Located in Afton, in Nelson County west of Charlottesville, the family-run vineyard at Cardinal Point was first planted by Paul and Ruth Gorman after Paul’s retirement from the Army in 1985. Son Tim Gorman took over as vineyard manager in 1989, and eventually – in 2002 – the winery was opened. