Nadjma R.

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.

Rebecca H.

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.

Shawn W.

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...

Jennifer S.

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.

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!

Rod H.

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)

Nicky S.

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.

Bob T.

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.

Max B.

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.

Rayne S.

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!

Aarti B.

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.

Lacey T.

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.