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Recycle your jack o'lantern at our annual Pumpkin Chunkin' Weekend, Nov 5 & 6 , 21011. Jump on the giant pumpkin pillow, play cow pie putt golf & meet… read more »
23 reviews for Willowcroft Farm Vineyards
23 reviews in English
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Review from La Tosha P.
Alexandria, VA
8/14/2011
Nice unpretentious place. Which if you've started going to NOVA wineries you realize unpretentious wineries are a dying breed. We were warmly greeted and quickly helped. The server actually knew about the wines she was serving which was also a bonus. The wines themselves are ok. Wasn't a fan of the whites, the reds were slightly better. While it's not the best wines I've tasted it's certainly not the worse. I give it a nice middle of the road thumbs up. And I definitely liked the laid back atmosphere.
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Review from Colleen M.
Reston, VA
8/16/2011
Pretty good place. You gotta see it for its history alone. It's Loudoun's oldest winery, and I'd like to say that their wines are memorable. Unfortunately this wasn't the case. Not terrible, but not spectacular either.
The property is beautiful and the staff is friendly enough. However, they're so used to crowds that it just doesn't feel authentic. Beautiful property with panoramic views. See our pics at http://www.winecruiser...! -
Review from MacRae O.
5/2/2011 5 photos
If you've been reading my reviews with any regularity, you know I do so enjoy me a good Virginia winery. You also know I rarely come across one I don't at least think is "A-OK," usually because I've either Yelped the place beforehand, or because husband and I are touring about with friends of ours who are quite experienced in this arena -- which is how we landed at Willowcroft. Sadly, I wasn't overly impressed by this spot (shhh, don't tell our friends...we like getting invited along on their wine circuits).
As one of Virginia's oldest wineries -- and Loudoun County's actual oldest -- Willowcroft gives an impression of resting on its laurels. The bar's been raised on Virginia's increasingly competitive viticulture industry, and for me, Willowcroft falls a bit short.
The setting of the winery itself is remote and pretty enough. The concept of a tasting room in a converted barn is wittily fitting, too, considering the hunt culture that pervades Loudoun. From the outside, the barn itself is rustic and inviting, but inside it's dim and confined. The small tasting room feels rather claustrophobic.
Tho the ladies leading our tasting were nice, we felt rushed as we flew through the tasting sheet, each tiny pour of wine coming faster and faster with little to no explanation of what we were sampling. We weren't engaged by anyone. "Sorry, we're swamped!" a server exclaimed, dashing off after one pour. There were six other people (to three servers) in the tasting room. Service was clearly thrown off its game on our visit, and our tasting suffered accordingly.
The wines themselves were largely forgettable. Normally, this is the part of the review where I'd list what we sampled, but when I looked back over my tasting notes I saw a lot of "OK" and "Meh" jotted in the margins, and I lost my desire. Whites were okay. Chambourcin and Cab Sauv were watery. We did sample lovely a 2010 Albariño, a dry but fruity Viognier-like white, and a pleasing, hearty 2007 Cabernet Franc. After our lightning round tasting, tho, we paid up and dipped.
Overall, the wines and whirlwind experience didn't quite seem worth the $10 price tag. We left feeling like virgins on prom night: taken for a ride, and us with nothing to show for it.Listed in: Wino Forever
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Review from Sarah J.
3/28/2011
Fairly a-typical for most Leesburg area wineries, this one is a bit off the beaten path, but nothing as murderous feeling as the others (see my past reviews if you haven't the faintest about what I'm saying). What hits you first at Willowcroft is the entrance. Lovely gardens and a stone wall greet you as you pull into the parking area in front of a large barn. We were also greeted by the biggest cat I've ever seen. This might be a turn off for some people, but since I love cats and this one was super friendly, I was all about it.
The views and setting were the high point for me. The tasting was just ok. None of the wines really got my attention. Same goes for the service. All those in our party found the people who worked there somewhat off putting. Their attention was not fully on the task at hand, and our server in particular seemed somewhat indifferent about being there. The tasting room itself was not very charming. I understand that it's the oldest winery in Virginia and they are appealing to history fans who will love hearing that the barn in which the tastings take place is the original barn to the property. However, if it were my winery, I would have kept the structure and opened up the inside a bit. I felt very cramped and the room itself was very stuffy.
