The Gray is a wonderful quaint and convenient shop right off of the UVA corner. Super convenient…read morefor visitors and students who are of age. The owner has very kindly helped to explain the entire selection to us as we teach our wine class. The owner is local to Charlottesville and has been running the family business after a pandemic business shift. They specialize in wines under $20 and even have a section under $12. They also have a finer selection of wines from all different regions! The Gray validates parking behind finch at the corner lot for one hour and there's also a convenient and cheap lot right across the street. Some street parking available too by the episcopal church.

Best place I have ever been. The owner is so nice and accommodating. Highly recommend to anyone in…read morethe Charlottesville area!

We have visited several times but haven't been in a couple of years. This winery has always been…read moreone of our favorites. We came with friends who hadn't been before. We were warmly greeted and ordered flights to try several wines. We sat outside and really enjoy the spacing of the tables, shade and availability. We really love the feel of this winery. The wines we tried were delicious. Looking forward to coming back in colder weather and enjoying the beautiful fireplace.

Such a cute winery! My friends and I came here on a Sunday afternoon and it was surprisingly not…read moretoo crowded. There's plenty of seating options, inside and out side on the deck or at picnic tables. They have 3 dogs that are super sweet that roam around, and you are able to bring your own dog but have to be leashed. For drinks, I got a glass of the strawberry special wine which was a sweeter wine and so delicious! I also ordered their pepperoni pizza which was yummy. The staff were very friendly too. Would definitely come back!

This place is a hidden gem in the woods. Among winos, it has a cult following, but those who…read moreappreciate a relaxed and unpretentious wine tasting experience will love it here, too. The setting is very rustic, with the glass enclosed tasting room tucked into the trees and outdoor seating scattered throughout the property. Because the tasting room space is small, this location is best enjoyed on a day where the weather is nice enough to sit outside. The staff will bring you a menu and serve you table side. There are plenty of wine options from familiar (like Riesling) to unusual (like Gruner Veltliner). They offer light bites from their kitchen, including a bread service (the baguette is made fresh and served with in-house produced olive oil). On any given day you'll run into the winemaker, Gabriele, here and will most definitely get a visit from Trady, the unofficial host and friendly golden retriever. The whole scene feels like an outdoor living room. We loved the wine and appreciated the friendly service so much that we walked away with a mix of bottles and olive oil to share with family and friends.

The wines are very good and reasonably priced. They also bring bread with oil once you're seated…read moreand the oil is so good that you'll have to buy a bottle to take home!

This was our first visit and definitely won't be our last. We stumbled upon Southwest Mountain and…read moreleft wondering why we hadn't heard of it before. The food was a highlight... the ricotta and strawberry bruschetta was a lovely combination, and the pimento cheese dip had a nice little kick to it that we loved. Paired with good wine, a beautiful setting, and top notch service and you really can't ask for much more. Safe to say it's officially been added to our Charlottesville rotation. Can't wait to go back.

We've been members now for over a year. I highly recommend joining. I have only found four Vinyards…read morein the area that have good reds and Southwest Mountain has excellent reds. Greg, Sarah, and especially Tara take excellent care of us. I have back issues and only one table is comfortable enough for me to sit for awhile and they are kind enough to reserve it for us if we reach out far enough in advance. There is always plenty of seating and it's one of the few wineries with a beautiful building and nice interior also.

I loved this vineyard! My group brought my sister's puppy and they are so dog-friendly and…read moreaccommodating - the staff is awesome! The interior and exterior of the vineyard is absolutely adorable too!! Funky, classy, & unique interior, and beautiful views with lots of outdoor/patio seating. The wines were good, and the charcuterie board was absolutely delicious! I would return here again.

Friends recommended Merrie Mill, and we're so happy we listed to them! We have visited Merrie Mill…read moretwice in the last five months for wine and lunch. The atmosphere is fun and creative -- both inside and outside. You know you are in for a treat when you walk through the front door with its eclectic decor. They have seating both inside in what feels like someone's really cool living room as well as outside on their patio or on their lawn. You can order wine by the flight to sample their offerings, as well as by the glass and bottle. I recommend doing a flight to determine what you like, then order some bottles to share or take home. Their lunch menu includes salad, soup, and sandwiches -- all with a creative touch -- as well as a children's menu. They also have delicious cake by Cake Bloom and Nightingale ice cream sandwiches. Merrie Mill certainly isn't boring! The staff are knowledgeable and friendly. Definitely include Merrie Mill on your next winery tour.

