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20 reviews for Fox Meadow Winery
20 reviews in English
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Review from Jeannie O.
Washington, DC
8/10/2011 2 photos
An easy hour and a half's drive from DC, this is the place to go for a picnic on the deck that includes a bottle of Freezeland White (delicious on a hot day, this wine is fruity and priced reasonably at $18 bottle) and some local cheese (we tried a raw, white cheddar). Mostly though, Fox Meadow stands apart for a breathtaking view of the Blue Ridge Mountains and its easygoing & unpretentious air. During my most recent visit, I did not participate in a tasting but simply came for the view, some wine & cheese and peace w/my s o away from the city. It was kind of a mini-vacation & couldn't have been better.
Fox Meadow is located at approximately 3,000 feet in the Blue Ridge range and definitely feels a world away from the beltway.Even though you can comfortably do this visit in an afternoon coming in from the city. The first time I came here, I did a tasting which was nice ($6 to try 6 wines that were paired w/food which I didn't try), and came away w/one bottle each of barrel fermented chardonnay & Renard rouge. Next time I visit (hopefully in the fall!), I'll look forward to learning more about the wine making process from the friendly owners and once again enjoying the stunning view. -
Review from Kelly K.
10/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
I am giving a three star rating based on the scenic location and nice deck to sit on overlooking the mountains and grape vines. The wine tasting was below average in customer service and the acoustics in the tasting room were horrible. Based on the wine tasting experience, I would rate 2 star. However, the place was very clean including the restroom and there were nice employees greeting us at the door. The lady that did the wine tasting was annoying and slightly rude. I picked up a decent bottle of Syrah there.
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Review from Colleen M.
Reston, VA
7/4/2011
We didn't even get to try the wine, but that was kind of difficult to do since we walked in and stood at the bar for five minutes (I timed it) without even being looked at by one of the four employees behind the bar.
There were only two of us on a Sunday afternoon in the summer. They were mildly busy, but not so much that we wouldn't be visible. The last straw was when another couple walked in from the deck and one of the employees walked up and asked them if they had been helped yet, even though I had been standing at the bar for a few minutes by then. We walked out and went to Linden, which was a much better experience! -
Review from Ken W.
Manassas, VA
10/22/2011
I gave it two stars because of the food pairings. I think it deserved only one star because of the service. The person doing the tasting was a bit snippy. I'm not sure if it was because they were busy, but I didn't have as good of an experience as I would have liked. I simply asked for some crackers and that's when she snapped at me.
I went to pay and she mentioned the wine club. I told her I would think it over. She just said "thank you" and it was kind of a cool thank you, in my opinion.
Although the view was nice and I liked the food pairing, their customer service needs work. I thought about joining the wine club, but I don't want to support a winery with mediocre wines and bad customer service. -
Review from Ryan M.
This is my favorite winery in Virginia!
Granted I've only been to about half a dozen, but Fox Meadow was off the charts in all categories. What are those categories you ask?
Ambiance - The tasting house/room are very well done, and the patio is absolutely beautiful. The view of the mountains from the deck is the best from a winery that I've seen yet.
Service - Very friendly and very helpful, especially in helping my family (first time wine-tasters (not first time tasting wine)) have such an enjoyable experience.
Wine - great! My better half is pretty selective in her wine taste, and between us we liked almost the entire line-up at Fox Meadow. On top of that, they pair each wine with a local cheese (to try at no extra cost)! Free, delicious cheese merits at least a four star rating for any place, I think.
Price - in line with or slightly cheaper than competitors.
I've been completely against joining a case club or becoming a member of any specific winery because I've wanted to try as many as possible, but that resolution faded instantly with Fox Meadow. Gladly signed up, as I know I'll want to be back, and can't wait to see the view from the deck in the fall. Also note that only members are allowed to eat indoors; anyone can eat on the deck.
Worth committing to a bottle a month from here? Maybe, maybe not, but included free tastings for two every time we go and a discount on the wine. The downside is they pick the wine you get; I justified that by thinking if we get one we don't like (hello Chardonnay) we can pass it along as a gift of Virginia wine to the next birthday/anniversary/housewarming/tailgate party.
If you're doing wineries in the Front Royal area, don't miss Fox Meadow! -
Review from Whitney R.
