Wonderful experience at DuCard this week. Had tastings of the red and white flights and learned about their unique blends and techniques that produced excellent wines. Interesting unique vertical growing of vines was pointed out when we toured the vineyards. The staff was friendly, knowledgeable about the wines and the wine process used to make their wines. Also got a quick tour of the press rooms and aging rooms filled with oak and stainless steel containers. I recommend this winery for sure! Call ahead or email to Beth whose address in on their website. read more

My wife and I went there for a peaceful setting but wanted some privacy so we chose the deck by the stream. Everything was going well until a host was "too accommodating ". He asked me where I was from and when I told him he said "I am sorry". Not cool at all. After that he asked if we liked red wine, we said no. He brought 2 glasses out anyway and insisted we try it. We finally gave in but we didn't like being pressured. We still don't like red wine. Then he asked if he could sit with us. We reluctantly agreed but instead of taking the empty chair he grabbed my wife's purse without asking and moved it to the other chair. What should have been a nice and semi private experience ended up being spent with a pushy host. Not contemplating going back. read more

In my opinion, this place is unique in the sense that everyone, to include the owner, makes you feel like family. Every time I visit the area from out of town, I do my best to check out different Virginia wineries but am continuously drawn to DuCard. I'm not a wine connoisseur but I do raise my pinkie when raising a glass. I do my best to try as many as I can - red and white, when not having to drive, just to experience the different wines available. All have been delicious and I always walk out with a few bottles. The staff is incredibly friendly and knowledgeable, the ambiance is loose, open, inviting, and just a cool laid back vibe. There seems to be entertainment every time I've visited and nosh is available as well. Definitely put this place on your places to visit when in the area. read more

We love DuCard Wines. They always have a great variety of reds and whites. Their sparkling wines are fantastic. Dorthy"s slipper is a sparkling Norton. I love how they serve their flights. Each wine gets its own Riedel glass-no plastic cups or dumping wines from jars into one glass. The staff are friendly and knowledgeable. You can often find the owner on the property talking to customers. It's off the beaten path but so worth it. Views are spectacular. There's no better place to relax. It's dog and kid friendly. They have a fun assortment of music on the weekends. read more

DuCard Vineyards - Tulips in bloom at DuCard. - Wineries Near Me - Etlan, Virginia

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had an absolutely wonderful Self Care Sunday! Following numerous recommendations, I decided to visit two wineries. One of them was DuCard Vineyards. The drive to the winery was absolutely stunning, with picturesque views of the mountains. To top it off, the winery wasn't crowded at all, which made the experience even more perfect for me! Upon arrival, I was greeted warmly by Beth. The tasting experience at DuCard Vineyards is truly a steal at only $25, with the option to choose from 4 different wines - reds, whites, or a mix of both. I opted for 2 reds and 2 whites, and let me tell you, the tasting was an absolute delight! The staff was incredibly friendly and knowledgeable, and they conducted the tasting right at my table.* I came, I saw, I conquered... the wine list! Veni, vidi, vino - that's my motto. The Viognier and Carbenet Franc Vintner Reserve were both delightful choices, but the real star of the show was the Popham Run Red. A Bordeaux blend that had me reaching for a bottle to take home. And let's not forget the extra tastings - Cest trop, with its notes of caramel and chocolate, and XOXO, a bubbly blend of Viognier and Chardonnay. Not exactly my cup of tea, but I know my friend Nikki would go crazy for it. No cell service? No problem! Just enjoy the moment, the wines, and the company you bring. Thanks to Beth and the two lovely ladies (sorry, I forgot your names!) for their help and hospitality. read more

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This vineyard has a rustic, homey feel. I had a wine flight with both white and red wines. The wines were decent but not amazing. They also had live music when I was there which was nice. Overall, I thought this was a nice casual spot to sip some wine and relax. read more

