Located in Stanardsville, Greene County, northwest of Charlottesville, Autumn Hill requires a bit of advance planning if you want to visit. The winery is open for tastings four weekends each year: two in the spring and two in the fall. The Schwab family started the 13-acre vineyard in 1979. As of late 2019 it was for sale, with an asking price of $1.15 million.
Wine. Tier III. The vineyard grows seven varietals, including Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Nebbiolo. Chances are the wines will be different when you visit, assuming the owners are able to sell.
Setting. One star. A superb setting among the Blue Ridge.
Stories. Energy for Virginia – the Natural Gas Debate. A major incident occurred in Stanardsville on October 24, 1979, when a natural gas main ruptured, causing an explosion. The resulting fire destroyed the bell tower of the county courthouse and county office building. However, quick action by the firemen on the scene saved the county records which were secured in the vault. Natural gas pipeline explosions are rare incidents, but the rapid expansion of natural gas use in Virginia is coming under considerable pressure. With coal use declining for electricity production throughout the country, natural gas has surpassed coal to become the largest source of electricity in the country. This has been largely on the back of economics, as natural gas production in the country has surged, and prices fallen far. But in the past 2-3 years, falling prices of wind and solar power have made these even cheaper sources of energy, while climate change related concerns have been rapidly escalating as warming is progressing faster than anticipated. The big political battleground around energy in Virginia has now become whether to build long new pipelines to transport more natural gas from West Virginia to Virginia and the Washington DC area. As of late 2019, the multibillion-dollar Atlantic Coast Pipeline of Dominion Energy is in the middle of the debate, facing considerable “not in my backyard” opposition and looking to overturn lower court decisions blocking its right of way in different parts of its proposed route – including over the Appalachian Trail. Look for this debate to stay in the headlines for the next several years.