Oakencroft Farm & Winery

Happy Friday! ☀️ Grab a friend (or a few!) and kick off the weekend with a refreshing glass of wine on the patio!

Join us for a little bit of Sunday afternoon sippin'! 🥂 We're open 11-5 every Saturday and Sunday this summer.

We're closed on the 4th of July. 🎆 We hope you get some time in the sun with your friends and family tomorrow, and we'll see you for regular hours on Friday the 5th!

Photo by Cramer Photo

We loved hosting Black Women Who Wine last weekend! Thanks for the visit!

Looking for a space to host your next business retreat, board meeting, or the like? The Meeting Center at Oakencroft is 10 minutes from the heart of Charlottesville and offers amenities, including a fully equipped meeting room, break-out spaces, private indoor and outdoor gathering areas, and an on-site catering team. Not to mention, it's right next door to our winery–we don't think your team will complain. 😉

Inquire online about our availability or request a tour! https://oakencroftfarm.com/center/

Say hello to our 2023 Vintage Sparkling Rosé! 🤩 We are absolutely thrilled with the results of this one–2023 was an unusually dry year for the region and produced a great harvest. Don’t let the deep hue of our Chambourcin grapes fool you! This wine is lively, delicate, and really hits the spot on a warm Virginia day.

We can’t wait to welcome you to Oakencroft Farm & Winery tomorrow ! So excited for those that have not experienced it to do so.

Meet Dorothy Batten, Oakencroft's owner! Dorothy's passion for conservation and wildlife is what spearheaded this newest iteration of Oakencroft, which she purchased in 2018. We feel lucky to have the opportunity to work with such a kind and gentle soul on becoming a working model of carbon sink and sustainable farm/vineyard.

Raised on the water in Norfolk, Virginia, Dorothy developed a deep love for nature at a young age. A passionate traveler, she became involved in conservation and philanthropy as a result of the environmental destruction she saw during her travels. Dorothy spent many of her childhood summers visiting Oakencroft and purchased the property in 2018. Her goal is to protect the land from development, replant an abundance of trees, enrich the land and soil, and support more biodiversity of plants, birds, and wildlife.

Get to know Dorothy through some Q&As below! ⬇️

Q: What is your favorite thing about Oakencroft?
A: “I particularly love waking up to the ‘symphony’ of what seems like hundreds of birds singing, the turkeys calling back and forth to each other, and the abundance of wildlife wandering the land (including foxes, bobcats, and bears).”

Q: Favorite Oakencroft wine?
A: “I love our White Wine because of the magic that happens when our crisp, dry, bright Seyval Blanc grapes are blended with the smooth, buttery flavor of our Vidal grapes.”

Q: What’s something people should know about Oakencroft?
A: “Our number one priority is to become one of the most innovative and healthy vineyards and farming operations in Virginia. We will continue to work diligently at establishing the most nutrient-rich soils and biodiverse habitats in order to provide the best conditions for all plants, animals, and species on the property to thrive.”

Q: How do you like to spend your free time?
A: “Because of an accident that shattered one of my legs many years ago, I cannot do any of the many sports that I used to love doing. But my favorite things to do now are go on walks with my dogs (especially in the woods), travel, read books, and do the renovation/design of buildings. I have recently become more interested in gardening.”

Q: Can you give us two truths and one lie?
A: “1. I have jumped out of airplanes 3 times.
2. I can hear the low-frequency ‘infrasound’ vibrations (which are below the range of human hearing) that elephants use for long-range communication between herds.
3. I love Beets.”

We're excited to share that we're officially opening on SUNDAYS! 🥂 Beginning June 23rd, we'll be open every Sunday from 11 am to 5 pm!

We're also updating our Saturday hours to match, so instead of opening at noon, we'll open at 11. New Saturday hours will take effect on June 22nd.

We're hoping our new, expanded schedule will give more of you the chance to experience Oakencroft! Hope to see you soon!

Last month, we had the opportunity to sponsor Culinary Concepts AB's Skills Compilation Dinner, which celebrated their students' hard work in the Go Cook program! 🍽️

Go Cook is a 5-week cooking program that prepares chefs for culinary careers. Not only do the students learn the specific skills needed in a kitchen for efficiency, safety, and exceptional food, but they also learn many of the soft skills applicable in any job setting—public speaking, teamwork, problem-solving, and executive functioning. This is a workforce development program that shines in our community!