Despite the lack of great wines and stifled tasting room, I would come here again to picnic and enjoy the views.Listed in: NOVA is for Lovers, The Boozey Life, Locavore, Meh..., I LOVE Wine
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Review from Chava C.
Washington, DC
8/29/2011
I visited Willowcroft on Sunday after the hurricane. I went with my fiance and we had the Capitol Deal - $20 for a tasting, cheese and a $20 credit towards any bottle of wine. We're both in our mid-20s and we both like to visit wineries around VA/PA/wherever we are.
It seemed a few people were there trying to use their deals. The winery itself is at the end of a 3 mile gravel road, it had a gorgeous view into the mountains and the tasting room is situated in a barn. We were the youngest people there, though, others had the coupon which was known to use by the orange cheese almond thing that they had.
First - they did an abreviated tasting for us as we noticed that other parties tried the Seyval (Seybal?) and the dessert wine and we did not. Secondly, the "cheese" was some kind of ball of orange cheez-whiz covered in almonds. In a refreigerator there, we saw gorgeous local cheeses from the surrounding farms. You could not purchase the orange cheez-whiz thing. The whites in our opinion were better than the reds, and the Riesling tasted almost like apple cider. While that was my favorite, we bought the Chardonnay Reserve because we thought it would match what we like to eat better... The reds weren't super dry, but, weren't super rich either, so we steered clear.
All and all - its a cute place, but I'm not sure I'd return. The bottles were about $16-27 which I think is a sort of high price-point for buying AT the vineyard. ALSO - while I understand that many businesses do coupon deals and then regret it because they see the buyers as pulling one over - the buyers think they are getting what they are sold. And if we thought we'd get an abbreviated tasting + cheez whiz, guess what, we would have gone somewhere else, paid $5 for the tasting, kept the glass and STILL bought a bottle and maybe even still bought some kind of nice local cheese to snack on.
If its on your way somewhere else, and you want to pay $10 per person for a tasting and not keep your glass, go ahead, but, for now, I'd probably try somewhere else. -
Review from Jen S.
Washington, DC
10/6/2010 6 photos
Willowcroft was my favorite of the three Leesburg-area wineries we visited. Everything was just really real.
The people were down to earth, unlike some of the other pretentious folks we encountered at wineries in the area, who seemed to forget that they make wine in the state of Virginia, that it's not that good and that they're not that classy.
They explained each wine to us really well, adjusted the lineup to suit our tastes and even added an extra glass they thought we'd like. We bought one bottle and they didn't charge us for four tastings.
The tasting room is in a big, beautiful old barn, and the view from their lawn spans for miles and miles across the valley. There were a ton of people eating a picnic lunch at the tables on the lawn - a pretty sweet little scene. -
Review from Bob S.
Reston, VA
6/21/2010
Great Day Ruined
Wines - some of the whites were ok, the reds were marginal at best.
Venue - sort of like a country store with one product. Little barn with few tasting rooms. Several dilapidated picnic tables and that's it.
Customer Service - Not very customer friendly. First thing they do in tasting room is make it clear that you are not to take their glasses. Really sets the tone for visit. At Willowcroft you are a tolerated nuisance that needs to buy their wine and move on. Honestly if people like glasses here's a brilliant idea - sell them!
We had kids. We had a picnic. They did not like that at all. Apparently if you visit there are some hard fast rules. Taste wine, buy wine, leave premises. We had bought 9 bottles for the picnic. There were 6 couples plus kids. We had planned to buy 7 cases of various wines just to support local wines. We bought none.
Here is why. The owner was unhappy with our kids playing soccer during the picnic in a tiny field next to the parking lot. He was also unhappy we set up a sun cover over a picnic table and several other things. Ok its his place while there were no posted rules I am good with that. However, here is how he handled it. He struts overs in the middle of the picnic and sits down next to out host "a lady" and in front of everyone lectures her about what he does not like about the groups activities and how he is in business to sell wine. RUDE, RUDE, RUDE.
