Rebec Winery
Located in Amherst, Amherst County, off of Route 29. First planted in 1980 by Rebec founder Richard Hanson (who passed away in 2018), with wines sold from 1987 onwards. The name comes from Hanson’s youngest daughter, Rebecca, and the medieval string instrument. Rebec is best known as the host site of the Virginia Garlic & Wine Festival, which has been held here since 1991. Winemaker and now owner Svet Kanev, who arrived in 1992, is the only Bulgarian winemaker in Virginia.
Wine. Tier III. Extensive and eclectic selection of some sixteen wines, some sourced from the estate’s two acres of vines, and many from grapes (and other fruits) purchased from other producers. Winemaker Svet Kanev is known to croon Bulgarian folk tunes as he bottles the wines. Sweet Sofia, a herb-infused wine, commemorates Svet’s hometown, the capital of Bulgaria.
Setting. One of the oldest wineries in southern Virginia, Rebec is in a handsome farmhouse on a 70-acre estate with beautiful views over the Blue Ridge. The house, Mountainview is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Stories. Experiencing Virginia farm history. About ten miles north of Rebec Vineyards, in Piney Branch and still in beautiful Nelson County, one will find the Saunders Brothers Orchard and Farm Museum. Saunders Brothers began as a partnership between five brothers in 1915, arguably the “golden age” of agriculture in Virginia. After late 19th century economic depressions which greatly affected farmers, crop prices began to rise after 1900. The first two decades of the twentieth century are viewed today as a “golden age” for American agriculture. With more money in their pockets, farmers purchased tractors and other machinery, making their farms more productive and efficient. Some of the tools which had been used to work farms for centuries started to disappear, though some farmers kept them. Today, third generation Saunders brothers continue the now over 100-year old operation. Along with their extensive selection of farm produce, the Saunders have also accumulated one of the largest privately-owned collection of farm antiques in the state of Virginia. You can stop in after a winery visit and get a sense of what much of the farmland in Virginia was like over the past many decades. For good measure the Orchard and Farm Museum also holds old Native American artifacts. The Saunders Brothers farm grows peaches, Asian pears, cherries, flowering shrubs, annuals and perennials, farm raised beef and pork, and a wide variety of jams, jellies and pickles. And of course, here and at other area farm markets you can find the stars of the Fall show: local apples like Albemarle Pippin, Piney River Gold and Ginger Gold, Fuji, Stayman, Pink Lady, Rome, Golden and Red Delicious, and Gala. For the fermented grapes, try the winery.