4/23/2010
Fox Meadow is, without a doubt, our favorite winery in Virginia (and we've tried a huge number of them). We initially found them several years back at the Vintage Virginia festival and have been going to visit the winery as "Friends of the Foxes" (their member program) for just about as long as we have know that they existed. Their wines are truly outstanding, we have given these as gifts to friends with much more refined pallets then ours and the wines always get rave reviews. The winery itself is in a pristine setting, you are at about 3,000 feet in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains and you have such an amazing view from their deck that we often times plan our visits around meal times and sit outside and enjoy the surroundings.
The owners who always seem to be at the vineyard are really nice and care about their wine and its production - talk to Dan or Cheryl (the owners) and you'll get quite the history lesson in how their vineyard works and it's evident how passionate they are about their wines.
This is one of our favorite places to bring out of town guests for a tasting - they have premium tastings with food pairings as well as the standard tasting program. They sell a nice selection of cheeses, salami's and other goodies to enjoy with a glass of wine on the premises and have great deals for that case you're going to want to bring home. -
Review from Andrew H.
2/22/2011
a group of friends and i visited fox meadow in the dead of february, so clearly we were greeted with dried grape vines instead of a lush green meadow...but that's not the reason why the review isn't as illustrious as others.
don't get me wrong, i didn't have any negative issues with fox meadows either. i thought it was great that they served cheese (and a small little kiss from the chocolatier, hershey's). and they do have a nice little patio where tasters can enjoy a glass or bottle while indulging the view.
but i couldn't find anything great about the wines. they weren't bad in any way, but all them seemed flat to me...very one-note. where were the flavor bursts or the harmony of tannins and fruits? i think if i was simply reviewing ambiance and service, definitely a solid 5...but the wine really didn't cut it for me. -
Review from julie u.
Alexandria, VA
10/20/2010
I have been to Fox Meadows a couple of times and loved it. They have an awesome food and wine pairing that I highly recommend and their wines are pretty good too.
My big caveat is for group tours. If you are taking a group (8 or more), do not call for reservations until you are absolutely sure you are going there. They take a non-refundable $50 deposit. This information is not on their website (I just double checked), nor was it disclosed to me at the time I booked (I canceled three weeks before the scheduled tasting date, not at the last minute because my friends decided they wanted to go to Charlottesville region instead). While the $50 is non-refundable, the winery does allow you to "use" the money at their winery within the next year. It's understandable that the winery requires a non-refundable deposit for groups, however, this should be disclosed in writing and on the website.
Otherwise, I would really recommend this winery. It's fun and the staff (and the owners) are really friendly. It's one of my favorite wineries in the area. -
Review from Neal E.
12/22/2007 2 photos
I'll echo what the other reviewers have stated - although this is a young winery - they have some nice wines that have a lot of potential.
I took two of my friends here today - it was a cold, cloudy, overcast day - a perfect day for visiting wineries!
We tasted 8 wines. As one of the other reviewers mentioned - we were given a taste of foods with some of the wines to demonstrate how they change with food. We were given a couple of cheeses and some chocolate - depending on the wine. We started off with the 2006 Pinot Gris, then moved quickly to the 2006 Pinot Grigio so that we could compare and contrast the two.
Next up was their 2006 "non-oaked" Chardonnay, which we then compared with their 2006 Barrel Fermented Chardonnay.
We then moved to the reds. First, the 2005 Syrah, followed by the 2004 and 2005 Cabarnet Franc.
We then finished with a dessert wine - the Freezeland White. Very yummy dessert wine!
I bought a bottle each of the following:
- 2006 Barrel Fermented Chardonnay
- 2005 Syrah
- 2005 Cabernet Franc
- Freezeland White
We then took our picnic lunch we had brought with us out on their deck and had a nice lunch before heading out: smoked salmon, salami, turkey, swiss cheese, crusty bread, wheat crackers, blue cheese, Irish cheese, Feta-stuffed olives, baby carrots, strawberries, blueberries, lemon-dill Hummus, and chocolate chip and oatmeal raisin cookies for dessert!Listed in: Exploring Virginia Wine…
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Review from Gene W.
