Chisholm Vineyard at Adventure Farms
This sustainable family farm near the Charlottesville Albemarle Airport dates back to the 1950s. Morris Chisholm bought the land, and it is still home to the third and fourth generations of his family. In 2006, they established a vineyard. They also raise beef cattle and sell their own crops, including corn, soybeans, wheat and pumpkins.
Wine. Tier II. Chisholm’s 2018 Petit Verdot and Tannat, along with their 2021 Rosé, were awarded silver medals at the 2023 state-wide Virginia Governor’s Cup wine tasting competition. Their 2018 Chardonnay received a bronze medal there. Six Chisholm wines received silver medals at the 2022 Virginia Governor’s Cup, all from their 2019 vintage: their Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Farmer’s Reserve, Gigi Red Blend, Chardonnay, and “Skin Contact” Chardonnay. Three of the winery’s offerings were awarded silver medals at the 2022 Monticello Cup wine tasting, all 2020 vintages: their Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Manseng, and Rosé. Back in 2021 and 2020, a pair of Chisholm wines were awarded gold medals at the Governor’s Cup competitions, their Chambourcin at the 2021 event, and their Cabernet Sauvignon in 2020. Michael Shaps does custom crush for Chisolm, something at which he is the unsurpassed master in Virginia.
Setting. Smallish place at the end of a dirt road, but on a large farm. Tasting room is set in an old greenhouse and nursery. The outdoor area has a fire pit and Adirondack chairs. Rest rooms are out back which is fine unless it is raining. Note Chisolm charges parking fees when music is being played (partly to compensate the musicians), generally Friday nights.
Stories. An Early American Watering Place — Michie Tavern. Earlysville, where Chisolm sits, was the original home of a colonial and tourist landmark, the Michie Tavern. “Scotch John” Michie was a rebel who was captured by English forces in the 1715 Scottish uprising: he could face a firing squad, or be shipped off to Virginia Colony. In those days, you chose one thing and the military gave you the other… so he found himself on a ship bound for Virginia. His son William Michie fought in the Revolutionary War, and was a signatory of the Albemarle Declaration of Independence. He was at Valley Forge when the news came that his father had died and left him land. In 1784 William opened Michie’s Tavern, where there was a natural spring, as a stop on a busy stagecoach route on Buck Mountain Road in Earlysville. He later became town sheriff and justice of the peace in Earlysville. Like many other taverns of the early 1800s, Michie’s was a central gathering place where the locals heard news from “strangers” who stopped for food and bed, and who brought information about the goings-on in Philadelphia and Washington as they continued their journey from Earlysville to Richmond. Doctors and dentists treated patients, and dancing lessons, school classes, town meetings and worship services were held there. The original tavern closed in 1850. In 1927 Mrs. Mark Henderson moved the Tavern 17 miles by horse and wagon from Earlysville to its current location, at the foot of Carter’s Mountain about a mile from Monticello. She was an early adopter of historical preservation in the Charlottesville area, and her efforts would ultimately lead to Michie Tavern’s designation as a Virginia historic landmark. Today once again Michie’s is located on a busy thoroughfare and welcoming strangers at its door. Servers in period attire and the rustic restaurant setting make an experience rich in southern culture and hospitality. The 18th-century menu features a buffet of southern fried chicken, marinated baked chicken, hickory-smoked pork barbecue, stewed tomatoes, black-eyed peas, and buttermilk, while the 1784 Pub, an 18th century style pub, serves Virginia wines, beers and hard ciders.