DuCard Vineyards - Wine flight - Wineries Near Me - Etlan, Virginia

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DuCard is one of the prettiest spots for a winery. It's tucked into hollow with mountains right above the vineyard. About 1.5 hours from NoVa, it's a beautiful drive and a lovely place to spend a few hours. They often have live music, are friendly toward outside food (though their local cheeses are excellent). Wines are delicious - we really enjoyed their award winning Cab Franc. Hands down the best VA red I've ever had. Very kid friendly and casual- lots of space to run around outside and complimentary juice boxes. On nice days, you can enjoy their assortment of yard games like corn hole. Staff is kind and knowledgeable. Zero snootiness. Will come back in April when their newly planted field of tulips is in bloom! read more

Just a wonderful experience and fantastic day! Lucy and I had a wonderful wedding at DuCard. We had about 70 people. We were married there and of course had the reception there. The wines were of course spectacular as always. Thank you to everyone at DuCard... read more

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Top notch wines and always wonderful service. This vineyard keeps expanding but tastefully. You never feel over powered by the people or process. The wine is delicious and the charcuterie options wonderful. read more

DuCard Vineyards - Wineries Near Me - Etlan, Virginia

Visited again yesterday, just as wonderful as I remember. The new enclosed back room, where the live music is, is beautiful and aesthetically pleasing. The tulip field in the back is a nice touch. The wine remains great although I only tried the Traminette and Chardonnay blend, Cuvée. Then why only 4 stars? I have decided to dock one star automatically from any winery that does not offer the old-fashioned counter tastings. The flights are holdovers from the pandemic days and some people may prefer flights. But I honestly feel wineries should offer both, counter tastings and flights. Many wineries in northern VA still do offer both. Counter tastings allow one to interact with the staff, sometimes even the winemaker or owner. The flights here are "full service," meaning you do get an explanation of each wine, but there is no camaraderie with other visitors as you get during counter tastings - especially important for a solo winery goer like myself (other family members and friends either don't drink alcohol or they only drink beer or spirits). If I want to do a flight of wine, I could go into many restaurants in the state versus a winery to do that. Anyway end of rant. I remember all the wine being good at DuCard and when I bought my glass, the friendly pourer did offer a taste before I bought it, and offered a taste of any other wine I would have been interested in getting a glass or bottle of. The drive into the property is stunning. But there is no WiFi signal...if you want to work while drinking, it may be tough to do here. read more

I came here on a Saturday at 4pm with two friends and a pup. My friend was celebrating a birthday and it was a bit of a rainy day, so after an early morning hike, we decided to give this place a visit. This could not have been a better choice! The staff were some of the nicest and most welcoming folks, and extended the same welcome to our pup in with treats and pets! Rick expertly guided us through our wine flights and kindly sent over two additional glasses (one, a dessert wine and the other a bubbly - both fantastic!). Ed, who helped to serve our wine was also so kind and such a joy to talk to! To note, they had a wide variety of reds and whites and everything we tried we enjoyed, but most of us really loved the white varieties. The charcuterie board with the baguette was also perfect - a good amount of meats and cheeses, and the baguette was warm and crusty. The back room/patio had a wall of windows looking directly onto the mountains in the distance. It's also where live music acts from two different musicians were set up. They were so lovely and even had some folks up on their feet dancing - impressive! Because of the warm environment, many of the different patrons were saying hello to others. It was truly one of the more memorable experiences we've had, and we won't forget this place. If you go to one vineyard in the area, make sure it's this one! read more

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This off-the-beaten path (is there an on-the-beaten-path in Madison, VA?) vineyard is well worth a visit. We stopped in on a rainy Monday afternoon. With a sign on the tasting room door that welcomed visitors and invited us to "come down to the winery and see what we're up to," we soon met Julien Durantie, a fourth generation winemaker from Bordeaux, who runs the place. Julien was very welcoming, and even gave us an impromptu tour of the winery's fermenting area, explaining their process and answering our questions. Then it was up to the tasting room with Julien who walked me through a 7-varietal sampling that was surprisingly good. (I know nothing about Virginia wine. I'm more of a California/New Zealand wine guy.) My expectations had been low (I'm from Pennsylvania, and I have yet to sample a drinkable PA wine, so it colored my thinking on VA wines). Julien disabused me of my wrongheaded thinking. Not only was each wine a unique experience, he introduced me to some varieties that I've not previously explored. (When you're buying wine in a PA state store, you don't get experimental buying an $18 or $28 bottle unless you KNOW it's good). Based on these samplings, I bought several bottles. What's more, Julien is the person who created each of the wines I bought. As someone who hasn't really done the winery thing much, it was such an absolute pleasure to not only meet the person responsible for creating what you're drinking, but to hear him explain the flavors and some of the background on how it was created. They also sold some delicious chocolates that were infused with certain wine flavors. We bought several boxes of those too. Julien, complete with his French accent that was a delight, was a gracious host who informed, entertained and welcomed us to his winery. DuCard owns two or three other wineries in the area, but there is tremendous pride in every bottle. I'm looking forward to returning to DuCard and visiting with Julien again as he introduces me to additional varieties in their collection. You should too. By the way, I purchased multiples of: - Gibson Hollow White, 2017 - Veni, Vidi, Vino! Viognier, 2018 - Rose, 2018 - Norton, 2016 (I LOVE the spicy follow-through on this one, so different from anything I've tried before) read more