1. He embarrassed the host.
2. If you have an issue take the person aside and communicate as adult to adult.
We talked to some of the other staff and they were embarrassed and said he had done this before.
I do not patronize businesses that treat people like this. I like to reward customer friendly businesses. We have been to many other wineries in the area who love families and kids so next time I'll skip this country store and go somewhere I am welcomed. -
Review from Angela W.
11/30/2010
Cute winery, and conveniently a short distance away from the Leesburg Outlets!
I was back home for a whirlwind Thanksgiving trip and wanted to do something fun and different for my best friend's birthday that also wouldn't break the bank. Did a quick search and it came up with the Turkey Chili & Wine tasting at Willowcroft! Headed out there Saturday morning, and a few miles down a questionable bumpy gravel and dirt road later, we were pleasantly surprised to see such a quaint little home and barn looking place overlooking beautiful mountains, trees, and a lake.
The place is small and old fashioned, pretty different from the wineries I visited in Napa. They have a good selection of wine, but it seems like whites are more of their specialty. The tasting included 7 wines & a yummy turkey chili for $12. The people were very informative and also generous about giving us other tastings since we were hesitant to buy ones we hadn't tried (big plus!). I'm not a big wine snob; I'm just happy to find ones that suit my tastebuds. As far as the whites, I really liked their Riesling, as well as the Riesling Muscat. They are both light and fruity, and not too sweet, as opposed to most other Rieslings I've had. The Traminette (love gewurtzraminer) & Claire (dessert wine) were also really yummy if you prefer a sweet wine, like my mom. As for the reds, my favorite was the Cabernet Franc. Deep flavor with cherry notes & but not too overpowered by tannin flavors.
Definitely plan to make it out here again next time I'm in town! -
Review from Megan M.
Richmond, VA
9/22/2010 1 photo
My friend and I did a chauffeured wine tour of Loudoun County and Willowcroft Farm Vineyards was our first stop. This is the oldest winery in Loudoun County and you could tell by their charming tasting room, which was housed in what seemed like a big, old barn. The winery has really nice scenic views outside with picnic tables nearby, making it a nice place to enjoy a glass of wine or lunch on a sunny day.
The tasting room is on the small and darker side, so don't plan to hang here if it's rainy. The staff was friendly, though. They had the regular tasting room open for visitors and were housing a tour bus in another area. For some reason they had split the wines between the two rooms, so they didn't have some that were on the tasting list. When I asked for a few, the lady went to the other side where the larger group was tasting and got them. I thought this was a little weird. I paid for the full tasting, why were they skipping some when they had them open and were tasting them? It would be one thing if they just weren't tasting some of the wines that day, but I thought it was odd that they wouldn't have them all on hand if they were tasting them.
Anywho, considering this was the oldest winery in Loudoun County, I was a bit disappointed with the wines. The reds were all kind of thin and none blew me away. I did like some of the whites, though, and I took home a bottle of the Seyval Blanc. I was sad to see that they were sold out of the Albarino since I've never seen one of those grown in Virginia before. My friend bought a bottle of the Fitzrada's Reward, which is a Bordeaux-style blend. She generally doesn't like reds, but liked this one because of its light, fruity nature. I liked this one too, but it didn't blow me away. But I go more for thicker, bolder reds. It wasn't that the Willowcroft wines weren't good, I just would have expected them to be the regional expert, seeing as they were there first.
This winery wasn't my favorite of the day, but it did have a few good wines. I'd probably stop back again if I was in the area.Listed in: Virginia Wine
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Review from Neal E.
4/13/2009 5 photos
Stopped in last Saturday for my first visit to Willowcroft. I had high expectations based on reading the previous Yelp reviews. And Willowcroft delivered!
A light drizzle was falling as I walked in about 2:00 pm. The tasting room is located in a weathered, dilapidated-looking barn. A couple of young ladies walked in at the same time - our wine pourer Steve put us in the same tasting group and proceeded to pour. Since it was Easter weekend - the pourers were wearing bunny ears. Steve is probably in his sixties - so this balding guy with a pair of bunny ears pouring wine was somewhat comical.
