I

t’s easy to miss the driveway to Sunset Hills

off of Berlin Pike near Purcellville, VA, but once on the grounds, it’s hard to miss the outstanding qualities of this winery. Te architectural centerpiece is a lovingly restored barn from the 1870’s—the building has recovered its glory with the help of local Amish carpenters. Te barn, which now serves as tasting room, cellar, and production facility, overlooks the vineyards, offering panoramic views of the Virginia landscape. From the barn, the vineyards span the rolling fields into the distance, and people dot the landscape, enjoying picnics and wine. Inside this grand setting, a host of award- winning wines await savoring.

To give you a first taste, let’s start with

just one of the wines at Sunset Hills that is preforming admirably—their Cabernet Franc. A foodie friend once said to me that you have to have a certain fortitude to drink Cabernet Franc. Virginia is producing a new abundance of this particular wine and Virginians are gaining sophistication when it comes to drinking it. When asked about the state garnering such a strong reputation for wine production, Nate Walsh of Sunset said “Virginia is producing a lot of Cab Franc because Cab Franc likes Virginia. It performs well in the vineyard and tends to produce nice, fruity, spicy, interesting wines. Tere are some really great Cab Francs in Virginia.”

I often opine that most great art

is about relationships, the source of our joy and pleasure, our hurts and conflicts. When you are in a great relationship, you hopefully recognize and nourish it. Te folks at Sunset Hills are all about relationship and have cultivated strong local ties in order to build a beautiful and flourishing winery. After working with the Amish community to recreate their historic barn, owners Mike and Diane Canney tapped artisan, Nate Walsh, to run the winemaking operations and then an artist, Alex Carr, to design and paint the distinctive labels for each bottle. Tey connected closely with local Amish cheese makers and bakers. Together, this group is growing a creative hotspot for area wine tasters.

Virginia wineries are fast becoming the talk of the wine world—award winners,

Click HERE to get more information about ho private events at Sunse