tammy gordon: I Have a New Favorite Virginia Winery: Early Mountain Vineyards

Full disclosure. My friend Rachel just got a job working at Early Mountain Vineyards. And, I want to quit my job and be her social media manager after spending 24 hours here.

I mean, I have the qualifications: many years experience managing social media, a deep love of wine - particularly the rose - and my dog and I look damn good on the farm.

Barns for days...

I love exploring Virginia's wine scene, but Early Mountain differentiates itself in a few ways. First and foremost, this is a destination. It's not just about the wine made on the property, rather Early Mountain seeks to elevate the entire Virginia food and wine scene.

The tasting room is so civilized. There's a stand up bar if you like, but I loved that they also have table service and a full menu.

General Manager, Dave Kostelnik gave us a tour of the vineyard on his Gator while regaling us with tales of bears and brides. He talked us through all of the varietals on the vineyard, introduced us to the winemaker and talked about the plans for the future (glamping, anyone?) I love that they also have such amazing event space for concerts (I saw Gallatin Canyon play while I was there), corporate retreats and weddings or parties.

One of the coolest parts of the Early Mountain experience is that you have your choice - taste a flight of their own best wines... or try the best of Virginia. That's right, you can get a sampling of the best reds, whites or sparklers from across the state at Early Mountain. And, there's a full menu made with local ingredients. Find something you love? Make sure to check their local Virginia goods market to see if you can take it home with you. I really loved the whipped local honey that came on the side of the chevre.

Flight of Early Mountain wines

In the summertime, I can drink Early Mountain's rose all day long, so I bought two bottles. And, one of the Foothills red, which is perfect for Bolognese night.

The Barns of Early Mountain

I knew I'd be back, so I went ahead and joined the wine club. I'm already looking forward to my first winemaker dinner.

NOTE: Special thanks to the Early Mountain team who allowed us to stay on the property. Extra special thanks to everyone for not getting married there the weekend I was there so that I could use the cottage. The view waking up was amazing... almost as amazing as the ham biscuits we bought the night before at the bluegrass concert.