Weekend Wandering: The Winery at Bull Run

Summer weekends are a great time to explore Virgina wineries. What could be more perfect than sipping a glass of wine with friends while listening to live music and overlooking a vineyard?

This weekend we hit up The Winery at Bull Run, only a short 40 minute drive from DC. We were looking for a short excursion from the city, so The Winery at Bull Run was perfect. We walked up to a rustic and charming spot and heard live music and laughter from the lawn beyond. 

We did a full tasting of their Reds, Whites, and Speciality Wines for $13. What I loved about this wine tasting is that my favorite bottles were wines that I typically never buy - Merlot and Chardonnay. The bottles range from $28-$30 with the speciality wines near $40. Below is a list of our favorite sips with small side notes from the tasting. 

F a v o r i t e    S i p s

2014 Chardonnay / Not buttery at all, citrusy with a smooth finish 

2013 Merlot / Not too dry with a smokey finish  

Reconciliation / Red wine blend, easy drinking table wine for any palette

Fort Wine / Port style wine, chocolaty and perfectly sweet

They had dips and charcuterie available for purchase as well as an on-site food truck. There are separate areas at the winery for Adults Only and Adults with Kids. Everyone has their own space to enjoy the winery in their own way, it's a brilliant layout!

The winery's website, address, and hours are all listed at the bottom of the post. Plan your trip to take a sip! Thanks to The Winery at Bull Run for a fabulous day.

Entry to the Tasting Room

All smiles with my 2014 Chardonnay

Grab a cornhole set and let loose on the lawn while listening to live music

Picnic table perfection

Awesome musician taking requests from the crowd

Food trucks for hot and hearty eats

The Winery at Bull Run

http://www.wineryatbullrun.com

15950 Lee Highway, Centerville, VA 20120

Saturday to Wednesday 11am to 7pm

Thursday 11am to 8pm

Friday 11am to 9pm

Day Trip: The Art of Getting Lost and Morais Vineyards

My husband and I did not have big plans for the Labor Day weekend, but we did want to get out of the city for at least a day. We decided to take the car out for some back-road country driving and ended up somewhere between Prince William Forest Park and Route 17. The country roads were beautiful. We stopped to read historical markers and bought refreshments at corner market stores that have probably remained unchanged over the last century.

We passed a Flying Circus Air Show and so many beautiful farm houses just yearning for someone to bring them back to life. After an hour or so we decided to head back towards civilization and happened upon Morais Vineyards. With no agenda and no timeline, we stopped to check it out and I'm so glad we did!

Morais Vineyards is a small winery that just oozes Spanish mission charm. As you approach the vineyard the main tasting room will be on your right. This portion of the winery is less than a year old. The space consists of a large circular tasting bar with many tables along the perimeter for lingering. The building also has a wrap around patio that gazes out over the vineyard. You could also cozy up on picnic benches down the hill under a pergola.

The tastings are quite the steal! We were there for at least two hours between the actual tasting and enjoying a glass of Sangria on the patio afterwards. We purchased a bottle of the Moscatel and some of their delicious salted dark chocolate which came to the grand total of only $75.

Tasting Details
Classic Tasting: $8 per Guest + Tax, (8) Wines which includes a small cheese plate
Deluxe Tasting: $15 per Guest + Tax, (15) Wines which includes a small cheese plate, extra chocolates for the dessert wine pairings, and a souvenir wine glass

While we enjoyed the variety of reds, whites, and roses we tasted; overall, they were not full bodied enough for me to take one home.  However, where Morais really shines is in their dessert wines.  The Moscatel, Jeropiga, and Cherry Wine (served in a chocolate cup) were by far my favorite outside of the Cab Franc. Pay the extra few dollars and do the Deluxe Tasting so you can enjoy the sweeter selections, you absolutely won't regret it!

Tasting Room Hours
Saturdays & Sundays
12pm-6pm

Address
Morais Vineyards & Winery
11409 Marsh Road
Bealeton, VA 22712
www.moraisvineyards.com

Enjoy!
S.