Thank you Kori Price Photography for the beautiful photos! 📷

Looking for an elevated wine and food experience? Our seasonally curated menu is packed with delicious small plates that pair perfectly with a glass of wine and a good friend. 🤍

Featured: our Charcuterie Board, Seasonal Flatbread, and Spread the Love.

If you've been to our tasting room, you may have noticed the large building off to the side and wondered about its purpose. Allow us to properly introduce our Meeting Center! 🤝

The Meeting Center is designed for retreats, small conferences, board meetings, educational events, and more. We re-designed and converted the original Oakencroft tasting room using sustainable materials throughout, including white pine ceilings and an Accoya wood exterior. It features many different rooms, including the Lobby, a "Conversation Corner", a Conference Room, a Common Room, a kitchen, and a private courtyard with a beautiful water feature. And it's just steps from our world-class Tasting Room.

If you or someone you know is looking for a unique and private meeting space, we are accepting bookings for summer and fall events!

You can learn more at The Center https://ecs.page.link/vVz1R or on our LinkedIn page: https://ecs.page.link/5KfcJ

Photography by Cramer Photo

Happy ! This year, the theme of this UN observance is Land Restoration, Desertification, and Drought Resilience; which just so happens to be some of our favorite things to talk about at Oakencroft.

To restore our land, we're working with on converting a two-acre section of the farm back into a native Pine Savannah. This endeavor re-colonizes the area with native grasses, shrubs, and trees to support the hyper-local flora and fauna of our area within the Piedmont. In closely managing a prescribed burn, we were able to begin this long-term restoration project that will serve as a natural home to many of the species found on our farm.

Looking for more information on World Environment Day? Check out this downloadable PDF with resources and suggestions on how businesses, communities, and other organizations can put sustainability into action:

https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/45440/practical_guide_WED_2024.pdf?sequence=3&isAllowed=y

Hey friends! 👋 We're excited to be on the Best of C-VILLE ballot for the first time this year, and we would be honored if you would consider voting for us in the Best Small Winery category!

Since we officially opened to the public in May of last year, people are still learning that we're here (and so close to the city). Winning would help put us on Charlottesville's radar and, in turn, bring more people to the farm and get them involved with our mission.

The polls are officially open as of today, June 1st, and voting takes place through June 30th. You can vote for us here: https://ecs.page.link/NCvMC. 💚 Thank you!!

An old photo of one of our oldest vines on the farm, Chambourcin–also one of the oldest plantings of its kind in the state of Virginia! This French-American hybrid is ideal for vineyards in humid climates because of its resistance to mildew diseases. The grapes from these vines are still being used in our wine today, primarily in our Red Table Wine and Dessert Wine!

Meet Phil, our Winemaker & Vineyard Manager Emeritus! Phil is a legend of a guy who has been with Oakencroft for more than four decades since he tended Felicia Rogan's vineyards in the 80s. We feel so lucky that he stuck around and is part of our team today, lending his wisdom and experience to all of us!

Cheers to all the new grads today! 🍾🎓 Wishing you a weekend full of celebration and all the luck as you embark on your next chapter!

Photo by Cramer Photo

For the spring season, we've brought in a couple of low-alcohol outside wines that make for lighter, easier drinking!

This Ankida Ridge Vineyards Verday is light, bright, and refreshingly "green". Ankida Ridge is located at 1,800 ft on the side of the Blue Ridge mountains in Amherst. We like serving their wine in our tasting room because of their shared commitment to sustainability,

While the Weingut Herman Ludes Hermann Riesling is mouthwateringly fresh and zesty. Located in Thörnich, Germany, the H. Ludes winery is a family affair currently operated by Julian Ludes, the grandson of its founder, Hermann. The vineyard is fully organic and located on steep slopes with rocky soil, where everything is done by hand.

Grab a pal and join us for this month's Third Thursday! We're open late from 5-8 pm for a few hours of evening walk-up service. See you then! 👋

Calling all farm and vineyard managers or anyone interested in nurturing healthy plants! 🌱 Join us in our Meeting Center to discuss the important role that microbiology plays in supporting soil and plant health. Then, we'll go to the vineyard to dig a soil pit to see what this looks like in practice and discuss any questions that may arise.

