Barren Ridge Vineyards
Located in Fisherville, just East of Staunton in the Shenandoah Valley. The winery was established by John and Shelby Higgs on an old family-owned apple orchard. Star Virginia winemaker Michael Shaps acts as a wine consultant for Barren Ridge.
Wine. One of the top 50 wineries in Virginia. Barren Ridge’s 2019 Meritage was awarded gold medals at both the 2025 and 2024 annual state-wide Virginia Governor’s Cup competition, with their 2021 Cabernet Franc also being awarded a gold medal at the 2024 event. Three of the winery’s offerings received silver medals at the 2025 competition: their 2022 Touriga (a Portuguese grape varietal), 2023 Riesling and “Christof” (a Viognier and Vidal Blanc white blend). The Barren Ridge 2019 vintage Petit Verdot was named as one of the top 12 wines in Virginia (“the Governor’s Case”) at the 2023 Governor’s Cup. The winery produces other blends and a port-style wine. Some of the wines are from grapes sourced from other Virginia vineyards.
Setting. One star. As with most of the Shenandoah Valley, the views from the winery are wonderful; as the name indicates, the winery sits on a ridge. Seating on the patio gives you the best views. Barren Ridge’s approach to the winery is one of relaxation and being tranquil. The exception would be when Barren Ridge hosts a Swedish Fire Festival in winter, or if weddings are ongoing.
Stories. One star. The Frontier Culture Museum of Virginia. A top attraction of the Shenandoah Valley for visitors and historians is the Frontier Culture Museum of Virginia in Staunton. The museum is made up of reproduced buildings and tells the story of the people who migrated from the Old World to start new lives in the Shenandoah Valley. The museum’s exhibits, from both the Old and New World, continue to expand. Here you can visit reproductions of a German farm, an Irish forge, and a West African village, along with an early American Schoolhouse, a pre-contact Woodlands culture village, and settlers’ farms from the mid-18th century to the late 19th century. It’s a great way to get a more personal feel for the people who came to put their roots down in this part of Virginia.