The Winery at Bull Run
by
Kathy Sullivan
Summary: Visitors to The Winery at Bull Run will discover a lovely pairing of wines and Civil War history with memorabilia. The winery is located adjacent to the Manassas Battlefield Park making it an ideal spot to stop and visit. At the winery, wine and history enthusiasts can choose between a history tour and a winery tour. The Winery at Bull Run is one of the closest wineries to Washington, DC making it a great place for a day’s getaway.
We arrived at The Winery at Bull Run after traversing a long driveway, passing vineyards. Near the parking area we saw two large structures with the remnants of another building nearby. One structure was an 1800s barn-style building and the other winery building was built to resemble a dairy barn from the 1920s. The remnants of a building are now preserved and used for small special events.
We were given an enthusiastic and detailed history tour of the property by Dan McIntee, our guide. Dan is enthusiastic about wine and history. According to Dan, one of the major attractions at the winery are the large murals that paint pictures of scenes of the Civil War. He commented that this area was just about as close to Washington, DC that the Confederates came. Dan said that the first Battle of Bull Run lasted 10 hours and there were 8,000 casualties.
Outside of the winery, he walked us to a tasting area with a large, colorful mural where we tasted one wine while he pointed out several features of the mural. The mural was a painting of the First Battle of Manassas in 1861. On the day of our visit, it was chilly so we hurried on to see several buildings and remnants of buildings while Dan pointed out numerous intriguing facts about the Civil War. At one spot a log cabin was built and chinked with dry mud. Dan noted that this was the type of shelter common for the Confederate soldiers. He commented that this solid structure actually was detrimental to the soldiers whereas the Union soldiers in canvas tents were better off.
Next we walked to an area where Hillwood Mansion’s large house had once proudly stood. In 1990 a fire destroyed the house and today a platform across the cellar offers a special event spot where wedding ceremonies can take place.
Bull Run Vineyards and Winery
The property consists of 225 acres. Nine acres are planted with the Norton grape variety. Current production of wine is 12,500 cases.
Near the winery and overlooking Norton vineyards, a large area with many wood picnic tables is available for visitors. Visitors are allowed to bring food with the qualification “no coolers.”
Soon it was time to return to the large tasting room, where a fireplace was providing warmth near an area of tables and chairs. The tasting room also has a long copper tasting counter and behind the tasting counter is aother large mural depicting a scene of another time showing horses, carts and wagons. The room also offers displays of numerous memorabilia from the Civil War times.
The Winery at Bull Run Wines
Lilly’s Viognier 2016 was a light yellow color. The wine offered apple and floral aromas. The taste included floral, apple and pear notes. The finish was crisp with just a hint of vanilla. The wine was named for one of the owners’ children.
Delaney 2016 was a blend of Riesling, Vidal Blanc, Traminette, Petit Manseng and Viognier. The wine had 1% residual sugar. It was a light yellow color. The wine was full-bodied with some sweetness. There was a long finish. The wine was also named for one of the owners' children.
Chardonnay 2016 was aged in American oak barrel for nine months. The wine was a yellow color with a gold hue. The aroma reminded one of caramel and apple. The taste, also reminiscent of caramel, had butterscotch and apple notes. The wine had a smooth mouthfeel. The finish was crisp with notes of oak and fruit.
Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 was aged in American oak. The wine was an almost opaque dark ruby color. The aroma was comprised of black fruits. The taste included notes of cassis, blackberries and leather. The wine was full-bodied and had bold tannins. There was fruit yielding to oak influences on the finish.
Meritage 2016 was a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. This wine was aged in American oak for 10 months. The color was a translucent ruby. The wine offered an aroma of black fruit with a taste of blackberries, blueberries and leather. The wine wasmedium-bodied and had medium tannins. The fruity finish yielded to spices.
Petit Verdot 2015 was an opaque ruby color. The aroma embraced black fruits. The taste included notes of blackberries, blueberries and black plums. This full-bodied wine had bold tannins. The fruity finish yielded to spices.
The tasting room has several display cases with Civil War regalia. One of the displayed artifacts is the 4th Virginia Calvary flag. Instead of surrendering to the Union soldiers, Captain Lucien Alexander Davis saved the battle flag.
With its emphasis on history and wine, The Winery at Bull Run is a special winery to visit. When planning your visit include plenty of time to enjoy the atmosphere, history and wine.
The Winery at Bull Run
15950 Lee Highway
Centreville, Virginia 20120
Article written March 2018
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