DuCard Vineyards - Wineries Near Me - Etlan, Virginia

A very lovely vineyard nestled in the foothills with a stream flowing by as you sit outside. Our group of 5 enjoyed a wine tasting by Cora who was very knowledgeable and friendly. The owner stopped by and chatted for a bit which i always enjoy. He told us the story of their Shenandoah wine label which is one you should ask about when you are there. We sat outside and enjoyed a bottle of the Cab Franc. We brought our own cheese and crackers and sat outside to listen to live music. Highly recommend. read more

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Be careful when you go and what you expect. We came here after our visit to the OUTSTANDING Revalation Vineyards and were greeted by being told they only sold bottles. No glass, flight, or tastings... just bottles. We didn't notice these limitations on their web site and nothing was mentioned in the emails we received in response to our reservation request. Since we were already there and didn't have time to get anyplace else we bought one based on their description and took it out to one of the many socially distanced tables on their spacious lawn. From the first sip to the last the wine we bought was awful. Fortunately they must have felt guilty and someone showed up after a few minutes into the ordeal with an alternate bottle, their Triskele, as an exchange. That was at least drinkable and we thanked them for their consideration. read more

DuCard Vineyards - Artsy shot of grapes and sun. - Wineries Near Me - Etlan, Virginia

Had a great wine tasting and tour at DuCard! We got a flight of reds, sat at a table in their lovely field, and even got some personal insights on how to sound like I know what I'm talking about when drinking wine! I especially liked DuCard's emphasis on sustainability, from their solar panels to their EV charging station to their compostable cups for water. Cora took us on a fantastic tour where we got to see the grapes, see the fermentation process, and try some of DuCard's finest. My favorite was the Norton--very cool to know that there's a varietal native to Virginia. read more

DuCard Vineyards - The Norton was the winner for us! - Wineries Near Me - Etlan, Virginia

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Good wines, very friendly people... The entire grounds are dog friendly, and music is live most Saturdays. An entirely relaxing afternoon!

Wine is delicious! Food was good! Ambience pleasant, views of the mountains while sitting outside can't be beat on a lazy Saturday afternoon. Staff is friendly, service is efficiently relaxed. Perfect place to visit! read more

We had a wonderful time after visiting Shenandoah, and this was a perfect spot to visit afterwards. Sprawling views and a picturesque setting makes this one of my favorite wineries. I didn't love the charcuterie but I'm glad I gave it a try. I fell in love with the dessert board (perfection!) and thoroughly enjoyed our wine flights. We will definitely return for more port and Curvee. We definitely will bring home more of the Petit Verdot and Norton. And the wine-filled chocolates! Thanks to Beth and Cora (especially) for a wonderful experience! read more

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Great wine and wonderful views. This place is truly a hidden gem, it's at the foothills of Shenandoah park. I really like the whites and reds - the Shenandoah wine and the Cab wine were my favorites! As a bonus, proceeds from the Shenandoah wine go to the park. The service is great too - very friendly. Went home happy with 4 bottles of wine. There's no food served here aside from cheese and light snacks. I don't recommend is getting the gouda cheese, it wasn't very good. So bring your own food. There are other wineries and distilleries in the area. Just be aware that there is no signal in the area. There's also a great brick-oven pizza place (RPK) Rappahannock Pizza Kitchen that's only a 10 minute drive. Overall, DuCard is worth the drive and makes a nice day trip. read more

