MarcD544
My wife and I had the great pleasure to discover this great winery.The people were very welcoming and very informative.As we had a long drive ahead we only tasted the mostly stainless fermented Chardonnay which had a very nice light-yellow green color and vibrant aromas of pear and apple.The current tasting facility is very nice but they are in the process of turning an old barnyard into a brand new and larger tasting facility.
Leopardgirl
Visited here on Valentine's Day; it was crowded but we only waited five minutes for a tasting. For $5.00, you get to try five wines; the Chardonnay was very good; not very oaky. But the best was the Painted Red, a blend that was so good! A bit pricey, but oh so good! Small tasting bar, but very good service.
je1058
Upon driving up, the grounds look like a nicely landscaped barn/farm. But upon walking through the outside seating areas to the tasting room and entering through its huge doors, we were amazed by the BEAUTIFUL timber frame constructed building! The huge windows out of the back side were also amazing and let you have nice views of the valley out back. Vineyard was quite large and on the day we went, looked as if they were about to add lots more to it, as they were constructing many new rows.The tasting room staff we encountered was very friendly and enjoyed chatting, even though they were really busy. And even though they were busy, we were able to find a table for all of us where we could sit, sip and enjoy the lunch we brought. But we also bought food from the food truck that was on premises the day we came, which was nice too.The wines were ok... probably about the mid-range of what appeals to us. But definitely VERY affordable and worth the cost. There were plenty of cool merchandising items (shirts, coats, etc) around that they sell, with some being designed by Dave Matthews.They have a nice selection of local cheeses and such for sale too.This would be a great place to visit in the summer when everyone can stretch out, enjoy the decks and outside seating areas!
99lynna
We want went with a group of friends and had a lovely time. The tasting room is beautiful with a wonderful view out back. The staff were friendly and knowledgable. The wines were pretty good. They allow outside food here, but also have some you can purchase if you come empty handed. If we are in his area again, we will defiantly stop by for another taste.
gil101
....Dave Matthews family owned winery....bring a picnic lunch, peruse their wines and drink in the view. Nice wooden building that we discovered was designed by the owner. A pleasant break from the Charlottesville sights. We had a good pourer that really knew his stuff!
AmbersM0mmy
Had a great visit, The wine was nice and the staff even nicer. Luckily I was there on a week day so crowds were not a problem.
mdiv2001
The wines here are good -- we almost always pick up a bottle or two when we visit. And pours are generous. But the facility is the star -- it is gorgeous, constructed of wood, designed to be eco-friendly, and filled with natural light. And the view... I wish I had taken a picture to post. That kind of view is one of the reasons people fall in love with Virginia. Tastings are typically four or five wines, a couple of dry reds (featuring Bordeaux varietals) and a couple of dry whites (featuring Rhone varietals). Keep your glass and bring it back, and the tastings are free.
MrsH0dges
We had a great time here thanks to the staff member we were lucky enough to get and the time of day we arrived allowed for plenty of quality time with him. Aside from enjoying virtually all the wines, the most memorable aspect was playing the wine identification game after the tasting and being allowed to bring our cheese, etc. in and enjoy that with purchased glasses of wine. With the purchase of the tasting we got to keep the glasses which we left with our hosts as each time they go back with the glasses, they can taste at no charge! Lovely view from the deck, interesting art on display throughout and you can see down to the first floor/wine room/barrels from center of room. One of my favs due to the experience they created for us!
