Old House Vineyards
18351 Corkys Lane
Culpeper, VA 22701
540-423-1032 (p)
540-423-1320 (f)
info@oldhousevineyards.com
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Tasting Hours
Summer Hours:
Open everyday
Memorial Day through
Labor Day
Mon thru Fri 1 - 5pm
Saturday 11am - 5pm
Sunday 12 - 5pm
All other times, please
call for an appointment.
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Host your wedding or
corporate event or
party at Old House!
Click here to learn more.
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It was a rainy Mother's day in 1998 when we discovered the 75 acres and abandoned farm house at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. With the help of family, friends, and a local grape grower, we soon began working to transform the property into Old House Vineyards.
Today, the formerly overgrown alfalfa fields are lush vineyards producing grapes for our award-winning wines. The 1800's farm house has been restored to an inviting gathering place for the enjoyment of good food and wine.
We couldn't have imagined years ago the amount of labor or fun that would be involved in bringing this venture to life. We look forward to sharing the fruits of our labor with you.
Here are some interesting facts about the vineyards at Old House.
- Vineyards cost about $15,000/acre to plant and establish before
harvesting any fruit.
- An average of 12 pounds are harvested per vine each fall.
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 That 12 pounds will make about 1 gallon of wine or 5 bottles.
- It costs about $3000 per acre each year to grow the vines including,
labor, materials and overhead.
- The type of grape is usually used for the name of the wine, ie.
Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, etc.
- There are a variety of trellising systems used in the vineyards
of Virginia.
- We use Vertical Shoot Positioning (VSP), Smart Dyson, and Geneva
Double Curtain (GDC). These are used to balance the vine and its energy and expose
each part of the vine to sunlight and air.
- The electrified fence is used to keep out deer and other large
pests.
- The electronic bird noises are used to scare away the birds during the
ripening period in the vineyard. The birds will eat the grapes before they
are ripe enough for wine and leave nothing to harvest.
- Grapes like dry summers. The roots are deep and find their own
water.
- Irrigation is recommended for establishing vines in Virginia and
if it is installed, it can be used in dry summers to keep the vines in balance.
 Terroir is the French word for soil but in the wine world it
refers to the vineyards expression in the wine. That which makes the wine from
that vineyard unique. This is expressed over years of working with the grapes
and noticing the similarities.
- Drainage of the soils in a vineyard is a critical issue. The vine
roots need oxygen and cannot survive if constantly under water.
- Hard summer storms can damage a vineyard and its crop. The rain
runoff can erode topsoil. The winds can damage leaves and fruit clusters. Hail
can bruise and destroy a crop. Whole rows have been blown over from the winds
and the vines acting like a sail on a ship.
- Frost can destroy the crop for the year and can cause
damage to the wood of the vine resulting in a stunting or death. Planking
in a higher spot
than the surrounding land can give the vine a better change for survival.
- Grafting is done on a vine before purchasing. The
varietal or scion wood is grafted on to a vine that is good for its roots
called rootstock.
This is done to ensure healthy vines and vines that are compatible with
our soils and pests.
- There are many diseases that can develop in the growing season in
Virginia. By managing the growth of a vine, using good timing with fungicide
sprays and with good weather, we can avoid these diseases and grow healthy grapes.
- The varieties we have at Old House Vineyards are Cabernet Franc,
Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Chambourcin, Chardonnay and Vidal.
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