Wine Tasting Weekend in Charlottesville

Visit the local wineries in the area. Here are my recommendations:

• Barboursville: A prominent Virginia winery dedicated to producing estate-bottled wines inspired by European tradition. Situated on a historic plantation that was designed by Thomas Jefferson. It offers not only acclaimed wines but also a renowned restaurant, Palladio, and historical ruins to explore.

• Merrie Mill: A unique winery that is designed to feel like home with eclectic furnishings, artwork, and even antique taxidermy. It has light bites and charcuterie to enjoy while tasting their wines either inside or outside on their patio.

• Southwest Mountain: A family-owned winery known for crafting world-class wines that reflect the region. It has an expansive lodge-like tasting room with ample outdoor seating.

• Michael Shaps Wineworks: This winery is known for its blends that showcase its classic and innovative style. It offers a seated tasting of its own wines along with their imported selections from France.

Wine tastings & bars in town:

• The Gray: This is a small shop that focuses on curating well-performing lesser known wines. They do themed-tastings on the weekends. When we visited, they did one with some wonderful Portuguese wines.

• Crush Pad Wines: A wine bar and shop located in the downtown mall area. They also sell small plates and charcuterie, too.

• Ethos Wine and Tea: A small shop that features natural wines and tea. They also offer small plates and desserts to accompany your drinks. It is a great place to sit and chat with your travel companion.

Other things to do:

• Walk on the UVA campus: This is a beautiful campus with historic buildings with nice walking paths. You’ll need to get in some exercise after all that wine drinking!

• Wander the downtown mall area: This is a pedestrian area with unique shops and restaurants.

• Visit Monticello: For some history to round out the weekend, you can visit Thomas Jefferson’s home. A great place to visit for some American history. Located about 20 minutes outside of Charlottesville.

Charlottesville is definitely becoming a foodie destination, and several companies are now offering food tours. Here are some restaurants I recommend checking out in the downtown Charlottesville area:

• Farm Bell Kitchen: A great brunch place with a focus on fresh, local ingredients. Great indoor and outdoor seating area.

• The Nook: A popular brunch spot in the downtown mall area. It’s also popular with locals.

• Trophy Club: A rooftop bar and restaurant at the Graduate hotel. It has beautiful views of the campus and surrounding area.

• The Virginian: Charlottesville’s oldest restaurant serving southern cuisine.

• Fig: Mediterranean-focused restaurant with locally sourced food. Vegetarian and vegan-friendly.