AnnC901
Last Saturday was my boyfriend's birthday. We had planned for about 4 months to come to Charlottesville and do some wine tasting. We are from the Upstate NY area. We built our trip around being able to come to "Dave's winery." We are both huge Dave Matthew fans and we had been fortunate enough to have someone gift us with bottles of wine from Blenheim. Being safe, I rented a bus for us and five of our friends. Since we work at a winery, we made it a point to check in with the places we knew we were going to visit and make sure we didn't have to have reservations in advance. When I called Blenheim, I got a nice gentleman who said I did not need to make a reservation but that he would take one since there were 7 of us. We get up last Saturday morning and ride over to Blenheim. As our limo pulls up, we are greeted by a gentleman who at first thought we were a much larger group that they were expecting. When he found out we weren't, he directed us to a woman who was running the register there. She proceeded to check for our reservation, which was not there but said we can take you anyway.Their policy for limos is 8 or more and we had 7 so our call was done out of courtesy and not necessary. The winery is absolutely gorgeous. The windowed floor to see the barrels is a really nice touch and the view was very nice. After she sat us down, we were greeted by a very nice server. She was definitely busy for 11:45 am but handled it well and even told us stories about the wine and joked with one of our friends. She was a great server. Unfortunately, we could purchase our wines with her. We had to go back to the lady working the register, who again was not friendly at all. We asked about the painted wines and before we could even finish the sentence she rudely cut us off with no and no and no. No exaggeration there. We finally were able to get our question out about having the wine shipped to NC because they do not ship to NY. To be completely honest, it would have been a much more pleasant experience for us if she were not involved in any way, as we enjoyed all the wines we tasted and the service the server provided. This one particular person soured what I hoped would be a wonderful experience for my boyfriend especially since we had been planning this for several months.
JenniferS988
We loved our visit to Blenheim. It was relaxing and very beautiful. We liked the wines so much we bought a case. The building is beautiful and I love the way you can see down to the first floor. We sat on the deck with some wine and cheese. Beautiful day.
TLSpurling
My husband and I visited 5 wineries on our little weekend trip. Blenheim was our 2nd stop of the day. After tasting several of their wines we bought the Roussane. We liked a couple of others but since we were visiting other wineries later we decided on only one bottle per stop. The host was a pleasant young man who seemed to know what he was talking about. I love a good glass of wine but my expertise is limited to red, rosé, white, good, okay, or yuck! :-)We had a lot of fun!
Larla13
As a rabid Dave Matthews fan, I knew I had to stop at Blenheim. Unfortunately, neither my husband or I were impressed with the wines. It was a busy Saturday which I totally understand but we basically had to shove our way into a bar to get our tasting with no welcome or even acknowledgement. The woman who served us was not unpleasant but was not terribly present with us either. She basically poured the wine, gave a cursory description and then went back to staring at the group downstairs that had been out picking the harvest. No extra talking was had or invited. Now should you find a wine you like, the location (like most of this area) is just beautiful so it would be a great spot to get some cheese and crackers (and they do sell some) with your wine and sit outside with friends and family. I would also like to note that I really appreciated that they had a small area with toys for kids tucked inside by one of the tasting bars. Parents are people too! :-)
VASusie58
While visiting the wine country of VA, we stopped at Dave Matthews winery - Blenheim. While he takes a backseat in the creation of the wine, he's made some beautiful imagery for the labels. We stopped in and the place was packed. The tasting facility is a beautiful building with "see-through ceiling" into the working area of the winery. We were greeted by a young man named Justin who helped us with a private tasting. Most of the wines were quite good, with our favorite being the Merlot. Frankly, it was one of the best we've tasted in awhile. We purchased some crackers, hummus, and cheese and stepped onto the sunny deck where we enjoyed one of our bottles of Merlot. There was live music in the front of the house and we had a beautiful sunny day. My only concern were the number of stink bugs inside the building. I know it's tough when doors are constantly being opened, but it was a little gross. Thankfully they were way up high in the windows.
A0730
My fiance, now husband and i visited blenheim before and after we married. It became a special place for us. The staff are so kind and the wine is very tasty. The winery at sunset is breath taking. We highly recommend going during that time. If you have someone special with you, it will create a lovely atmosphere. Sit outside, love, laugh, live and enjoy the wine.
313hannahp
If you have been to wineries in Charlottesville than you have most likely tasted the wines of Blenheim. With that said, while it is not a remarkable place, it is not one to miss. My visit was enjoyable for the most part. I wish the customer service would have been a little better. The woman who served us for the tasting seemed scripted and rushed us which is unfortunate considering I love getting the personal experience most wineries have to offer. The wines were good, but like I said they were nothing I truly saw a different. The design of the building was top notch though. When you walk in the first thing you notice is a glass floor area giving guests the ability to look down into the production facility. That is a super nice touch that I am happy they did. I also learned through their website that they use almost no electricity which is something most establishments should strive for. Is it an amazing place, no. However I do think it is one to visit if you are in the are looking to taste some wines. I am an aspiring travel writer looking for the next great adventure and local treasure. For more reviews and photographs check out my blog travelingva.wordpress.com and enjoy traveling with me!!