The Vines of a Backroad

“Just write a good blog about us!”, was how my visit ended at Thistle Gate Vineyards in the small town of Scottsville. This blog is about my first stop along the Virginia Wine Trail and it was way beyond what I expected. My visit started with coming up on a little blue gate that led to a white farmhouse surrounded by all of their vines. The winery was having an event for their 10th harvest celebration which included grape stomping, BBQ and of course…wine.

I was greeted inside to an empty tasting room…which already made the experience that much better. It was the most perfectly decorated farm house that just gave you that feeling of being at home. There was no surprise when I found out it was a completely family owned and operated business. From the bottling to the gardening, they did it all. We started the tasting with the white wines while she explained that this year they harvested 17 tons of grapes… On their six acres, they have everything from a wine barrel-filled cottage to tobacco barns to age their Highland red.

During their 10th Anniversary bash, they had grape stomping, fresh sangria and food all day long. Any Love Lucy fans?! My inner old soul was loving the whole set up they had with such an at-home feel. Overall, if you’re wondering if this backroad hidden gem has been recognized… they have gotten four Virginia Governor’s Cup winners on their belt. Their 2015 Chardonnay, 2015 Merlot, 2015 Petit Verdot, and the 2012 Tartan red.

When I got ready to head out, after being so satisfied with my entire experience of the tasting room, I couldn’t leave without a bottle. I picked out my favorite of the 2017 Thistle White and snapped a few pictures that I knew would never be able to capture the essence of this cellar. After my summer working in the industry, I know a good tasting experience when I have one. My friends and I always make sure when the service is top notch, you bet their tip is going to match it. She processed my card and when no tip screen came up I was nervous as hell thinking… “How was I going to show my appreciation when I’m on a back road in the middle of Scottsville… with no tip screen?!” When I asked, she looked as if that wasn’t expected at all and followed with, “You don’t need to worry about that, just write a good blog about us!”

This industry continues to blow me away with the amount of hospitality you get with your experience, especially in the small town of Scottsville. Being from a small town, yet knowing the life of living in the city, seeing family owned businesses like this thrive and make a name for themselves truly inspires aspiring wine owners but also every visitor to stop by. Take your next trip out to Thistle Gate Vineyard for some high-quality wine and experience. Stay tuned for next week's post about my trip to Pippin' Hill!