Meriwether Springs Vineyard & Brewery is one Virginia vineyard that was a mystery to me until recently. While I’ve seen people post about it on social media before and knew about its Vineyard Workers’ Collective, that was the extent of my knowledge. After visiting, I can now say it’s a wonderful venue that deserves all the love it gets and more.
I first decided to inquire about having our Summer Kickoff at Meriwether due to its outside areas and the ability to accomodate a large group. The staff was great from the start of reserving space to the end of our event. Ed Pierce, owner of the establisment, met us as we we were coming in and offered to help carry items to our reserved area. If you look on Google and Facebook, you’ll see reviews noting how nice and hospitable the family that owns Meriwether is and these review proved true for my experience. He seemed genuienly grateful to have us there and we were grateful to have such a great space. We had our own personal wine in the woods in an area that boasted plenty of shade and seating.
I think we were all surprised how good the wine was here. Currently, Meriwether has a 2019 Vidal Blanc, 2018 Chardonnay, 2021 Pinot Grigio, 2018 Petite Verdot, 2019 Rose, and 2020 Chambourcin. We tried all of the wines except the Chardonnay and Petite Verdot.
Our favorites were the Vidal Blanc and Chambourcin. The Vidal Blanc was crisp, light and citrusy, with the usual Vidal Blanc acidity. Notes of lemon combined with floral notes to make this a great summer option, which I’m sure is why it proved to be a favorite on a hot day. The Chambourcin was a real treat. Notes of black cherry, red fruit, and black pepper were identified and it had the most beautiful color and aroma. Definitetly try both of these if you give Meriwether a try, though nothing we tried would be a bad option. You can buy wine by the glass or bottle, no flights here.
Meriwether allows you to bring your own food and we did. You can also purchase wood-fired pizza on site and enjoy the brewery if you prefer beer. I also saw that they have some snack and drink options for kids.
If you’re looking for a more laid-back winery experience in the Charlottesville area, I highly recommend giving Meriwhether a try. It also has a bed and breakfast component.
Black Women Who Wine 