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11 reviews for 8 Chains North Winery
11 reviews in English
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Review from Lena N.
4/9/2012
One of the best wineries in VA. My roommates and I stopped by here on a wine tasting trip and all left with at least two bottles each. We did not try a wine we didn't enjoy here! The person leading our tasting was very friendly and also very knowledgeable about both wines and the winery.
My favorites that I tasted: 2009 Furnace, 2010 Sauvignon Blanc, 2010 LoCo Vino
Definitely wines that you should not miss if you are in the area. -
Review from MacRae O.
2/5/2012 7 photos
8 Chains North Winery just joined Aspen Dale Winery at the Barn and Mediterranean Cellars on my list of absolute favorite Virginia wineries. In fact, I was so impressed and so delighted by our experience here that I signed up for their wine club as soon as the last drop of 2009 Furnace Mountain Red Reserve slid down the old gullet. 8 Chains is the first Virginia winery to inspire that kind of commitment (tho Aspen Dale tempts for sure).
Four of us arrived on a gloomy winter morning, rather unsure what to expect from this infant winery tucked amongst single-family homes off Charles Town Pike. Walking into the tasting room, however, we realized we were in for a wonderful time. The bright, airy, open-design tasting room is one of the loveliest and most enviable I've seen. It's decorated in a fabulously appealing, eclectic mélange of carefully-selected vintage furniture, rugs, and accessories. (It's the kind of style you only wish you could pull off in your own home, but know it'd likely end up looking like the showroom at a Salvation Army instead.) Adding to the charm were the beautiful oil paintings by a local Loudoun artist. 8 Chains owner, Krista, told us that the tasting room features local artists by month. All the art is for sale, and at rather reasonable prices considering the beautiful quality. (Also, 8 Chains is very pet and kid-friendly, with water bowls and Milkbones available in the tasting room...presumably for the children.)
As we were the only patrons in the tasting room at the time, we were treated to a private tasting by the charming Bethany, assisted by Krista. This is the first VA winery I've been where I truly loved each and every wine on offer -- perhaps as a result of the fact that 8 Chains wisely chooses to focus on roughly half-a-dozen wines, rather than try their hand at a little of everything. Reds are the preferred grape here, exceptional examples of their kind, but the select Whites were also superb. Because 8 Chains is little over a year old, they are not producing wines made from grapes grown on-site just yet (the vines will be ready in the next two years), so they are growing grapes at various VA farms and vineyards owned by extended family members.
We sampled:
- '09 Sauvignon Blanc, a fumé style wine aged in charred French Oak barrels. It was crisp and citrusy, my second favorite wine of the tasting.
- '10 LoCo Vino (" 'LoCo' is for Loudoun County," Bethany said, "Not 'crazy'!"). This near 50/50 blend of Traminette and Vidal Blanc, fermented in stainless steel, has .5% residual sugar, creating a refreshing, zesty wine.
- '08 Merlot, aged in French and American Oak, had a buttery smooth finish.
- '09 Otium Cellars Dornfelder, a German varietal blended with Malbec and Merlot grapes. The Dornfelder varietal produces an ink-black color and spicy mouthfeel.
- '08 Furnace Mountain Red and '09 Furnace Mountain Red, two Bordeaux blends from different vintages. The difference in the two was readily apparent, and I preferred the 2009, though both were very pleasant.
- '09 Furnace Mountain Red Reserve. My favorite wine of the tasting with a distinct cherry nose and robust, cocoa-y finish.
Because we joined 8 Chains wine club, all four of our tastings were free -- husband and I *both* taste for free any time we come, and so do two of our guests. We also receive 20% off each bottle of wine we purchase (so, naturally, we walked out with three this visit), and every quarter we'll be shipped several bottles of 8 Chains wine -- experimental varietals, libraried bottles, customers' favorites; and the winery offers a no-questions-asked exchange program should you be dissatisfied with any of their selections.
My *only* complaint about 8 Chains North is that their wines aren't available at any retail stores in Northern Virginia just yet (I gave Krista the contact info for Rick's Wine & Gourmet in the selfish hope this fact will soon be rectified). This last-minute addition to our winery rotation this weekend turned out to be the best of the bunch. Cheers to you, 8 Chains!Listed in: Beyond the Beltway, Wino Forever, Virginia Is for Lov-ahs
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Review from Elle B.
Arlington, VA
5/6/2012 3 photos
I booked a group tasting for a bachelorette party. 8 Chains North doesn't normally allow buses, but since we came early (11:30am), they allowed it. The lady who did the tasting was very knowledgeable and I was happy with their wine selection.
The tasting room is nice and moderately sized. Their outdoor space has a beautiful view and seating on a patio.
Based on my experience, with over 30 Virginia vineyards visited, I believe this one is definitely worth visiting (and visiting again). -
Review from Kelly H.
