Located on the Northern Neck, in Kinsale, on the north side of the Yeocomico River. This is a small winery on a large, historic property (read a wonderfully detailed history of The Grove on the winery’s website). Bryce Taylor is the 7th generation of Taylors farming here; after several years of growing grapes and selling them to other area vintners, he opened the winery and Tasting Room at Rivah in November 2019. Bryce reports himself as the youngest vineyard and winery owner on the East Coast, and second youngest in the United States.
Wine. Tier II. White wines include a dry Chardonnel, a Cayuga White (Cool Breeze), a Yeocomico White blend of Vidal Blanc, Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnel, and Petit Manseng. These all pair well with local Chesapeake Bay seafood. Red wines feature a Chambourcin, Sweet Sue (a blend of 95% Chambourcin and 5% Concord grape), and the flagship “Element,” a blend of Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Chambourcin, and Tannat. Riva has entered a few wines in the 2021 and 2020 Finger Lakes Wine Competition, earning silver medals in 2020 for their “Cool Breeze” and “Element” wines, and a bronze medal in 2021 for the “Element.”
Setting. Large, airy and unpretentious tasting room. The deck in the back offers a nice view of the Yeocomico River, great for sipping and enjoying the water when the weather is warm. The owner and winemaker, Bryce Taylor, is also the host, along with his Chocolate Labrador. The impressive Federal style brick house dates from 1832, and was built by Bryce’s fifth great-grandparents – David Ball Taylor and his wife Fannie Bailey Taylor
Stories. The War of 1812 in Virginia. The Chesapeake area of Virginia suffered the brunt of British attacks during the War of 1812, and Kinsale was captured and sacked in August of 1814. Fought as an outgrowth of the Napoleonic Wars in Europe, and triggered in part by the impressment of American sailors by the British Navy to fight Napoleon, the War of 1812 lasted until early 1815. One of the first British actions in the war, in December of 1812, was a blockade of the Chesapeake Bay: American ships trying to enter or depart the Bay were pursued and most often captured and/or destroyed by the Royal Navy. This caused great hardships to the economy of this part of Virginia, putting many shippers, sailors and fishermen out of business. Starting in 1813, British troops made frequent landings in the areas around the Chesapeake, with over 40 documented engagements taking place with the Virginia Militia. These landings culminated in the capture of the then-major port of Alexandria, and the burning of Washington D.C. On August 3, 1814, a force of over 1,000 British troops entered the Yeocomico River, with the assistance of escaped slaves, landing at Mundy’s Point and Kinsale. Kinsale was burned, and the Bailey family warehouse along with it. During the War, Virginia furnished over 90,000 men to the militia. These included Stephen Bailey, whose warehouse was burned down and whose son David built the Manor House at The Grove here. Stephen Bailey served as a militia Lieutenant in the War of 1812, and was a member of the Virginia Legislature from 1803 to his death in 1816. His purchases and the disposition of his estate reveal that he had about 1193 acres in Westmoreland County and 504 acres elsewhere in Virginia. His daughter married David Ball Taylor, who built the present house.