willowcroft farm vineyards | virginia wineries

On a rainy, unseasonably cool Saturday a few weeks ago, Zander and I braved the wet roads to drive out to Leesburg, Virginia to taste wine (what else?!). Our first and only planned winery visit was at Willowcroft Farm Vineyards. I'd heard about a spicy food and wine pairing at the vineyard, and RSVP'd right away. For a minimal fee - less than $20/person, we tasted six of Willowcroft's wines and the same amount of bites. We went in knowing a fair amount about pairing wine with spicy food, as we're of the mindset that spicier is always better in our every day lives, but the pairing was insightful and enjoyable, nonetheless.

A basic rule of thumb: wines with small amounts of residual sugar (sweeter wines) help offset the spiciness of a dish. White wines and blends like an off-dry Reisling or Rosé pair incredibly well with dishes like Thai drunken noodles and spicy Asian dishes, in general. Our tasting progressively increased in heat and sweetness. Typically, I stick exclusively to dry wines, so for me it provided an opportunity to appreciate the sweeter side of wine life. 

After the pairing, we migrated one room over to Willowcroft's tasting room to try the wines we hadn't already. The tasting flight is so extensive there are a few options for tasting, including picking and choosing what you'd like to try. We discovered a handful of wines that we truly enjoyed, including a nice summer sipper - the Seyval, and left with several bottles. 

Willowcroft produces quality wines, but the real reasons to visit this winery are the events and the small touches. The winery offers food and wine pairings nearly every weekend - including s'mores in September! But what I loved most is the homey feeling at Willowcroft. We arrived right as it was opening, and a few employees were sweeping the old wooden barn floors and made us feel more like family than customers. 

Willowcroft is the kind of Virginia winery that has accolades and awards to its name, but is so down to earth and proud of its roots, that you might not even know it. I could sit with a glass of wine in the barn loft-turned-rustic-lounge and forget what time it is for a while. 

if you go...

willowcroft farm vineyards

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tasting fee: $10 for 10 wines