HOLLER Guide
This Week·Monday, April 20, 2026

Two Wine Events to Book in Rappahannock This Spring

Quièvremont pours four Malbec vintages including a rare barrel taste, while Blue Rock hosts winemaker Brenae Royal for an intimate dinner on May 22nd

Spring Wine Season Is in Full Swing Near Washington, VA

If your idea of a perfect Rappahannock weekend involves a glass of something exceptional with a Blue Ridge view, the next few weeks are delivering. Two very different — but equally compelling — wine experiences are on the calendar right now, one at a boutique winery on the outskirts of Washington, VA, and one at the region's most celebrated farm-to-table dining destination.

Quièvremont Vineyard: Four Vintages of Virginia Malbec, Including a Barrel Taste

In honor of International Malbec Day, Quièvremont Vineyard & Winery on Gid Brown Hollow Road in Washington, VA has assembled something genuinely rare: a four-vintage vertical of their estate Malbec, available for tasting this weekend.

The lineup spans:

  • 2021 Library Malbec — a back-vintage release from the cellar
  • 2023 Malbec
  • 2024 Malbec
  • 2025 Malbec — barrel tasting of the yet-to-be-released vintage

That barrel taste is the headline: tasting an unreleased vintage straight from the barrel is an experience most wine lovers only encounter at small, producer-direct wineries — exactly the kind of thing that makes the Rappahannock wine trail worth exploring beyond the marquee names. All four vintages are also available for purchase online.

Quièvremont is known for its artisanal approach in the Blue Ridge foothills, and the winery has confirmed it's open for Easter weekend as well. Exact days and hours weren't specified in their most recent post — call or check their website before heading out to confirm availability during the vertical tasting window.

Planning Your Visit to Quièvremont

  • Address: 162 Gid Brown Hollow Rd, Washington, VA 22747
  • Phone: (540) 827-4579
  • Website: quievremont.com
  • Note: Hours for the Malbec vertical weekend not confirmed — contact venue directly

Blue Rock Restaurant: An Intimate Wine Dinner with Brenae Royal — May 22nd

Mark your calendar further ahead: on Friday, May 22nd at 6:00pm, Blue Rock Restaurant is hosting a four-course dinner in collaboration with Brenae Royal of Violets Paradise Wines.

Blue Rock — set on eighty acres along Lee Highway with views toward the Blue Ridge — describes the evening as "an intimate evening of wine, story, and seasonal cuisine." Each of the four courses will be thoughtfully paired with Royal's wines, with the menu designed to highlight the character and expression of every pour. Seating is limited, and reservations are being taken through Blue Rock's website now.

Brenae Royal has become one of the more compelling voices in American winemaking, and a collaboration dinner at a farm-to-table property like Blue Rock — where the kitchen's seasonal sourcing philosophy closely mirrors a winemaker's terroir-driven approach — is the kind of pairing that tends to sell out quietly and quickly.

Blue Rock is also hosting a Mother's Day brunch, featuring an à la carte menu with seasonal dishes, handcrafted pastries, and spring flavors — another option if May 22nd doesn't fit the calendar.

Planning Your Visit to Blue Rock

  • Address: 12567 Lee Hwy, Washington, VA 22747
  • Wine Dinner Date: Friday, May 22nd, 6:00pm
  • Seating: Limited — reserve in advance
  • Website: bluerockva.com
  • Phone: (540) 987-3388

Pair Either Visit with a Stay in Washington, VA

Both Quièvremont and Blue Rock are within a short drive of the village of Washington, VA — home to the three-Michelin-starred Inn at Little Washington and a walkable main street worth an afternoon. If you're coming from the DC metro area, the combination of a winery vertical on Saturday and a dinner reservation Friday or Sunday makes for a well-rounded wine weekend in the Blue Ridge foothills.

Event and tasting details are based on recent venue posts and may be subject to change. Confirm directly with each venue before visiting.

This article was generated from verified local data and reviewed by AI. Learn how we write these stories