Washington, DC
5/31/2010 6 photos
My fiance and I decided to stop by on our way to her family's house. The layout of the land was quite stunning and peaceful.
Unlike other local wineries and vineyards, the staff at Fox Meadow were friendly and pleasant. My fiance decided on their wine tasting ($6.00) of 6 different bottles of their wine. And this was the only winery, that we've been to, that paired up the wine with some cheeses. Impressive. We also asked if we could try their Riesling. They said of course without charge.
All the wines were very good and were not overpriced. We ended up buying 6 bottles (with a 5% discount) and if you bought 6 bottles, your wine tasting was complimentary. We also purchased 2 glasses ($6) as well as some food to consume on their deck overseeing the vineyard with the mountains in the background. We bought a Boar's Head Sausage ($9.00), a local Artisan cheese called Oak Springs Dairy ($7.75), and Carr's Table Water Crackers ($4.50). A little pricey but you can't buy the view. Bottled water (Deer Park) was $1.00 each.
Overall, the experience was one of the best we've had here in Virginia when it comes to wineries and vineyards. I highly recommend anyone who would like to try terrific wines and rare food pairings with a knowledgeable and friendly staff. They accept cash, Mastercard, and Visa. No AMEX, Discover, or Diners Club though. -
Review from Beth B.
Bentonville, VA
7/21/2009
All I can say is that, next to Rappahannock, Fox Meadow is my favorite winery in VA. The wines are always delicious (I love their Riesling) and they offer a food/wine pairing for a few bucks more that really caps off the experience. This is a frequent stop when friends and family come into town as the wines are always consistent and the staff is always very friendly and knowledgeable. The last time we visited in May, Carol delighted my out-of-town friends with her expertise and witty banter. My friends are still talking about how much they loved the experience to this day. The tasting room is open and airy with a beautiful view of the mountain.There is picnic seating on the deck. Although I am not a member (and should be), their wine club offers wine specials, events and an exclusive gathering room.
Fox Meadow is a must stop for any VA wine tour. -
Review from Scott S.
Arlington, VA
7/5/2009
4.5 stars. This is almost a flawless winery, and I only lack the .5 because out of every place, this is the next great winery/vineyard in VA. First off, for anyone, this is a unique tasting experience. You have the option of a food pairing with every wine, and its well chosen... right down to the famous rice crispy treat.
On to the wines. This is a place that makes it simple for me. They are all good. And that annoys me.. you almost don't want to enjoy the wine because its all just too easy. The pinot grigio is good... the pinot gris is better. I love that they separated the two, great idea, and it shows the depth of this place.
Good/great chardonnay, and that's not easy to admit.. oaky/buttery, but not too much... good for those that love a stainless produced one.
Other good whites, but let's move on to the reds.
I have a cellar full after only a short trip. They are all good. Predominately, I like the Renard Rouge. Their specialty red... and they do it great. Other reds include VA standards, such as the Cab Franc, etc, and let me say, they are all rivals of VA's best.
There is no fight between Linden and FM.. not because Linden will always be the be all end all in VA wine, even if I do believe so... but, FM is doing everything right, and as I get spend more time there, they get better and better. The place is beautiful and the folks are nice. I look forward to return visits and continued FANTASTIC progress made by a a currently great and future landmark VA winery.Listed in: Best Wineries in Virginia
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Review from Reggie G.
Washington, DC
10/4/2009
Disclaimer: I may sound like a giant snob in this review.
So listen, I spent the last 10 years of my life living in San Francisco (hence the Yelp addiction) and enjoying fine wine tasting experiences in California wine country. I usually even refused to go to Napa, because it commercialized and filled with obnoxious tourists in limos from other states. So as you can imagine, I was a VA winery skeptic... until I went to Linden.
All I can say is that it is a good thing my first experience in VA wine country was NOT at Fox Meadow. This place is everything you would imagine a stereotypical VA winery to be. They had cheesy tchotchkes all over the place, like they did their interior decorating at the Halloween sale at Michael's. The wine, for the most part, was uninspired particularly the white wines. I must say, the Cab Franc which was pretty good. The roads through the grape vines were paved in asphalt, which just seemed weird and the tasting room looked as if it had been built from generic plans for a McMansion. Basically, I felt this winery was thrown up quickly without much thought.