The wines:
- 2007 Chardonnay Reserve: Light, crisp, and delicious with a slight hint of Oak. Would be excellent chilled and served on a hot summer day.
- 2006 Cabernet Blanc: Very tasty - almost the color of a light blush - but made with Cabernet Sauvignon grapes - the skins are left in the wine one day to start to give it a tint - but then they are removed.
- 2004 Merlot: I can't really articulate what is I did not like about this wine - it wasn't horrible - just not my thing - it was the only wine I tasted that did not resonate with me.
- 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon: Smooth with berry notes - would go well with lots of red meat! Fabulous!
- Petit Verdot (No Vintage): Made from different batches of wine from different years - so no vintage is assigned to the wine. I'm a big fan of Petit Verdot - and this was one was a doozy. Would go well with red meats, pizza, spicy dishes, and cigars.
I ended up buying a bottle of the 2007 Chardonnay Reserve and the Petit Verdot.
Excellent winery! I will be back again, again, and again...Listed in: Exploring Virginia Wine…
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Review from C. M.
Washington, DC
6/7/2011
If you love wine as much as I do, this vineyard may prove disappointing. I agree with another Yelper on the tastings being very small and wine mostly forgettable. The only thing we liked was the Chardonnay Reserve.
When we walked in the tasting room, we weren't too pleased with the greeting. We brought our dog since the website clearly says dog-friendly, and this lady on staff proceeded to act like it's the first dog she's ever seen in her life. She kept rudely saying "Is he nice? Is he nice? What kind of dog is that? He better be nice". Why the F would we bring an unfriendly dog to a vineyard where we know there will be plenty of people around? That really made a bad first impression.
Despite her rudeness, we decided to stay since we drove an hour to get there and met some other cool wine-lovers (they ALL loved our dog by the way and kept playing with him). We ordered a "cheese platter" to go along with the wine. It's in quotes because a paper plate, a block of no-name cheese, and Ritz crackers is the kind of "cheese platter" you'd expect from a homeless person.
OK I'm done...I'm getting angry again... -
Review from Cheryl B.
Round Hill, VA
5/3/2009
Friends from Atlanta and DC were on tap to help us wind through the Virginia back roads...brunch complete we hopped in the car and headed out into the misty morning....and so began our wine tour on Saturday.
We arrived at Willowcroft Farm Vineyards and were greeted by Joe...a tall fellow who knew the history of the farm (first vine planted in 1981) the culture of VA winemaking (they all share harvest folks) and the wines being tasted. In order:
2007 Chardonnay Reserve-9 month aging in Oak, buttery, oak overtones, dry - a suitable white for sipping, pairing with a light fish or chicken entree or a variety of fruit and chees.
2008 Vidal Blanc-very sweet aroma featuring pear/green apples .5% Residual Sugar. Not one that pleased my palate. Next..
2007 Riesling Muscat-Ottonel - the senses are caught up by the nose of this wine. Apricots, green apples and an almost honeysuckle fragrance can be found. 1% Residual Sugar. Joe referred to this as the "chinese take out" dinner wine. I was greatly surprised that the wine itself was not overly sweet! Nice offering.
2005 Cabernet Franc - I love the cherry tones blended with what I felt was a spicy cinnamon undertone, yummy. Yes, I'm a Cab girl! My thoughts went right to the steak we were planning on having for dinner!
There was a lovely jug of red goodness with slices of floating fruit topping it off.....yes, homemade Sangria...finished our tasting with a gracious addition of a sip of this elixer...yummy!!
Loved this location, yes, out of the way, but who expects a winery of this age to be located near the mall, eh? Purchased a couple bottles to start the day and Joe asked if we were heading off to other wineries. Yes, we replied to which he immediately put together a box for at least 10 bottles...saying "here you go, will keep your purchases from rolling around the car." Added a jar of Cherry Butter offered on the shelf next to the tasting counter to seal the deal. Loved the service! Will be back!Listed in: VA Wineries....So far!
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Review from Terry J.
