On a recent cold and snowy Saturday we decided to head to West Jefferson and visit Old Barn Winery. We were the first people there, but it didn’t take long before the winery was alive with people and music by Those 3 Guys. We were fortunate and got a table downstairs and enjoyed our tasting over lunch. Cari, Haley, Morgan and Mollie were extremely knowledgeable and helpful in picking out our wines to taste. The winery is a converted old barn. The decor is rustic. It is warm and inviting and reminded me of John Dutton’s living room on Yellowstone. It was cozy and spacious with oversized leather seats. There is an upstairs loft that has tables and more cozy furniture to relax and enjoy wine and music. The staircase housed a wine storage area underneath that would make any wine enthusiast envious. There were homemade items for sale as well. When the weather is warmer the grounds have ample outside space to spread out at one of the many picnic tables. If you prefer you could bring a blanket and have a picnic. There is a huge rock fireplace that is perfect for cool evenings.

Tastings are offered by the flight and are accompanied with tasting and pairing notes. Flights included 4 wines. You may choose red, white or sweet. We tasted a red and white flight. The red flight consisted of Cabernet Franc, Rays Red, Railroad Red and Syrah. The Cab Fran had notes of vanilla and caramel. The Railroad Red is a blend of Merlot and Syrah. This wine gets its name from the Virginia Creeper train that used to run through the property. Rays Red, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Zinfandel, pays homage to the original landowner of the property. The Syrah was the deepest in flavor with notes of fig and black plum. The white wine flight moved from dry to sweet. It consisted of Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier and Riesling. The Pinot Grigio gave notes of grapefruit and lemon. This wine fell into my favorite flavor profile. The Sauvignon Blanc had apple on the nose with mild acidity. The Viognier had hints of peach and summer melon. It was an easy drinking wine that would pair well with chicken. The Riesling was the sweetest wine of the flight. It would make the perfect picnic wine. I could see this as your wine of choice on a hot summer day by the pool. Once we completed our tasting we purchased a bottle of Rose to split. You may also purchase wine by the glass. After finishing our tasting we moved upstairs and enjoyed the band.


Old Barn Winery opened in 2021. It is part of a family farm that also includes Frosty’s Tree Farm. Countless families have made cutting their own trees at Frosty’s Tree Farm a holiday tradition. The vineyard is the outcome of a family dream to create a vineyard and winery in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. The family has been working the land for four generations. The vineyard and winery is located on the same property as the tree farm that offers the premium choose and cut experience. The winery is surrounded by the vineyard and tree farm providing a great outdoor space and amazing views. I can’t wait to get back in warmer weather when the hills are alive with the grape vines. Currently they source grapes from the western US vineyards, but they have begun making wine from their own grapes. Those wines will be coming out later this year.

A weekend trip to the high country is in order to visit this new winery. Enjoy a tasting, wine flight or bottle and enjoy live music. Bring your own snacks or sample from a local food truck. Be sure to visit their website for music and food options.