First. They no longer are a distillery. They serve other alcohol, but not their own. A snafu with…read moretheir liquor license. Still, they serve cocktails and food from a limited menu (after 5pm). Friendly server. Lovely outside seating area facing the downtown promenade. Great for people watching. We came to sample Vitae alcohol and that didn't happen.

This is just an awesome place, no ifs- ands- or buts- about it. They are fairly new and serve only…read moreliquor flights and custom cocktails or mocktails. The flights are an incredible deal at three 0.5 ounce pours for only $10. This allows you to get a good taste of their stuff. We especially loved the Champion gin! The cocktails are truly out-of-this-world. The Pain Suppressor (Spring 2022) was a frozen delight, and I think one of the best I've had. The Unicorn Blood was not only delicious but also beautiful. It's soft purple color and glimmery sheen made it almost too pretty to drink! I can't wait to return for cocktails and test out new menus as they move into new seasonal menus!

Quite quaint. Good ciders. Pretty location. Get the dry…read more Not too far to get to. Great to try new stuff

Super fun place albeit loud when live music is going on. Lots & lots of seating, inside & out,…read moreprices aren't too bad (a flight of 4 generous tastings is $18, a carafe is $20, plus there is a good menu of food items), tall ceilings in a great old stone building, great views of Blue Ridge mountains, especially at sunset, great for kids to play outside, old hippies having the best time dancing & tapping to the music & staff is friendly & efficient as can be in a crowded venue. We look forward to coming back.

Just opened chambourcin from years ago when they first opened. The best dessert type wine I've…read moretasted. Just the right balance of sweet. So happy to see still doing well. delicious! Kudos

It was a sultry, humid, rainy Saturday and the natives were getting restless. Suffering from cabin…read morefever, my hubby and a couple of friends and I decided to find an outdoor activity to remedy our listlessness. Being pluviophiles, we didn't mind the light, summer rain. But what to do? Enter wineries!! We headed west toward Charlottesville, and first stopped in Palmyra where the winery there was only open for curbside pick up. My friends loaded the pickup with cases of wine but we were still in search of a charcuterie board and an open vineyard! Yelp to the rescue! We called the winery Yelp advised us was only about 10 miles away in Scottsville. It was open! Yes, they had charcuterie!! What a stupendous find! We approached the thistle blue painted sign and charming gate welcoming us to Thistle Gate Vineyard! Through the misty rain, the white barn-like cottage with the serene blue roof looked something from a Nicholas Sparks movie. Utterly quaint and beautiful! The wide porch was open for outdoor seating, wrought iron tables and chairs sprawled along the long planked flooring. Restrooms were located around the side so one didn't have to enter the winery. We were greeted by the owner who handed us a wine menu and their "flight sheet". The four of us chose our wine flights and each got a charcuterie box! Ahhh, this is the life! While we awaited our libations and sustenance, we spied an inviting gazebo near the vineyards. Our host said we were welcome to it! The grounds were lovely, albeit a bit soggy, a barrel fountain babbled along with the now drizzling rain, a bottle tree rooster glistened in the garden, cute slate signs were placed hither and thither around the shrubbery, it was all so idyllic. Our flights were served in pieces of wood made from wine barrels. Plastic cups were used due to Covid, but that didn't diminish the flavors of the fruit of the vine. I chose three reds and a blush. The Cabernet France was full-bodied with a dry finish. The Meritage (a portmanteau of Merit & Heritage) was delicate blend of varietals with fruity notes, the Thistle Red was a well-balanced blend of Merlot & Petit Verdot with a mild berry flavor and a rich burgundy color, and my favorite was the Thistle Blush, a crisp rosé made with Chambourcin grapes, easily my top rated grape! The blush was perfect for this overcast summer day, sipping the day way! I also tasted the St. George's Red Reserve which was also made with Chambourcin grapes and whispered cherry notes. Also my friend shared with me her Chardonnay which was a tad dry to my taste, but if you like white wine, I'm sure you'll like this one! What we took home??? The Thistle Red, couple bottles of Meritage, St. George and of course, several bottles of Thistle Blush! We enjoyed all these fine wines while in the gazebo surrounded by rows and rows of vineyards. What made the afternoon even better was the gorgeously presented charcuterie box! Two types of crackers served with salami, Brie, Swiss, and Gouda along with huge green grapes, dried apricots and salted almond Ghirardelli dark chocolates. I'm not exaggerating when I say this was the perfect complement to our wine tasting! A heavenly day spent in this dreamy winery, the only one in Fluvanna county, certainly cured our doldrums!! We are certainly returning to this hidden gem!! One sign posted says "We're so glad you're here", so are we Thistle Gate Vineyard, so are we!