Hi Everyone! Winter is back with a vengeance in Virginia, but it's never too cold to visit wineries - the sunsets are totally worth it.
I find it a little tough to get to Middleburg, the heart of horse country in Loudoun County, because there's a lot of winery options along Route 50. However, it’s worth the trip - not only do they have several wineries, a cidery, and a distillery, but the town itself is very charming and teeming with unique shopping, restaurants, and history.
I needed to run an errand in Middleburg on a cold Friday afternoon last month, and there’s no better way to catch up on work than quiet countryside and a glass of wine.
The Aesthetic
After traversing the winding road to Boxwood Estate Winery, the outside of the tasting room looks sophisticated and very much like an estate house. Boxwood has probably the largest amount of estate vines I’ve seen on a winery property in Virginia, and it definitely makes you feel like you’re away from everything. There is a group of tables right outside the tasting room, as well as another set closer to the vines.
Walking in is a surprise - the traditional exterior hides a modern yet still calming interior. A shimmering, metal circular tasting counter greets you surrounded by stone tiled walls and tall windows that reveal a very unique feature - Boxwood blends, bottles, and stores its wine on-site, unlike many other wineries that for a variety of reasons choose to either bring in equipment for processing and bottling or do so off-site.
On that particular day, I was lucky that the right section of windows was fully transparent to see into the barrel room, where staff was stamping Boxwood’s logo onto their barrels.
The only downside is that the size of the barrel room (and the temptation to run to the windows) may not be conducive to bringing children to a tasting. However, if you’re coming to get a bottle and go outside, there’s plenty of space to run around!
The Wine
Ok, let’s get to the wine. Boxwood Estate is unique in that all of their offerings are blends. At first glance I was worried that the tasting menu was more for a red wine fan than someone who likes a few hits but not the whole record, as there is a lot of Merlot and Petit Verdot and only one white wine.
However, I was very pleasantly surprised- you can tell the winemaker puts a lot of time in finding the right balance of drinkability and complexity. This winery is a great place to explore what and how much of certain red varietals you like.
If you like reds, I recommend the Topiary 2017 - it’s a great balance of flavors with strong cherry notes at the beginning with pepper sprinkled in, and I found the cedar note to be distinct and unique. If you’re still wading into the world of reds, the Trellis 2016 is very drinkable with strong cherry tones with a blend of mainly Merlot and Cabernet Franc.
I want to point out the rosé at this winery because it’s not often that you see one made as a red blend, much less one with 7 wines! I am still learning to like drier rose wine, and I found this one to be very light and drinkable even in the winter.
If you are willing to spend a few more dollars than normal on a bottle, I highly recommend the Reserve 2015 blend - it was my ‘bonus pour’ that felt like I was drinking red velvet.
If this review has you wanting to try the wine but you can’t make it to Middleburg, you’re in luck! Boxwood Estate also has a second tasting location in National Harbor.
The Vines and Stems
Tasting: Standing
Outdoor Areas: Multiple
Indoor space: small - only two tables inside but unique view of winery operations!
Food: small snack food and cheese menu; can bring outside food if it's in sealed containers
Other Wines: Pricier wines available outside of the tasting menu
Stacy's Take
Red Range: * *
Definitely more geared toward red wine drinkers, but there's nothing wrong with being pushed out of your comfort zone!
Family Friendly: * *
Again, space limitation inside but plenty of room outside!
What I ordered: Bottle of the Trellis 2016
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