On Friday evening we had the pleasure of visiting Creeks Edge Winery in Lovettsville for the first time.  We were not disappointed.  The family owned and operated winery is located along the edge of the Catoctin Creek in Loudoun County and opened its doors about one year ago for business.  This place knows what they are doing!  From the elegance of the tasting room, to the high quality customer service, to the food and live music filling the peaceful atmosphere, and the open doors letting in the cool breeze and the Loudoun sunset, we were impressed on every front.

The winery was designed with such care and artistry making it one of the most beautiful tasting rooms we have visited. The room is large, with an open-space concept drawing attention to the gorgeous fireplace, impeccable tasting bar, and features eco-friendly qualities from the re-purposed wood beams, ceiling fans, and handmade furniture in the design.  Every physical detail from the cozy seating to the tasting room flowing out onto the large patio (ask about the fish chairs when you visit), down to the artwork and spring flowers make the tasting room warm and welcoming.

We were lucky enough to meet Dan, the Tasting Room Manager and Wine Educator Extraordinaire, who shared with us the history of the winery and even took us on a tour of the facility.  Dan pointed out many unique features and the tour provided a more thorough look at their production and how the winery plans to expand in the future. He highlighted the 11-acre vineyard on the tour that was established in 2010, and we are impressed by their ability to literally farm given the 17% grade that several of their vines are planted on!  We were equally impressed with the fact that they grow and bottle all of their wine on-site– which is unfortunately becoming less of a priority for many of the new Virginia wineries.

Following our tour we settled up to the large, but inviting, tasting bar to sample their varietals.  The regular tasting features 7 wines for $8 ($12 for large groups).  We were fortunate enough to taste 5 additional wines not on the current tasting menu but available for purchase.  Dan stayed with us for the tasting and continued to impress us with his knowledge, passion, and customer service, as well as his easy-going and fun personality.  We loved that before pouring each newly opened bottle, he checked it to ensure the highest quality (just one more example of the attention to detail the winery provides).  The wines we tasted were:

• 2011 Pinot Gris- we don’t typically like Pinot, but were pleasantly surprised with this drier and crisp version.
• 2011 Vidal Blanc- sweeter, and easy for drinking on a summer day.
• 2011 Chardonnay- our favorite white on the menu (shocking, we know), aged in neutral french oak lending to a buttery quality on the finish.
• 2014 Rose of Sangiovese- their only out of state wine from Washington state, this Rose had very fruity characteristics of strawberry with a light acidity on the palate.  We would easily drink this in a Sangria with fresh fruit!
• 2011 Chambourcin- a lighter Chambourcin due the rainy 2011 season, medium-bodied with earthy qualities.
• 2011 Cabernet Franc- characteristically peppery on the finish, light and easy to drink.
• 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon- favorite red on the tasting menu, a bolder red with a deep rich color.