Second Spire to the Right

Winding roads, mountain vistas, yawning vineyard hillsides, sandy stucco buildings with terracotta roofs. Are we in Tuscany? Shockingly, no. Virginia wine country. Just a short drive from Charlottesville and the bustling UVA campus, the scenery transforms so drastically you might imagine yourself transported overseas.  

The first time I visited this area was after many months of quarantine. A girls trip combining two household bubbles (remember those days?), this marked the first tenuous venture into traveling. A largely outdoor itinerary meant breathing easy while enjoying scenery that was not the inside walls of our homes. 

The scenery dazzles under the best of circumstances, but after months of confinement, anxiety, and sadness at the world around us, Virginia wine country offered a particular balm. The lusciousness and grandeur of the mountains rivaled even that of Vermont.

The white fences lacing the countryside are reminiscent of Kentucky horse country.

The wineries themselves offer spectacular architecture and history that brings echoes of Europe.

Barboursville for example, boasted a wine served at a royal wedding, as well as these ruins from a 19th century fire.

We wandered the grounds, wine in hand, and for a brief interlude, the world seemed a little less crumbly. 

I recently returned for a shorter trip and spent a glorious and leisurely day with friends. Once again, the wineries of Virginia left me amazed and invigorated. Life feels relentless sometimes. But the refreshment of lingering with friends over wine, against a breathtaking backdrop of beauty cannot be overstated.