Washington, DC
4/8/2012
We stopped here today - owners Ben and Krista were great! This is a beautiful winery, and the owners truly have a passion for the craft. Don't pass this place by!
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Review from Tochi K.
Germantown, MD
11/7/2011
I've slowly made my way through most of Lounoun County/Leesburg area vineyards and thing 8 Chains North is one of the best wineries in the area.
When I visited they had 6 wines (2 whites and 4 reds) on their tasting menu--apparently they'll soon have more whites. Their 2010 LoCo Vino is delicious, as is their 2008 Merlot (you don't have to be a Merlot fan to enjoy it, seriously), 2009 Otium, and 2009 Furnace. Their prices range from $18 to $27, it would be nice if some of them were a little less, but their bottles are worth it!
The staff were friendly, knowledgeable, and fun to chat with as they poured their tastings. The decor has a Middle Eastern/Moroccan/African feel and is very classy and not over or understated. They also have lovely smelling soaps in the bathrooms and for sale.
If you are touring multiple wineries in one day, I would start here ... don't save the best for last. -
Review from Linda C.
Arlington, VA
1/7/2012
We went for a barrel tasting and the wine maker actually had me draw some wine out of a barrel. After the barrel tasting we then had a tasting in the wine room. Our server was very friendly and knowledgeable. They make some great reds at this winery.
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Review from Erin C.
Chantilly, VA
4/23/2011
So far the best VA winery to date. The prices were still too high which seems typical for VA but at least here more were good. The Sauvignon blanc was very good though not $20.00 good. The LoCo Vino was better and at $18.00 we did buy a bottle of this.
The 2008 Merlot was good but not for $20. The 2009 Otium Cellars Dornfelder was best and after a few other wineries one of the best VA wines. Still at $22.00 it's overpriced but at least it's good we bought one and my Father bought 2. The 2008 Mountain Furance Red was good but not for $22 the 08 Mountain Red Reserve was better but not for $26.00.
So far this was my favorite. VA wineries are really overpriced compared to taste but this place was more reasonable with a nice place. -
Review from David R.
Reston, VA
8/30/2010
The wineries in Loudoun County are popping up like mushrooms (the edible ones....) after a hard summer rain.
8 Chains North is another addition to the Route 9 wine trail in Loudoun County, between Leesburg and Harper's Ferry. Their wines were available in the past from Fabbioli Cellars and Notaviva Winery, two other Loudoun favorites. The winery opened in mid August 2010 and is a great spot. The wines are all very good (LoCo Vino is a Traminette and Vidal Blanc blend, my favorite white there; Furnace Mountain red, a Bordeaux blend, is their best red, and the best wine they have in the house - up there with the best of what Virginia has to offer).
The tasting room is airy and full of interesting artifacts like a yarn weaving antique. The name of the winery is based on an element of measure that goes back to the Civil War era. The owner and winemaker (Ben Renshaw) came out and gave us a background on the winery, the property and some education on his winemaking practices. A very talkative and interesting guy, who put on a great iPOD mix on his speaker system (no live band! Finally!)
Outside, McMansions spoil the beauty somewhat (this is Waterford, after all). The patio is small but does the trick. I wouldn't want to come here when it's very busy, as there is not a lot of outdoor seating, but when we visited, it was quiet and relaxing.
Chalk up another winner in Northern VA. -
Review from Bill G.
Purcellville, VA
12/4/2010
8 Chains North is another in a series of wineries popping up in Loudoun County, Va. -- an area that is now becoming a bona fide wine destination for many in the close-in-D.C. area. My wife and I stopped in on a recent Sunday afternoon to see what they had to offer, and though the building itself was nice we weren't overly impressed.
We do enjoy wine and have visited most of Loudoun's wineries in the last year. 8 Chains North sits back off a side road off Route 9, and from the main building the pastoral view includes some of the nearby houses. Compared to the more pristine views at places such as Breaux and Loudoun Valley Vineyards, this attribute lends a certain oddity to the experience -- as if you're not fully in a winery experience but watching suburbia creep in.
The building where the tastings are offered is nicely decorated, open and airy. Our server was friendly and knowledgeable about local wines.
As for the wines themselves, we only found one of those offered to suit our tastes. Your mileage may vary, of course, based on your preferences. To me, the whites were all overly tart and the reds not mellow enough to really want a second glass. Again, that's just me. -
Review from Stacey S.
Richmond, VA
2/10/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Loved the decor. Christa did our tasting and was great - really knowledgeable. Favs were the Sauvignon Blanc, Loco Vino, and Blau Frankisch. That's the first time I've ever seen that varietal from Virginia and it was done really well. Looking forward to returning in warmer weather and checking out the deck.
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Review from Pann W.
Herndon, VA
5/9/2011
Went to 8 Chains North after visiting Notaviva and loved it as well as Notaviva. The decor inside the tasting room is wonderful and plenty of seats and space for everyone to sit down. The outdoor space is lovely with a view to the vineyard. I would definitely go back.
