Va. Wine Pass offers discount incentives to visit 104 state wineries

FREDERICKSBURG, Va. – Sometimes the best ideas just need time to ferment.

Thirteen years ago Melanie and Brian Simpson, who was serving in the Marines, lived in Virginia. They noticed the wine industry was starting to take off and they enjoyed visiting various locations around the state.

They thought — what if there was a wine pass that gave folks even more of an incentive to visit vineyards?

That’s essentially how the Virginia Wine Pass came to be.

“We were visiting a lot of wineries back then — before we had kids– and we just imagined the idea and how cool it would be,” Melanie said. “We had the idea in our minds, we moved around a bit, and then when he got a job in D.C. and we moved back, we started it.”

The Virginia Wine Pass launched in 2014 and continues to add more venues; over 100 wineries/cideries now participate.

“When we started it was a little bit slow getting started because it was a new concept,” Melanie said. “Now that we have so many wineries and cideries we have really seen it grow.”

She said that about 70% of the passholders are in the aread (D.C., Maryland and Virginia) and they sell the rest to people traveling to the area.

“People are loving what they are able to get,” she said and pointed out that in Loudon there are five wineries within five miles – and with the wine pass members can save around $50 on tasting fees.

“It pays for itself quickly and is a great way to support the local economy,” she said. “It’s a way to get out there and explore what Virginia has to offer.”

HOW IT WORKS

One membership provides the benefits for two people.

“One pass extends perks to two people so that the cardholder can bring a friend,” Melanie said.

There are two different ways to save. Download the Virginia Wine Pass App (available for both Apple and Android) and purchase a membership for one month or 12 months. The “card” is delivered instantly to the smart phone, and perks can be immediately enjoyed.

The Virginia Wine Pass card can be purchased through the website. It is a physical membership card that will arrive locally within a few days via USPS.  The card, like the pass, is presented at the venue to enjoy the perks.

The card is valid for one calendar year; it expires Dec. 31 of the respective year.

Currently, there is a deal throughLiving Socialwhich offers the pass for $34.99.

VENUES

The passport benefits per venue are posted online. The deals range from complimentary tastings to discounted tastings and bottle purchases or a free t-shirt or tour at Blue Bee Cider.

There are 104 venues participating in 2016.

The complete list of venues and discounts can be found here.

The venues can be seen on the map and below in list form.

Events at the venues are sometimes posted here, on Facebook.

1. Philip Carter Winery of Virginia
2. Barrel Oak Winery
3. Pollak Vineyards
4. Old Hill Cider
5. Albemarle Ciderworks
6. Blue Bee Cider
7. Granite Heights Winery
8. Mermaid Winery
9. Burnley Vineyards
10. Creek’s Edge Winery
11. Winery 32
12. Boxwood Winery
13. Wisdom Oak Winery
14. Peaks of Otter Winery
15. First Colony Winery
16. Narmada Winery
17. Foggy Ridge Cider
18. Grey Horse Vineyards
19. Magnolia Vineyards & Winery
20. Rural Retreat Winery & Vineyards
21. 8 chains north
22. Corcoran Vineyards
23. Pearmund Cellars
24. James River Cellars
25. Mattaponi Winery
26. Byrd Cellars
27. Bluestone Vineyard
28. Elk Island Winery
29. Blue Valley Vineyard and Winery
30. Cooper Vineyards
31. Miracle Valley Vineyards
32. Vint Hill Craft Winery
33. The Barns at Hamilton Station Vineyards
34. Breaux Vineyards
35. Wicked Oak Farms & Vineyard
36. Maggie Malick Wine Caves
37. Adventure Farm & Vineyard
38. Honah Lee Vineyard & Winery
39. Horton Vineyards
40. Three Fox Vineyards
41. 50 West Vineyards
42. Bold Rock Hard Cider
43. JBR Vineyards & Winery
44. The Wine Reserve at Waterford
45. Rogers Ford Farm Winery
46. Molon Lave Vineyards and Winery
47. Two Twisted Posts Winery
48. WillowCroft Winery
49. Democracy Vineyards
50. DuCard Vineyards
51. Lake Anna Winery
52. Sans Soucy Vineyards & Winery
53. Morais Vineyards & Winery
54. Cross Keys Vineyards
55. Wolf Gap Vineyard & Winery
56. Hillsborough Vineyards
57. Chateau MerrillAnne
58. North Gate Vineyards
59. Potomac Point Vineyard & Winery
60. Ox Eye Vineyards
61. Desert Rose Ranch & Winery
62. Grace Estate Winery
63. Keswick Vineyards
64. Hiddencroft Vineyards
65. Rebec VIneyards
66. Mountain View Vineyard
67. Notaviva Vineyards
68. Hidden Brook Winery
69. Weston Farm Vineyard & Winery
70. The Winery at Bull Run
71. Otium Cellars
72. 22 Brix – The Ankida Ridge Wine Room
73. Lazy Days Winery
74. Ingleside Vineyards
75. Jacey Vineyards
76. Pungo Ridge Winery
77. Saude Creek Vineyards
78. Little Washington Winery
79. Gadino Cellars
80. DeVault Family Vineyards
81. Carroll Vineyards Tasting Room at Leesburg Vintner
82. Gray Ghost Vineyards
83. Sharp Rock Vineyards
84. Kilaurwen Winery
85. Dry Mill Vineyard & Winery LLC
86. Hartwood Winery
87. Bogati Bodega & Vineyard
88. Veramar Vineyard
89. The Dog and Oyster Vineyard
90. Good Luck Cellars
91. Hill Top Berry Farm & Winery
92. Shenandoah Vineyards
93. Delfosse Vineyards & Winery
94. Marterella Winery
95. Loving Cup Vineyard & Winery
96. Greenhill Winery & Vineyards
97. Chateau Morrisette Winery and Restaurant
98. White Barrel Winery
99. Beliveau Estate Winery
100. AmRhein’s Wine Cellars
101. The Winery at Kindred Pointe
102. 868 Estate Vineyard
103. Naked Mountain Winery & Vineyards
104. Prince Michel Vineyard and Winery