Last Updated on January 6, 2023 by Maggie McKneely
Looking for the best wineries near Shenandoah National Park? Every place on this list is within miles of the park, offers amazing views, and, of course, fantastic wine.
Best Wineries Near Shenandoah National Park
Do you like a little wine with your hiking excursions? Goodness knows I do. After a long day of trekking through the woods, there’s no better reward than sitting out on a patio with your favorite glass of vino.
If you’re a fellow wine-loving hiker, the area surrounding Shenandoah National Park is the perfect place to go on a road trip from DC. The park itself has over 200,000 acres of wilderness and 500 miles of hiking trails to keep all of us mountain climbers happy. And for that post-hike treat, just outside the park are some of Virginia’s best wineries.
But not all wineries are created equal. Fortunately for you, I drink a lot of wine and spend a lot of time at wineries, so I can tell you which ones to check out and which ones to skip. If you’re spending a day in the park, here are my favorite wineries that you should visit.
Best Wineries Near Shenandoah National Park
DuCard Vineyards
Of all the wineries on this list, DuCard is the one I go to most often. One reason for that is DuCard is just a few minutes from both Old Rag and the lower parking lot for White Oak Canyon, two of my favorite hikes in Shenandoah National Park. The winery and its vineyards are tucked into an idyllic hollow at the base of the mountains. It’s one of the most serene wineries near Shenandoah National Park, and in a place full of scenery, that’s saying something.
But DuCard also has a spate of award-winning wines made entirely from their own grapevines. For something crisp and refreshing, try their Viognier, ranked one of the best in the state. If you’re a red drinker, I highly recommend the Petite Verdot!
Tasting Room Info:
- Address: 40 Gibson Hollow Ln, Etlan, VA 22719
- Hours: Fri-Sun 11 AM-6 PM
- Tasting prices: $10 per person
View from DuCard Vineyards
Little Washington Winery
Little Washington Winery was named the best winery overall in Virginia in 2020, winemaker Carl Henrickson was named Best Winemaker in Virginia for 2020, AND their Meritage blend “George” (named for everyone’s favorite Virginian, George Washington), was recently rated the #1 red wine in the state. And yet, this small, boutique winery remains a hidden gem.
Located in the town of Little Washington, this winery is very unusual in that their tastings showcase wines from around the world, rather than just those from their own vineyards. They know their own wines rock, but they don’t mind showing off what the rest of the world has to offer. Little Washington Winery offers a cool opportunity to compare Virginia wines to other international varieties.
The parking lot has no room for tour buses and the tasting room is too small for crowds, so you’re guaranteed an intimate tasting experience here. And, if you’re not sold yet, the view of the Blue Ridge Mountains from their deck is superb. This is definitely one of the best wineries near Shenandoah National Park.
Tasting Room Info:
- Address: 72 Christmas Tree Ln, Washington, VA 22747
- Hours: Thurs-Mon 11 AM-5 PM
- Tasting prices: Currently unavailable due to COVID, bottle sales only
Little Washington Winery
Narmada Winery
Narmada Winery is one of Virginia’s wineries with an international twist, along with being one of the best wineries near Shenandoah National Park. Narmada is just 30 minutes from the park’s Thornton Gap entrance, perfect for those looking for a post-hike treat!
When Pandit and Sudha Patil arrived in Virginia from Mumbai, India 40 years ago, they dreamed of one day having their own vineyard. In 2009, Narmada opened its doors, and their dream became a reality. While they don’t produce “Indian wine,” they do use their knowledge of complex spices from their childhood in India to bring out notes and flavors from the grapes that other wineries may overlook. They also serve several Indian dishes in the tasting room that pair well with their wines.
Fun fact: the very first white wine I ever liked was Narmada’s “Mom,” a delightful Vidal Blanc that happens to be their most popular and award-winning wine. But none of the wines here fall flat, thanks to Sudha’s close attention to flavors. For an unusual spin on Virginia wine-making, be sure to check out Narmada.
Visitor Info:
- Address:43 Narmada Ln, Amissville, VA 20106
- Hours: Thurs-Mon 11 AM-6 PM
- Tasting prices: A tasting of 6 wines is $10 per person or 16 wines for $30
Narmada Winery
Chester Gap Cellars
It was love at first sight my first time to Chester Gap Cellars. The tasting room is perched on a mountainside with unparalleled views of the valley near Front Royal, VA, just minutes from Shenandoah’s northern entrance.
The winery is tiny; they focus on producing a very small quantity of high-quality wines, and their dedication to that mission pays off. From their subtly sweet but refreshing Petit Manseng to rich and complex Vintner’s Red, everyone’s taste buds will find something to satisfy them at Chester Gap. And because the winery is so small and relatively unknown, you’re almost guaranteed to have the place to yourself, and your pick of patio seats to take in the spectacular views.
Visitor Info:
- Address: 4615 Remount Rd, Front Royal, VA 22630
- Hours: Fri-Sun 11 AM-6 PM
- Tasting prices: $10 per person
The view from Chester Gap Cellars
Early Mountain
Early Mountain is one of Virginia’s most renowned wineries and is conveniently located just 30 minutes from Shenandoah’s Swift Run Gap entrance.
The winery itself is stunning. Enjoy your sips inside the rustic-chic tasting room, voted #1 tasting room in the US in 2016 by USA Today. With its elegant wooden chandeliers, plush lounge chairs, and roaring central fireplace, you won’t want to leave. But if you want to keep enjoying the great outdoors after a day of hiking, you can sit out on the stone-tiled patio and take in the gorgeous Virginia countryside and nearby mountain ridges.
