Virginia's 2011 Wine Festivals: Great Grapes & History

Going back to the Jamestown settlers and Jefferson's vineyards at Monticello, Virginia has some serious wine-making roots. Here are some of our favorite festivals that incorporate the state’s best wineries and unique culture.

America's third president, Thomas Jefferson is credited as the father of American viticulture, planting some of the nation’s first vineyards around Monticello. Today, Virginia is the fifth-largest wine producer in the U.S. and a top-ranked destination for connoisseurs of the grape, with over 190 wineries.

July 2-3: The Floyd Fandango Wine & Beer Festival

"Wine down" the Crooked Road music trail with The Floyd Fandango Wine & Beer Festival. Taste vintages from more than 15 wineries or grab one of 10 microbrews and tap your feet to some old-time bluegrass.

Explore Nearby: Blue Ridge Parkway Review

July 16-17: The Days of Wine and Roses

If you loved the sentiment in the song The Days of Wine and Roses, the Daylily & Wine Festival will satisfy your passion for both flowers and floral notes. Held at Fisherville's Andre Viette Farm and Nursery, home of the live radio show In the Garden with the Viettes, this festival combines gardening and tasting tips.

Explore Nearby: Charlottesville Travel Guide, Monticello Review

Sept. 10-11: The Wine Festival at The Plains

Spend a weekend horsing around at The Wine Festival at The Plains. Live the high life sipping some of Virginia’s unique artisan wines and sampling gourmet food, while watching the Commonwealth Cup of Polo. Try your hand at the "Winegeek" Quiz or your foot at the traditional divot stomping.

Explore Nearby: Middleburg Travel Guide

Sept. 17-18: The 36th Annual Virginia Wine Festival

The 36th Annual Virginia Wine Festival is the oenophile motherlode, with over 400 Virginia wines paired with gourmet food tastings, a juried arts show, and world-class live entertainment in Centreville's Bull Run Regional Park.

Explore Nearby: Chantilly Travel Guide, Manassas National Battlefield Park Review

Sept. 24-25: The Stratford Hall Chesapeake Bay Wine Festival

Get a taste of history, along with crabcakes and Chesapeake vintages at The Stratford Hall Chesapeake Bay Wine Festival. Held at the plantation where Robert E. Lee was born near the rustic fishing villages of the Northern Neck, this festival features the wineries along the Chesapeake Bay Wine Trail.

Explore Nearby: Stratford Hall Plantation Review,

More on Virginia Travel and Wine

• Virginia Travel Guide
  
• Virginia Wineries
  
• Thomas Jefferson's Legacy
  
• Virginia Wine Trails

Photo Credits: www.Virginia.org / Virginia Tourism Corporation, Tony Hall / Virginia Tourism Corporation