Something people not from the area don’t always realize is that Charlottesville, Virginia has a huge wine region. If you can’t make it to the West Coast or overseas, it’s a great location to visit if you want to taste world-class wines.
With more than 40 wineries surrounding Charlottesville, it can be hard to know exactly where to begin and so I always recommend a wine tour for first time visitors. Wine tours are the best way to experience the top wineries and so I am sharing a guide of the Charlottesville winery tours you should add to your bucket list.
Five Charlottesville Winery Tours
Before we dive into the types of wine tours, here are some know-before-you-go details. For starters, wineries can get busy, especially on weekends during nice weather. You will probably want to factor in about three wineries for a five-hour tour to ensure you can spend proper time at each. Most wineries offer tastings, but you can also get a bottle to share and just sit and enjoy the views and the wine. I would highly recommend doing a tasting if Virginia wines are new to you.
Some wineries do not allow outside food so you will want to confirm on their website if you plan on bringing your own charcuterie. I also recommending making sure you have plenty of water on hand and remember to keep hydrating – especially if you are visiting during the hot summer months! Also, I always keep a blanket in my trunk and that comes in handy either for sitting on or keeping warm.
Another thing you are probably curious about is how to dress. You will probably see a variety of outfits on your tours. I tend to go for comfort and weather. If I’m going on a hot summer day, I will probably wear a dress and sandals. In the cooler months, I’ll be sure and wear layers and boots, especially if I’m sitting outside. Jean jackets and scarves tend to be my staple for winery visits.
Now that we have those items covered, let’s dive into the tours!
The Western Excursion Wine Tour
If you are looking for options to choose from on your tour, I would recommend the Western Excursion with Norm’s Executive Transportation.
This five-hour tour takes you around the Crozet and Nelson County wineries and there are 12 to choose from. I suggest limiting the number of wineries you visit to three or four, so you aren’t rushing at each location – after all, you want to be able to taste and enjoy the wine and the views at each spot!
One of the main reasons I am a fan of this tour is it includes some of my favorite wineries: King Family, Veritas, Flying Fox, and Pollak. You can read more about these in my post on the best Charlottesville, VA wineries.
To book, check out their website. Please note, tastings are not included in the cost of the tour.
The Most Unique Experience Wine Tour
How fun does visiting wineries in a trolley sound? The Crozet Trolley is a great option. Crozet, VA is located about 20 minutes outside of Charlottesville proper and is a beautiful area with several great winery options. The trolley is a unique way to experience these locations.
I recommend signing up for the Sunday Drive Wine Tour. Running Sundays from 1:00 – 5:00 PM for $49/person (wine tastings not included), you will get to visit King Family, Grace Estates, and Knight’s Gambit. From Memorial Day through October you can even catch a bit of the polo match at King Family! This is a fun way to experience the wineries of Crozet – and a nice way to spend a Sunday afternoon! You can book your trolley tour here.
The Best Private Wine Tour
If you are looking to customize your wine tour, I recommend Monticello Wine Tour. I worked with them to help arrange a bachelorette winery tour and their customer service was fantastic. Plus, they work with you on creating the best itinerary for your group.
You can choose several types of transportation and they will even pick you up wherever you are staying in Charlottesville, so you don’t have to worry about getting to a pickup location. While they allow you to select up to four wineries during your five-hour tour, I would recommend going to three to fully enjoy yourself. Otherwise, you could feel too rushed.
They are very knowledgeable, so work with them to select the best locations to visit and they handle the rest! As with the other tours, the price does not include the tastings. Book your tour here!
The Best for Small Groups
At $89/person (tastings not included), Wish Wish Wine Tours are a good option for couples/small groups of up to four (though if you have a larger group, some of the custom tours can be more cost effective). There are two different versions you can do with Wish Wish: Barboursville or Nelson 151.
If you choose Barboursville, you will get to see one of the area’s most celebrated wineries (Barboursville), but I personally prefer the ones on Nelson 151. These include Pippin Hill, Veritas, King Family, Grace Estate. I think these wineries are so pretty and I prefer the wine on these stops. You’ll have a great experience on either tour!
To book, visit their website.
Best Cheap Wine Tours
Cville Hop on Tours are a Charlottesville staple and a ton of fun. They are exactly what they sound like – you choose which spots you want to hop off for and the bus circles around for you.
While all of the hop on tours are going to be the most cost effective in the area, the Afton Hop On Public Tour is a great deal at $70/person (tastings not included). If you choose to do just wineries, you’ll get to see Veritas, Flying Fox, and King Family. Hazy Mountain has beautiful views but the winery itself feels like an Olive Garden and the wine is not the best in the area, so I wouldn’t recommend it for a true Cville winery experience.
If you want to add breweries to the mix, they also have a ton of options so you could even mix it up!
Check out all of their options here.
There you have it – my most recommended winery tours for anyone looking to explore the Charlottesville wine scene!
Until next time, cheers and happy winery hopping!