But location isn’t all that Early Mountain has to offer – they also have a wide range of award-winning wines made from their 55 acres of vineyards.
Early Mountain isn’t a hidden gem, and you will definitely have company when you visit here. But it’s worth it because it’s one of the best wineries near Shenandoah National Park!
Visitor Info:
- Address: 6109 Wolftown-Hood Rd, Madison, VA 22727
- Hours: Fri-Sat: 11 AM-7 PM, Sun: 11 AM-5 PM
- Tasting prices: Instead of traditional tastings, Early Mountain offers flights for $20 a person
Early Mountain’s tasting room
For more on Virginia wineries, be sure to check out my other suggestions here.
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My favorite hikes are the ones that involve wine 😉 This list is getting me excited for a day trip!
I’ve got to get this in my schedule!
Great post, I have never been to the Shenandoah National Park but I’d love to visit. Your pictures are beautiful.
I live near Shenendoah but have never been! Thanks for the info!
We have been talking about going hiking in that area one day. Thanks for the great tips!
I love that Little Washington Winery showcases wines from around the world as well as their own! I’m going to have to visit Shenandoah National Park someday soon, and tack on a visit to a few of these wineries as well!
This is awesome! I went to college at JMU, which is in that area and the wineries were amazing. Two other great wineries are Cross Key Vineyards and Bluestone Vineyards. 🙂
Those are both great! CrossKeys has a gorgeous setting.
These sound amazing! Can’t wait to visit!
Oh I love wine! I grew up in Austria where we have lots of wine so these wineries would be perfect for me!
This is a great post! Winery planning (unless you’re really networked in the vineyard world) is sooooooo overwhelming. Whenever I visit vineyards with anyone, they are always so shocked at how early wineries close… so thanks for the open/close times!
I need to add this to my wine country bucket list!
I’ve only been hiking up there, and now understand that I was completely missing out on all of these terrific wine times! Sounds like a return is in order. Great post!
So, though I live in New Orleans, my entire family lives in Northern Virginia and one of my cousins lives out in a place called Purcellville. I went out to visit her and was totally blown away to see all the wineries in her area. She told me that a lot of the grapes grown in California came from vines of Virginia which shocked me too! I love all these other wineries you found near Shenandoah National Park too! I might have to take a side trip to Little Washington with Darcee the next time we go up to “See Family!” haha!
Loudoun County (where Purcellville is) actually has the highest number of wineries of any county in the state! I went to school there (such a small world)!! Definitely hit up Little Washington next time, it’s so great
So I’m not a wine lover, but I have to go to these wineries just for the views on Shenandoah National Park and the Blue Ridge Mountains. I can look at those views for hours.
I think we are kindred spirits Maggie: I love calling by a winery after a day’s hiking! Some great recommendations here. I think I would go for the smaller, more intimate wineries and definitely like the sound of Little Washington and Chester Gap – although when I see the picture of Early Mountain’s tasting room I think I would have to go there too. Actually, I would visit all! I need to return to Shenandoah. The weather was awful when we were there and I don’t think we saw it at its best.
The views at these wineries are phenomenal. I had no idea there were wineries in this part of the country. I think I would have enjoyed Chester Gap the most and would for sure get a bottle of Petit Manseng.
I honestly did not know that this part of the US was wine country! I guess it makes sense given that the scenery here looks similar to the wineries I’ve been to in California and elsewhere. Also, that’s very cool that many of the wineries here have that international twist you mentioned! I had to pop on over to your other post talking more about that to learn more, and it’s so lucky that visitors here get to try so much variety in one place without paying a fortune for imported bottles!
Oooh whilst I’m not a big wine fan, I absolutely appreciate a good winery in a stunning location! I’d visit all of these just to see these views ?
I love this post as I’m a wine loving hiker too! I had no idea there were wineries in Virginia. I’d love to try that Petite Verdot!
Living in Washington State I’m a huge lover of wine, so wine tasting is always on my travel list. I know very little about Virginia wineries and this guide is very helpful. Early Mountain certainly looks like quite impressive, but I think I’d like to start with your favorite DuCard.
Thanks for the profile of DuCard. We are now open seven days a week so you can drop by on a weekday after a relaxing hike at White Oak Canyon or Old Rag – both just around the corner. Relax, celebrate, toast yourselves while looking out over vines and mountain stream and the border of SNP just out the back lawn.
What a great collection of wineries! I love the look of Early Morning. I live in the wine country of Ontario and love how everyone is different and unique in its own way. The flight tasting prices look pretty on par as well. Looks like a lot of fun!
Who doesn’t love a great wine tour!? Awesome!
I haven’t been in Shenandoah national park yet, but it looks amazing. Hope I’ll get to visit soon!
This is embarassing as I live in North Carolina – but I didn’t realize Shenandoah was a National Park until about a week ago! My parents and I were discussing a trip there, and that’s when I figured it out. This is a wonderful resource!
I absolutely love finding new wineries in beautiful places. These places look gorgeous, and now I need to go ASAP!
This is so cool! We don’t wineries like these where I come from and I’d love to be able to complete a good hike to a stop like this!
Ah, I’ve been to two of these so it looks like I need to check the other 3 off my list!! They’re all so beautiful!