of two glasses of red wine in reducing future risk of heart disease and Alzheimer's Disease is well documented. There's no better time than this winter to take advantage of this local resource.
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