MEET VIRGINIA KELLY MAGYARICS n a forward-thinking area rich with his- nists couldn’t establish a wine industry. george torical importance, where ingenuity and Washington tried and failed to start a vineyard innovation have coexisted with longstand- at Mount Vernon. Most famously (and perhaps ing traditions and deep-seated beliefs, most discouraging), Francophile and enophile Isuccess eluded would-be vintners for centuries. Thomas Jefferson cultivated European varietals Despite a requirement that every male settler at Monticello for more than 30 years without plant and tend at least 10 vines, Jamestown colo- producing a single bottle of wine. Photos by Kelly Magyarics (left), Kenneth Garrett (right) 82 October 31, 2010 MEET VIRGINIA Kelly Magyarics is a Flash forward 400 years. Today, the state of Political distinctions wine-and-spirits writer Virginia boasts 160 wineries, compared to only and wine educator based 46 in 1995. Wine sales for the year ending June Considering the entire state as one wine- in northern Virginia. 30 were up nearly 13% over the previous year. making region would be as inaccurate as mak- She can be reached Viognier and Cabernet Franc are emerging as ing broad generalizations about California through her website, the state’s varietal stars; Bordeaux blends, spar- wine. “Virginia as a whole is a huge area to be www.kellymagyarics. kling wines, and a quirky indigenous grape also assumed as one viticultural region,” explains com, or at www.twitter. attract their share of attention. If you haven’t al- Jordan Harris, winemaker and general man- com/kmagyarics. ready made her acquaintance, meet Virginia— ager for Tarara Winery in Leesburg. Indeed, six and her wines. of the 187 American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) are found in the state: Eastern Shore, Monti- Potomac cello, Northern Neck Winchester Waterford � � george Washington Shenandoah Valley AVA I81 Leesburg� Middleburg I66 � Birthplace, North Fork The Plains � � Arlington� Washington, D.C. h Front Royal � of Roanoke, Rocky West Virginia Alexandria ShenandoaMonticello AVA Knob, and Shenan- I95 Harrisonburg � � Culpeper Northern Neck George doah Valley (which � Washington Birthplace AVA Barboursville Fredericksburg Staunton � Eastern Shore AVA extends into West Vir- �Gordonsville � Crozet Chincoteague � Keswick Waynesboro�� � � Island ginia). Harris points Afton Charlottesville � Clifton � Forge I64 Tappahannock out that as wineries I64 Lexington Ja � � me s � Blue Ridge North Fork of Roanoke AVA Covington are built closer to one Mountains Richmond I64 another, establishing � Appomattox Hopewell Lynchburg � � Chesapeake Bay �Roanoke Farmville� wine trails and mar- I77 Blacksburg � �Williamsburg Tazewell � Petersburg Newport News keting initiatives, they � Pulaski Virginia � � Roanok Norfolk � � Norton n � Rocky Mount e � Virginia Beach lsto Wytheville Ho I81 I77 � w I95 �Chesapeake Rocky Knob AVA South Boston � Ne � Barboursville Vineyards � Danville � Suffolk Martinsville � A85 Emporia tasting room (left); Box- wood Winery estate in The Plains (top). Sommelier Journal 83.