📍 The Meeting Center at Oakencroft
📆 Friday, May 17th, 9 am - 12:30 pm
🎟️ $25 a person

https://ecs.page.link/VCm8Q

There's still time to book your graduation party at Oakencroft! 🎓 If you have family in town next weekend to celebrate you or your new grad, give them a taste of Charlottesville wine and scenery without having to go far outside the city!

On May 17 & 18, we're offering a unique reservation package for groups of up to 25 people. Multiple two-hour time blocks are available and booking now!

Learn more and inquire about our availability and pricing by emailing [email protected]. 📧

May events at Oakencroft 📆

💐 Mother's Day Weekend: Join us on Saturday, May 11th, for a pottery pop-up by Pepper Stone Ceramics and a Bloom Bar (make-your-own bouquet) by Leap Frog Flower Farm. If you participated in the Mother's Day Minis shoot with Cramer Photo, your framed family photo will be available for pickup!

🍷 Third Thursday: Open until 8 pm, offering walk-up service.

🌱 Soil & Plant Health Seminar: Join us at our Meeting Center to discuss the important role that microbiology plays in supporting soil and plant health. This seminar is perfect for vineyard and farm managers and anyone who wants to nurture healthy plants! $25 per ticket.

Hey moms! 💐Join us the day before Mother's Day for some well-deserved wine and quality time with your gal pals! Anna from Pepper Stone Ceramics will have the cutest pottery for sale, and Liz with Leap Frog Flower Farm will be setting up the Bloom Bar, where you can build your own bouquet! Call up your girlfriends or bring the whole family on Saturday, May 11, from 12-5 pm!

Also, if you participated in the Mother's Day Minis shoot with Cramer Photo, your framed family photo will be available that day for pickup! 📸 Please note that we are closed on Sunday, May 12.

We'll be closed this weekend (May 2-5) for a private event! We appreciate your patience and can't wait to see you all the following weekend once we're back to regular hours of operation, starting May 9th. 🍷 Cheers!

Please welcome a new outside wine addition to our spring lineup! We chose the Ribera De Los Naranjos by Finca Míllara for their Heroic Viticulture, a process that requires the vineyard team (and the vines themselves) to give a "heroic," resilient effort in order to produce these high-quality, unique grapes.

Located in the Ribeira Sacra region in southwestern Spain, the Finca Míllara estate contains a rich history in a dramatic setting. These vines are situated on the steep slopes of the Minho River on terraced vineyards that require the grapes to be entirely hand harvested.

The Ribera De Los Naranjos itself is produced from grapes grown at the estate's lowest elevation, 650 ft above sea level. This wine is noted for it's dense fruit and chalky tannins.

85% Mencia, 10% Tempranillo, 5% Garnacha

We love when our guests bring their pups along! Our patio is dog-friendly and has plenty of nearby grass that's perfect for rolling in–we think your pup would agree. 🐶

Silvopasture is the process of planting trees into existing pastures to provide shelter and food for livestock while creating an opportunity for future crops or timber. The practice is proven in its capacity to rebuild the local ecosystem, capture carbon, and diversify flora and fauna. As the trees grow and the canopy develops, the surrounding environment reaps a long list of benefits, including:

🌳 More moisture in our soils
🌳 More carbon stored above and below the soil surface
🌳 Wildlife is supported through the food and shelter that the trees provide
🌳 Soil ecosystem health improves due to the development of fungal networks

Since the new inception of Oakencroft, we've planted 3000 trees around the farm! Our goal is to continue utilizing silvopasture to create a healthy ecosystem and focus on priming our soil for successional tree species.

At Oakencroft, our commitment to sustainability starts at the foundation. When working with Sutphin Architecture, PLLC to construct the new Tasting Room and the Meeting Center, every choice was made with sustainability and conservation in mind. We have made seemingly small choices all over the property that lead to a long-lasting, sustainable impact!

♻️ Geothermal wells power our heating and AC, which reduces our carbon footprint.
💧 All our toilets on the property are flushed using rainwater we collect in runnels and store in our galvanized steel water tank (spot it on the patio next time you're around!)
☀️ Our entire farm is solar-powered.

Each time you visit the Tasting Room or the Meeting Center, you use renewable energy and participate in sustainable practices!



📷Photography by Cramer Photo, Ansel Olson Photography and Design and Bill Mauzy Photography