The dream come true winery is love\u2019s labor\u2019s found for Scott and Linda Culver. It began several years ago when Scott Culver decided to take up the hobby of home winemaking. He found a local winemaker who was willing to sell him juice.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne day I left the house with an empty five-gallon carboy and returned home several hours later with an oak barrel and 60 gallons of juice,\u201d said Culver. His first problem was the realization he had to remove a basement window to install the barrel in his nascent winery and then gravity siphon the juice into the barrel.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe wine turned out so well one thing led to another and I got the bug,\u201d said Culver.<\/p>\n
Let that be a warning to those interested in pursuing winemaking. The hobby can pop from mild interest to passion faster than a cork flying from a champagne bottle.<\/p>\n
But the hobby was a productive counterpoint to Culver\u2019s career. He had spent 20 years with the Fairfax County Police Department and went on to second careers as director of security for a large Virginia bank and then a law enforcement position with the Federal government.<\/p>\n
He is still employed full-time but anticipates \u201cretiring\u201d to work at the winery within three years. \u201cI always knew I would never retire and do nothing at all. I\u2019ve always had the bug to do something for myself,\u201d explains Culver.<\/p>\n
Since winemaking held its fascination, the idea of opening a commercial winery began to crystallize after working part-time for several years at a local winery. The winery owner became Culver\u2019s mentor and \u201cbecause of the enjoyment we had visiting other wineries, it triggered going commercial,\u201d said Culver.<\/p>\n
Today, the winery has evolved from a home basement operation to a stand-alone tasting room and cellar facility located behind the Culver\u2019s residence.<\/p>\n
The transition from his lengthy daily commute in Northern Virginia to a two-minute walk to the winery will further incentivize the vintner to move onto his next career.<\/p>\n
Winery & vineyard<\/strong> There are six wines on the tasting menu: Vidal Blanc, Chardonnay, Chambourcin, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and a semi-sweet Chambourcin dessert wine.<\/p>\n On the back side of the property a five acre vineyard is planted in seven varietals including a small block of Pinot Noir, a grape that is notoriously hard to grow in Virginia. Culver will likely make wine from the temperamental berry only for his family\u2019s personal use.<\/p>\n As is typical for a new winery, all the current wines have been produced off-site in the early going. The first estate bottling will be released soon. It\u2019s an undisclosed blend of three reds and will be called Tribute.<\/p>\n Total annual production is around 700 cases a year and the Culvers do not see their dream growing exponentially. \u201cI\u2019m happy in trying to create a very small, intimate boutique winery. I don\u2019t have any grandiose plans to compete with large wineries,\u201d said Culver.<\/p>\n Linda Culver mans the tasting room during the week when her husband is at work. The winery embodies one of her life long dreams. \u201cWhen we first got married I thought it would be a wonderful experience to work side by side with my husband. Now we are living that dream and it\u2019s much better than I though it would be.\u201d<\/p>\n
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The winery and tasting room is housed in a new attractive farmhouse styled building with an inviting front porch, emblematic of what might be found at the end of a winding road. The interior is all spacious polished pine that creates a relaxed feeling as one heads to the tasting bar in the back center of the room.<\/p>\n
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