Reston, VA
7/15/2010 1 photo
According to the maps app on my Droid phone, Willowcroft Farm Winery lay at the end of a three-mile dirt road. As my wife and I bounced down the narrow dirt road I seriously questioned whether my navigation unit had lost its digital marbles.
Fortunately for me Willowcroft is three miles down a dirt road and after the trip I can report that the wines are very much worth the bumpy ride.
We arrived around 2:00 p.m. this past Sunday afternoon and were struck by the beauty of the site. A lot of wineries are beautiful to view but a scant few have a gorgeous view across an adjoining valley and the Blue Ridge Mountains from its hillside location. Willowcroft does.
Working behind the counter, Chuck (very helpful) provided us samples of eight wines: five whites and three reds. We tasted an un-oaked Chardonnay, Seyval, Albarino, Riesling, Vidal Blanc, Red blend, Merlot and Cab Franc for only $5 per person. The Riesling and the Cab Franc were far and away the most interesting. I would note for my friends in Iowa that Willowcroft is offering a Traminette this year for the first time - while I wasn't able to taste it, Chuck thinks that it is a good wine. Maybe next time...
My impressions of the 2008 Riesling: Pale in the glass. Green apples and citrus profoundly on the nose. Medium bodied with sufficient acidity acidity to stand up to more than the typical Riesling pairings. Best when cold. Flattens out a little when it warms up. Ever so slight hint of tannic astringency at the end - grape seeds maybe? Moderately long citrus finish. Recommended.
Second thoughts: The typical pairing for Riesling is with spicy curry dishes, Chinese take out and other entrees which don't seem to fit any other wine. At 1% RS this is not a typical Riesling and combined with an almost Sauvignon Blanc like-backbone it is deserving of more upscale dining considerations than "take out". I think this wine would stand up very well with pasta dishes with butter or cream based sauces - particularly were seafood in the mix. Don't get me wrong: this is not a razor sharp Chardonnay. But it is balanced so nicely it would be a shame were not its full potential realized.
$15.99 at the winery. -
Review from Amanda B.
Falls Church, VA
Updated - 4/20/2009
The Husband and I visited this winery on Saturday afternoon so that we could pick up a few bottles of our favorite wine and also enjoy their beautiful view. Willowcroft was packed even though it was nearly closing time. I guess everyone had the same idea we did -- drink some great wine while enjoying the beautiful mountain views.
The gentleman in charge of our tasting was wonderful and made us feel like we were the only people there even though there were about four jillion other people milling around. After our tasting, we enjoyed some wine and a picnic out at one of their picnic tables. The views are to die for and Willowcroft remains in my top three wineries in VA!Listed in: VA Wineries
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/17/2008
I visited this winery as the last stop of the day on a winery tour with my family. This winery had… Read more »
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Review from Frank O.
Woodbridge, VA
1/9/2010 1 photo
Decent wines here. The tasting room is inside of a barn building, which is kind of cool. The white wines that jumped out at me were the Reisling, Traminette, and the Applause (made from apples). As for reds, the Cabernet Franc was pretty decent, as was the Petit Verdot.
My one complaint about our visit was the LOUD group next to us. The girl tasting with them was just talking and kind of getting them even more excited. They guy helping us made a comment to her but she ignored it and kept talking with the group and getting louder. Meanwhile two couples came in and left because although she was no longer serving them, she was too busy socializing with this loud, obnoxious group to notice the customers that were coming in. The guy helping us though was great and very conversational throughout the tasting. -
Review from Katie M.
Lansdowne, VA
2/20/2009
Cute place, but tough to get to. Muddy dirt road (but hey, it's VA and it's psuedo wine country), and muddy parking lot. Nice service. $5/tasting fee. (and remember, it's VA wine which means it's just ok). Seems like a great place and a good view for a springtime return visit.
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Review from John S.
Mount Airy, MD
8/1/2007
This is a wonderful family run winery that sits on the Catoctin Ridge with panoramic views of the Loudoun Valley. The tasting room and winery are located in an old barn. The tasting room is small and rustic, but wines are good and service very friendly. Bring a picnic, buy a bottle of wine and get a nice view through the trees of the valley below.
