Wine Trail Traveler spent several days in the Virginia countryside near Front Royal. Front Royal is known as being near an entrance to the Shenandoah National Park and Skyline Drive. While we did not get to the park, we did have beautiful views of the mountains and valleys from the six wineries we visited. The weather was perfect for our trip and this was one of our trips where the sun was frequently shining. Grape buds were swollen and bud break would occur soon. Five of the six wineries were open to the public. Barrel Oaky Winery will be open in a few short weeks and we saw workers working quickly, steadily and efficiently in order to be ready for the opening on May 23. Barrel Oak has installed a geothermal energy system and used argon e glass as steps towards a green environment. This winery has taken into account the difficulties winemakers face in wineries. As Brian Roeder said, “Form follows function.” Other wineries we visited included Linden, Three Fox, Miracle Valley, Chester Gap, and Vintage Ridge. Each winery has a different story and a different appeal. Check back later for insight about these wineries.