Virginia’s wine regions are getting a lot of press, and for a very good reason. Recently Wine Enthusiast awarded Charlottesville the wine region of the year. Just north of the Charlottesville Wine Trail is Early Mountain, a winery that can compete with any in Virginia for wine and their prix fixe menu. Early Mountain is one of the best wineries this writer has ever found for top-shelf wine and cuisine. 

Jean Case is the owner and has an impressive bio that includes, chairman of the National Geographic Society, CEO of the Case Foundation, and was a senior executive at AOL. Jean is passionate about showcasing Virginia’s best food and wine. By hiring May Hood-White as the winemaker in 2014, Jean has made a wise choice. Maya isn’t afraid of experimenting and even spends significant time in the vineyards. She shared with me, “I oversee the vineyard as well as being head winemaker.”  I find that wineries that have a head winemaker who spends time in the vineyard seem to have excellent wines. During my first visit to taste the wines I was impressed with each of the five that were poured.

The tasting room at Early Mountain looks like an elegant mountain lodge and features Blue Ridge Mountain views. Indoor wine tasting and dining are popular in the summer when the heat and humidity can be uncomfortable.  The covered patio or uncovered area offers a wonderful place to enjoy the Virginia spring and fall weather. The outdoor areas welcome well-behaved, leashed dogs.

Dining at Early Mountain is surprisingly good, but with a chef (Tim Moore) and chef de cuisine (Kristen Hall) formerly of The Inn at Little Washington, excellent cuisine should be a given. My wife and I tried the Prix Fixe lunch menu and were spoiled with a delicious canapé of Carolina blue crab salad served on a crispy waffle-cut potato chip. The first course featured a creative strawberry gazpacho highlighted with fresh mint and basil. Paired with a chilled rosé, it made for a warm summer memory.

For the second course we had the grilled bison rib eye steak, sourced within five miles of the winery. The bison was elevated by masterfully made rosemary demi-glace and paired with the Virginia Cab Franc. We were also treated to a taste of Rise, their premium red wine blend. With more bison than we could eat, we sliced the remainder and had it on a baguette with a picnic the next day. 

Dessert was both decadent and small. Michael Seay, the director of wine and hospitality poured us sauternes from France. Michael said, “This is the only wine we pour for the prix fixe that isn’t from Early Mountain and use it because we don’t produce a dessert wine.”

That brings up an interesting point about Early Mountain. They offer several regional Virginia wines other than theirs by the glass or by the bottle in the tasting room. Such is their confidence in their own wine, they are happy to sell some of the other producer’s Virginian wines as well. I’ve not seen this in the Mid-Atlantic and appreciate their willingness to help promote Virginia wines.

They even have a Taste of Virginia wine club to highlight local wines that as their website states, “Wineries and bottles both pushing the envelope and driving quality in Virginia.” Their main wine club is the 1784 Club and features four shipments of three bottles each. Like most wine clubs, the 1784 Club also gives members options for some small batch wines, newly released, and award winning wines. Wine club members are invited to Pick-up Weekends, special events, and can bring guests along. Complimentary wine flights are another perk of wine club memberships, as well as small bites, and live music on said weekend events.

The impressive wine lineup includes reds like Novum, Madison County Cab Franc, Foothills, Rise, and one boldly called Young Red Wine. The 2019 Rise garnered an impressive 94 points from James Suckling. This is a Virginia wine worth having in your cellar, even at $150 per bottle. Rise exhibits the finest fruit from mountainside vineyards with a blend of merlot, cab franc, petite Verdot, and Tannat. Bekah Erkel of Early Mountain told me, “Rise is only produced in the finest of vintages and only 530 cases of Rise were made in 2019.”

Wine tasting is available indoors or outdoors and guests can order à la carte items from the Our Virginia Table Menu. Guests may also have the Prix Fixe menu on the patio. I tried the toasted Marcona almonds from the a la carte menu and loved the orange and caraway flavors. Some of the small plates that caught my eye were, miso glazed shrimp, bison ribeye tartare, and ahi tuna ceviche. 

On my first visit, my friend Scott from Colorado and my dog Sophie joined me on the covered patio overlooking The Meadow. The wait staff were efficient and friendly. We especially enjoyed Olga who poured some of our wines and knew each wine’s story. On Saturdays and Sundays, The Meadow is available for wine and food service. 

Weddings and special events offer indoor and outdoor facilities for your special occasion. Whether you choose the event hall or outdoor venues, you’re sure to have a memorable experience highlighted by excellent food, wine, and views. Add to that a stay in their Guest Cottage in the vineyards to complete the experience.

Getting Here

Driving is the best way to get to Early Mountain. I find the drive from Baltimore by way of I-70 to Frederick, then south on Highway 15 to be relaxed and scenic. Here are the approximate times from other East Coast cities.

Washington, DC: Interstate 66 to Highway 15 takes about 2 hours.

Richmond, VA: Interstate 64 to Highway 231 takes about an hour and a half.

I recommend either The Inn at Willow Grove or the 1804 Inn at Barboursville for lodging.