That said, the view is beautiful and they stay open late on Saturdays in Oct for the sunset with musicians (which we couldn't actually hear.)
Oh, and last but not least - we ordered some "Light Fare" to go with the bottle we ordered after our tasting. We ordered cheese and bread - the cheese they gave us was actually a slab of Cracker Barrel-esque plastic wrapped cheese like you buys from Safeway- served in the wrapper, on a plate with a knife on the side.
I'm giving it 2 stars because it wasn't horrible, it was just pedestrian and uninspired. I'm sticking to Linden and Chester Gap. -
Review from Eileen O.
Alexandria, VA
11/20/2007
I loved this young winery! They have only been selling wine for 18 months, yet they have some of the best wines in the area. Our tasting was done by the owner, who was very friendly and personable. This tasting was a little different, because they used some cheese samples to show how the wines change with food.
I would also like to echo that the setting is brilliant. If it hadn't been so cold on the day of our visit, I could have sat out on the deck all day. -
Review from John S.
Mount Airy, MD
7/13/2007
Excellent wines, but what a view. On a clear the view is amazing. Bring a picnic and buy a bottle of wine and sit on their deck. Did I mention the view?
Really good wines. -
Review from Layla C.
Arlington, VA
7/13/2010
Their tasting room is spacious and the view from the deck is beautiful. It's also nice how they offer some local cheeses, meats, etc., as pairings with their wine.
However, the wine itself was unremarkable. Not bad, really, but not all that good either. I thought all of the whites tasted rather watery (overly chilled, maybe?), and the reds were flat. May give it another try to see if it was an off day, but we're not in a hurry to go back. -
Review from Nicole D.
Alexandria, VA
11/12/2010
I guess I went to Fox Meadow with high expectations - the reviews on here rave about the wines and the scenery. In terms of scenery and just an overall gorgeous winery/vineyard, this place gets 5 stars. I did appreciate that the tasting was done with cheese (and in one case a nut) food pairing - great job for being unique on that front! I also really appreciated that they used 2 different labels - one indicating the wines made from grapes that are grown at Fox Meadow, and one indicating grapes that were brought in from elsewhere. Again, I appreciate being able to distinguish that!
However, I just didn't think wines were as amazing as the reviews on here make them sound. All the reds were empty, and while the whites are ok, they are better down the road at Linden Vineyards.
Overall, this is a unique tasting with the cheese pairing (Aspen Dale does food pairings with the wine, too, and their wine is better!), and the view from the deck does just take your breath away. But, I don't have any need to visit a second time. -
Review from David R.
Reston, VA
6/9/2009
One of my favorite wineries in Virginia. Wines are outstanding and seem to be getting better each year (Pinot Grigio is one of the best I've had). "Looking down on the mountains" is an apt description....only Stone Mountain Vineyards has a better view in the state. Local cheeses (and in one case, a Rice Krispy treat--don't knock it til you've tried it) are paired with the wines during the tastings. The tasting room is bright and airy, and the balcony has plenty of tables (wine club members also have use of a room full of tables and a gas stove). Unbeatable spot.
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Review from John S.
Annapolis, MD
6/3/2010
Great wine, great view, nice staff. Skip linden, visit Fox Meadow instead!
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Review from Patrice L.
Reston, VA
10/20/2009
We were treated so badly here that we never tasted the wine. We had a group of five people and for some reason they didn't want to serve us. They kept telling us to "wait" even though there was plenty of room for us at the counter. We had brought food and unfortunately they just received 3 inches of snow (in October!) so we couldn't eat on the deck as planned. They refused to let us eat inside even though there was not anyone at any of the tables. I understand they have rules, but given that they were not busy at all I think they could have been a little more flexible since we were a group ready and willing to buy wine by the case if we liked it. The only option they gave us on the food thing was to join their case club, which was a $25 fee plus they would ship us a case of wine over the next year that we had to purchase (their choice of bottles). We were happy to consider this if we liked the wine, but since we couldn't get anyone to serve us the tasting we were frustrated and eventually left. I didn't want to give them any money after leaving us there waiting for no good reason. We moved on to Philip Carter which was exceptionally friendly and the wine was pretty good too.
