Located in Barboursville, on the south side of Gordonsville, off of Route 20 headed towards Charlottesville. The small vineyard’s grapes were first planted in 2007, and the winery was recently purchased by Janet Bolla. Plantings focused originally on Petit Manseng and Viognier and have since diversified. Chestnut Oak uses bio-intensive management in the vineyard. Michael Shaps was the first winemaker until 2013, with David Eiserman being the current winemaker.
Wine. One of the Top 25 wineries in Virginia, Chestnut Oak’s wines have been really coming into their own in recent years. Their 2019 Petit Verdot and Nebbiolo reds both were awarded gold medals at the 2023 Virginia Governor’s Cup state-wide wine competition, while their same vintage Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon received silver medals there, along with their 2021 Viognier. The previous year at the 2022 Governor’s Cup, the 2019 vintage Chestnut One (a red blend) was awarded a gold medal, while the winery’s 2019 Tannat and 2017 “Euclid” (a Viognier and Petit Manseng blend) came away with silver medals. The 2017 vintage Chestnut One and 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon were awarded gold medals at the 2022 Monticello Cup, while their Petit Manseng was awarded a gold medal at the 2021 Governor’s Cup. Some grapes – Chardonnay, Vidal and Petit Verdot – are sourced from elsewhere in Virginia. Total production of about 300 cases a year.
Setting. Small-winery ambience. High wood-ceilinged tasting room with colorful painted murals. Nice view over vineyards and the eastern end of the Piedmont hills.
Stories. The Revolutionary War — General Thomas Sumter. A Historical marker off of Virginia Route 231 nearby indicates the birthplace of Thomas Sumter, born here in 1734. Sumter served as a lieutenant colonel in the Continental Army, becoming a Brigadier General in 1780. He was instrumental in defeating the British in the Carolinas, and went on to become a Senator. Sumter’s name is also indelibly associated with the Civil War, as Carolina’s Fort Sumter is named for him.