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Review from Holly S.
Arlington, VA
2/14/2011
BAIT AND SWITCH!!!!!
Horrible vineyard. I've encountered a vineyard or two in my day, and this was the worst I've experienced. On their website they touted a Valentine's Day "desert wine tasting paired with gourmet desserts" for $15/person. We made a reservation at 4:30, thinking we would have a nice tasting w/desserts & possibly our own little romantic table or some kind of special service (given the advertisement). There was no greeting when we walked in. Their "desert wine list" consisted of dessert wines like Korbel California champagne & nothing from their own vineyard. One item on the list, an icewine from Germany, had run out earlier in the day so the owner offered a 1996 wine from his cellar & another wine that was so old it had turned brown - says the barista. As the barista served the 1996 to us, she said "you're supposed to drink this wine within 3 years, but oh well". So not only did we sign up for a nice ICEWINE that was no longer offered, but were served a crappy, expired wine! The "gourmet desserts" were a pile of Harris Teeter-bought cookies placed at the end of the bar & open to all customers (literally - I inquired about their origins). How is that gourmet & why pay extra for it when I could buy a regular tasting for $5 & eat the desserts for free? Oh, and how could I forget the Lenny Kravitz blasting from the barista's iPod (GREAT ambiance!!)? To top it off, they had the audacity to charge us $30 for this joke of a tasting. We declined & unfortunately still overpaid @ $15. Only drive the hour out of DC to this vineyard for a good laugh. Buy a bottle of wine & some cookies at Harris Teeter and save yourself the disappointment. What a waste. -
Review from Dan C.
Leesburg, VA
12/16/2009
I've been here five or six times over the last two years and it's turning out to be one of my favorite vineyards in VA. The location is nice with a pleasant view, very contusive for having a couple glasses of wine and a snack while hanging out with a few friends.
I'm not a big wine fanatic, but I know what I like. I'm generally a Chardonnay drinker, but the Riesling here is terrific, and by far the best of their wines in my opinion. If you're only going to hit 4 or 5 vineyards in VA, this should be on your list. Bluemount, Fabbioli Cellars, and Tarara should also be considered. -
Review from David R.
Reston, VA
6/9/2009
The oldest winery in Loudoun County and one that's worth repeat visits. The wine is excellent, the view of the valley is one of the best in the state, and the whole place has rustic charm. I could do without the TV in the indoor picnic area (staff was watching a Harry Potter movie one time while I visited). And there are not enough tables inside--this is a winery for warm spring, summer and fall days. The road leading to this place is a little confusing. Don't wash your car before visiting. Flint is the winery tabby and he's very friendly.
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Review from Ana R.
Arlington, VA
10/8/2009
You will really like the Chardonnays here, and they offer two- oak and steel. I am a fan of both because my taste in wine really depends on the weather and the time of day. I wasn't terribly impressed (or at all impressed) with the other wine options but I did like the two cabernet offerings (cab sab and cab franc). The wines in between were too sweet and fruity for my taste, but if you prefer a sweeter, lighter wine, this is your spot.
Why three stars? Again, the wine wasn't fantastic, just A-Ok, as the star ratings go. I frankly didn't like the appearance/cleanliness of tasting room at all, the staff wasn't too attentive (and we were only one of two small groups there) and the bathroom was pretty gross. The outdoor atmosphere and picnic table scenery more than made up for it and you certainly got to taste a good variety of wines for the small tasting fee. Again, if you like the sweeter/lighter wine, you'd probably enjoy the wine more. -
Review from Blevins L.
Washington, DC
9/21/2010
This is a nice, low-key winery with very good wine. Friendly staff, nice tasting room located in an old barn, good scenery. I'll definitely be back.
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Review from Harmon P.
Leesburg, VA
6/17/2008
Great wines at Willowcroft, my favorite winery in Loudoun. The staff is extraodinarily nice and the wines are well priced in comparison with other wineries in the area. I've yet to find a winery where every wine I tried was a winner, but Willowcroft comes the closest, in my opinion.