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I stayed with family at a cabin nearby, and they offered free wine tasting with our reservation. Six of us went. The facility is located on beautiful land with lots of trees, and of course grape vines everywhere. They have several buildings, but the main space is an open room with two rustic wooden bars for tastings, and some limited seating. They have a small sort of gift shop area with wine accessories, cigars, cheese, salami, chocolate, etc. We tried three whites, one rose, and three reds. I'm not a big wine drinker at all, but my favorite was the Shenandoah 2016, which was the favorite of two others in our party. It was sweet, and very fruity. The other three preferred the Virginia Native Norton 2015, which was a red. The employee who assisted us was nice, if a bit rushed and flustered. He took the time to explain each wine, though, and enthusiastically answered our questions. A tour of the wine processing facility was supposed to be included with the tasting, however because we went over Memorial Day weekend they said they were too busy to show us, so that was a bit disappointing. They have seating outside, and you can purchase wine by the glass or bottle to enjoy outdoors. There was a sort of patio over by a creek, and they had a covered area with a band playing as well. They offer some sort of cheese plates as well as bread, maybe a few more food options, but it seemed pretty limited. The price of the tasting would have been $8 per person. Wine bottles were about $20-$40. They have a wine club with various benefits (free tasting, 15% off bottles, etc), but I'm not sure of the cost. I felt like the wine was pretty good, and the scenery was gorgeous. I do wish they'd paired the wine with some food: cheese, fruit or chocolate, and offered water to cleanse our palates. I also would have appreciated more instruction as far as the actual tasting of the wine went. All in all it was an enjoyable experience. read more

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If I could describe a perfect afternoon- hike at white oak canyon, get a smoked ham sandwich at Graves mountain deli and head to DuCard. If Cora is working then even better! In a time when many wineries have stopped giving descriptions of wines and the vineyard and just handed you a flight and a piece of paper, DuCard has not followed that example. (Yes!!!) Cora explained our flights, talked about the vineyard, the winemaker and she was an a absolute gem. Beautiful scenery, great wine and amazing staff. I can't say enough about this vineyard. read more

DuCard Vineyards - glasses of wine on a table - Wineries Near Me - Etlan, Virginia

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We always enjoy our visits to DuCard! Our family hiked Old Rag yesterday and then stopped in to relax a bit before heading home. Ken was AMAZING! He was knowledgeable, personable, and attentive. We'll be back, for sure! read more

If you are visiting Shenandoah National Park, make sure to swing on by this winery. The views are great; the service is outstanding; and the welcoming atmosphere is laidback and casual. DuCard Vineyard is built on the principle of connecting family and friends through wine enjoyment and knowledge. My husband and I ventured to this winery with no prior familiarity of this winery. We were swiftly greeted by several staff members and wine patrons right upon entering the airy and clean building. The staff member who invited us to a tasting was very chatty, informative, and friendly. Some of the wine was a bit too dry for my taste, but my husband enjoyed it. The Bordeaux is a crowd favorite. We ended up purchasing a bottle of the Cabernet Franc 2016. I will definitely return here for the excellent service and conversation when in the area! Not to mention, the view is spectacular! read more

