Visit this Virginia winery that does the almost impossible.

During a recent trip through Virginia I stopped at a small winery. The Abingdon Vineyard & Winery is located just north of the Tennessee/Virginia boarder, off I81. My little group took the country roads the seven miles from the interstate for this foray into Virginia wine making. We were not disappointed.

This lovely winery is located on a 53-acre farm with 10 acres of grapes. We were immediately enchanted by the surrounding area. There is a brook that flows in front of the winery. You can also sit outside on the side and enjoy a view of the South Holston River. There is a casual patio area that invited us to stop and enjoy the scenery. Inside was a cozy, living room atmosphere with chairs, tables, and a fireplace.

All this attention to the decor must mean the wine is not very good. No, no, no, the wines are worth the stop. Everyone in our little group found something to enjoy.

We had a distinct group. One of us, me, prefers heavier reds, another prefers Chardonnay, and another prefers sweet wines. Not many young wineries would be able to satisfy all three tastes. Abingdon had no problem at all.

Reds
Norton--A dry heavy bodied red wine, aged in oak for 13 months. $13.50
Cabernet Franc--This wine is aged for 15 months in oak, it is a dry red wine made from Cabernet Franc grapes. $11.50
Cabernet Sauvignon--Aged for 15 months in oak, it is a dry red wine from Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. $11.50
Chambourcin--This was my favorite of the reds. I bought a bottle of this to take with me. It is an aged-in-oak dry red wine made from Chambourcin grapes. 11.50
Alvarado Rouge and Razzle--These are sweet reds. The latter is very sweet. $8

Whites
Misty River--This is a dry, white table wine made from Chardonel grapes. It was a big hit among the Chardonnay drinkers. $8.00
Chardonnay--It's a dry white wine aged in oak, but not overly done. $9.50
Chardoney--A dry white wine aged in oak. $9.50
Pinot Grigio--This was also a popular wine in our group. It is a semi-dry white wine made from the Pinot Grigio grapes. $9.50
Viognier--This is a semi-dry white wine made from the Viognier grapes. Similar to many of the fruit bombs of California. $9.50
Traminette--This semi-sweet was the winner for our sweet wine drinker. He declared it perfect. It has some nice hints of spices. $9.50

The owners, Janet and Bob, will gladly pour several tastes for you. There are friendly and knowledgable. You may also purchase a full glass for $3. Add in the beautiful scenery and it's a steal. The tasting room is open March 15 to December 15, Wednesday-Sunday, noon-6:00 PM.