In our last winery spotlight of 2022, we’d like to introduce you to Hardware Hills Vineyard. Located in Scottsville, VA, Hardware Hills was previously Thistle Gate Vineyard. The name changed after ownership of the winery changed in 2021.
We visited Hardware Hills as the third and final stop of our fall tour this year and everyone agreed on the desire for more time at this establishment. From start to finish, we had a great experience and the staff was wonderful. While there, we enjoyed the patio seating and enjoyed flights, sangria, a wine spritzer the winery was serving, and snacks.
A few wines still carry the Thistle Rock branding and name, while others are Hardware Hills. The Hardware Hills wines include a Harvest Rose, Sparkling Riparian Rose, River Bend Red, River Bend White, Petite Verdot, Merlot, Hillside Red, and sangria.
Some of the group’s favorites were the Hillside Red and River Bend Red, as well as the Thistle Gate Scott’s Landing and Chardonnay. The Scott’s Landing is a semi-dry blend that is 80% Seyval Blanc and 20% Chardonnay and was a favorite. The River Bend Red was also very nice and a blend of Petite Verdot and Chambourcin. Chambourcin is a hybrid grape that is proving to work overtime in plenty of Viriginia blends and this one is not an exception to that rule. As a Chambourcin fan, it gives balance to this blend and the result is a well-rounded blend with notes of black cherry and just the right amount of smokiness.
If you are looking for a smaller winery to visit where the staff if excellent, consider Hardware Hills. We will for sure be adding it to our list of future meetups so that more Virginia wine lovers can give it a try.
Black Women Who Wine 