I find it hard not to say enough good things about this place. The service, the venue, the wine...the entire experience was great. The wine - they DELIVER on their reds. Not just one or two, but a whole gaggle of them. Standouts were the Bordeaux style Popham Run (nice cherry palate), the Norton (not nearly as heavy as other Nortons I've had), and the Petit Verdot. I think my favorite was the Popham...or maybe the Petit? I had a hard time deciding, so I got both. Sadly I just missed out on the Franc :( If you like port styles, you're in luck. The c'est trop had one of the best noses I've had on any VA port-style; I had to sip slowly so I could enjoying the bouquet. And oddly for me, I enjoyed all the whites as well. The service - On my first visit tasting manager Marty Mitchell was on hand to talk me through their history. On my second visit, the owner was there and came up to shake my hand and introduce himself. Need I say more? The venue - set on the foothills of the Shenandoah mountains, the scenery is as pretty as you would expect. Good place to visit after a long day of hiking (the trailhead for White Oak Canyon is just down the road). The building was also tastefully decorated, and had recently opened a new addition with a garage-style door that opens up, so you can soak in the view. The grapes - most but not all of their grapes are estate grown, and what they don't grow they get locally. Vines are on a nice slope in a mountain valley. I suspect the area has its own microclimate, which makes the entire area conducive to viticulture. I can see why the owner picked this location - good choice, sir. If all this wasn't enough, seldom have I seen a winery so engaged with the local community. DuCard is decorated with paintings from local artists (which you can purchase), and a portion of the proceeds of certain wines are donated to the restoration of James Madison's estate of Montpelier. Viticulture students 'study' in the vineyard. They have a generous military discount. And if that's not enough, they are also one of the two most eco-friendly wineries in all Virginia, including the use of biodegradable tableware. I'll be back - probably several times, starting with their Civil War reenactment. Or maybe I'll try the Reserve tasting. Just look for the guy in the corner blissed out sniffing his port. read more

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Nice secluded location - beautiful views. Enjoyed Live music playing while tasting the wines.

Great experience! Rick was super informative on the wine and background on the winery. We had such a good time celebrating and would love to come back again! The place had a great indoor and outdoor set ups. Loved our time there. We were there for a celebration and their attention and service really made it memorable for me! read more

Amazing winery. Beautiful view and excellent wine. I highly recommend DuCard winery for a great destination.

If you are going to DuCard, take a DD. The road up the mountain is VERY precarious. If you are afraid of heights - forget it. That road is not for the faint of heart. We've tried twice read more

This winery has excellent wines for Virginia. I normally don't like Chardonnay, but found their two Chardonnays appealing. The reds are fine also. There is a pleasant outdoor seating area where you can enjoy a decent charcuterie board and a baguette with your wine flight. The service is pleasant and attentive. read more

Beautiful setting, stuffy atmosphere. My husband and I visited this winery with our 3 children in hopes of sampling some local wines and enjoying some live music in a setting for the kids to be outside and away from screens. We ordered a red flight and a white flight from a very nice gentleman named Rolf. He brought our drinks to the table we chose and explained each wine to us. The wine was tasty and the music (a lovely trio with a guitar, base, and sax/clarinet) was really nice. We were disappointed in the availability of "entertainment" for us and the kids; we are used to wineries having cards, a board game, etc for children to stay occupied. Since there was nothing really for our kids to do indoors we paid our check to head to another local winery where we knew there would be more for them - Rolf then brought us two more tastes of some other wines not included in the flights. The service was great but we just didn't feel like the place was meant for 40-something's with children. A few other comments/observations: *They had a grill going and people were cooking their food, I didn't see anyone eating anything that looked like it was from an on-site kitchen *A woman at one of the tables pulled out a scented candle and was burning it inside the room where we were sitting - this was both strange and also unpleasant as the smell of French vanilla candle was circulating all through the room forcing everyone to be subject to the strong fragrance *They had a beautiful cut your own tulip garden *Outside they had solo stove fire pits all over but they were not lit when we were there - our family would have loved to sit around one to stay warm instead of inside *They had a big barrel filled with blankets which I thought was a cute and practice idea read more

My husband and I visited DuCard Winery before our ceremony at Shenandoah National Park in September 2020. Cora was amazing from the time we stepped in the door! Being a weekday, there weren't many people there at 3pm, so she allowed us to use the full grounds for photos! We could not have planned this better, as there were ripe grapes on the vines, being harvested the next day. The vineyard was so pretty! She also gave us a complimentary glass of wine, which was so thoughtful. Between the breath taking views of the mountains, and the amazing service, I would recommend this winery to anyone! Cheers! read more

