With several American viticultural areas (AVAs) earning some serious recognition throughout Appalachia, it's not surprising that some of the best wines on the East Coast are coming from grapes grown along the spine of the Blue Ridge Mountains from Georgia north to Virginia. One boutique vineyard in northern Virginia, Lost Mountain Vineyards, is just over an hour's drive west of Washington, D.C. and its international airports. The vineyard is producing acclaimed wines — in November 2023, some of the bottles
were selling for $230 a piece.
Established as a wine estate in 2006, Lost Mountain has since garnered the attention of some of the wine world's most critical palates. Back in 2006, it was called RdV Vineyards (the initials of the estate's former owner and founder Rutger de Vink), but its name was changed to Lost Mountain after it was acquired by the Bouygues family. It's a valuable investment, too — Lost Mountain sits on 100 acres of fine Appalachian terroir and produces notable Bordeaux-style blends that are showing up in more and more of the finer restaurants in the nation's capital. The Bouygues family is the name behind the Eutopia Estates brand, which owns four French vineyards, a Cognac house, and a French truffle farm. Acquisition of de Vink's Virginia estate marks Eutopia's first overseas investment.
Read more: 15 Underrated Vineyards To Visit In California
The Name Changed, But The Winemaking Tradition Continues
Even as the name changed with new ownership, the esteemed winery is still offering its popular wine tastings at the estate just a five-minute drive north of Delaplane on Delaplane Grade Road. Reservations are required in advance, but once visitors arrive, they'll be treated to a tasting, an introduction to Lost Mountain's wine choices, and a tour of the beautiful property nestled up against the mountains. Guests will likely taste the vineyard's signature Bordeaux-style blend, Lost Mountain, which has been recognized as an American Grand Cru wine ("cru" is French term for a wine of excellent quality). In addition to the wine tasting and a tour of the estate and caves, guests will enjoy a seasonal food board that pairs with the wines they'll taste. Ideal for solo travelers or couples, this tasting experience at Lost Mountain is $120 per person at the time of writing, and the experience lasts about 90 minutes.
A more detailed experience, better suited for groups of up to six people, includes a seated wine tasting as well as a tour of the estate and its wine caves. This tour ranges in price from $140 to $175 per person, and it, too, lasts about 90 minutes. It's a great way to experience Lost Mountain's 20-year journey, from its beginnings with Rutger de Vink's dream to construct a grand Virginia wine estate to its current life as an award-winning vineyard. Lost Mountain is patterned after legendary estates of Europe and produces some of the best wines on the East Coast, and that's saying something. AVAs along the Appalachian spine are producing excellent wines, and they're offering visitors the chance to become wine tourists, too — just look at the wineries near Dahlonega hidden in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
A Visit To Lost Mountain Is Part Of The Blue Ridge Wine Experience
While Lost Mountain is likely the best-known vineyard in the Delaplane area, this region that's remarkably close to the manic political machinations inside the Beltway offers visitors the chance to concoct a more complete "wine trail" experience. There are several wineries worth touring around Delaplane, like Philip Carter Winery, Blue Valley Vineyard and Winery, Barrel Oak Winery and Brewery, and Crimson Lane Vineyards, all of which offer tastings and tours. Industrious groups with a designated driver could easily visit a handful of quality wineries that derive their vintages from this unique Virginia terroir.
For a more organized experience — and a tour that doesn't require one member of the group to abstain from the wine tasting — a curated wine tour starting in Delaplane is an excellent option. Monumental Tours offers customizable tours of the region's wineries, making for a safe and fun day on the road taking in some of the breathtaking scenery of the Blue Ridge Mountain foothills. This way, visitors to the area can get a taste of some of the best of Appalachia's wines and perhaps garner some inspiration to explore other fine wineries along the Blue Ridge, like the stunning Montaluce Winery & Restaurant in Georgia. A visit to Lost Mountain is an ideal introduction to this burgeoning wine region, and there are lots of great flavors to discover for the avid wine traveler. For more wine adventures, check out the most underrated wine regions in the U.S. that deserve more hype.
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