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We tried DuCard about a year and a half ago and it didn't really impress us, but we didn't dislike it. So, we decided to go back yesterday, this time with friends of ours who have done vineyard visits in many states. Needless to say, we were all very impressed! They do have a great assortment of reds, which are nicely done. Their tasting room is built with lots of reclaimed wood, which makes it special and ads a very nice touch. The beautiful lady in the tasting room hosting and providing tastings was great to chat with and understood wines, which helps when talking wines, rather than talking to someone just going off of a "cheat sheet" of what to say with each pour. My only recommendation would be to offer more wines with the tasting. Of all their wines, they weren't tasting any of the expensive ($50) bottles. We would have loved to try some with the plans to buy some. We did enjoy what we tried though. We also liked their policy of giving a free tasting for every two bottles. This is a great policy since we go to wineries with the intention of buying a bottle and enjoying their venue, whereas some just go with the idea of doing a tasting. So, charge those who have no desire to buy bottles and give free tastings to those who do buy - luv that plan! Their grounds are beautiful.... the pretty mountain stream running through the property is beautiful too. Looking forward to going back! read more

Excellent service! Excellent wine! Great views! Great conversation and knowledge by our host. Extremely generous. Excited to come again!

This winery is nestled in a valley, no views of the mountains. They only serve flights and bottles... The flights are a great way to sample a variety of wines. I was informed that one flight=2 glasses of wine. We were there on a Friday evening. Great time to go, there was a food truck (perfect for dinner) and live music. We throughly enjoyed our time. Some helpful hints--bring bug spray, there's a Tesla charging station @ the winery, and the rose is excellent read more

Visited a bunch of wineries in the Shenandoah area, and DuCard was probably my favorite. We showed up just 30 minutes before closing to do a tasting, and they were so kind! Tom was awesome in explaining all of the wines, and let us try eight (instead of the usual six). Their reds were amazing--I left with two bottles of the Popham Run Bordeaux blend, one of which we finished that very evening. Quick tip: if you buy two bottles, you get a free tasting! If you're hiking Old Rag or White Oak Canyon, highly recommend that you stop over. read more

DuCard Vineyards - Wineries Near Me - Etlan, Virginia

We tripped out to DuCard Vineyards to celebrate several birthdays and had a really wonderful time. The scenery is amazing and the wines are excellent. Our favorite was the Viognier, a very nice white wine. Very friendly staff, Scott and Tom in particular. We drove our Tesla Model X out to DuCard and were able to plug-in to the Tesla Wall Charger there and get back up to a full charge before we drove north on Skyline Drive. read more

DuCard Vineyards - Charging our Tesla Model X back up. - Wineries Near Me - Etlan, Virginia

I wasn't expecting a ton from a vineyard just a few minutes away from Graves Mountain, but this was a great surprise in terms of the wine, the venue, and the people. They have a very nice outdoor patio area including an open field a the topi with a little brook flowing by, so you can just listen to it gurgle. They let us bring our own picnic in the shade and set up a blanket where we could drink our wine, eat our food, and let our 10-month-old roll around. Just a very nice ambiance. They had decent whites, and better reds, but just not enough variety to be a truly great winery, but that's pretty much to be expected outside of the major vineyard areas in California, Washington and Oregon. Still the wine was plenty decent to have it be a nice outing. The prices were reasonable and they waive tasting fees if you buy two bottles, which always makes me happy. I'll definitely be back. read more

Beautiful setting next to a running stream in a valley of beautiful mountains. Come for the view and stay for the wines. They specialize in red wines and we enjoyed the wine named after the stream out front. Bread, meat, cheese, and spreads are available for purchase at reasonable prices. read more

DuCard Vineyards - Beautiful setting next to a running stream. They are a small vineyard and were sold out of many wines! - Wineries Near Me - Etlan, Virginia

This place has set up safe & enjoyable processes for pandemic enjoyment! They greet you at the door & explain all new protocol, they have a new patio w/tent & ample outside seating in a gorgeous setting, they have one way traffic & lots of sanitation. All that plus really tasty wine. They have taken the time to do it right & safely. Can't say enough about my enjoyable & safe afternoon here. read more

Very lovely setting. We enjoyed sitting on the deck by the river. We had a tasting of 4 of their wines. We also purchased delicious food. It took a while to bring us our flights and I think they were accidentally misplaced. The manager brought them to us and apologized. We appreciated her speaking to us and we really enjoyed talking with her. She then came back with a tasting of another wine for each of us on the house. She was very kind. read more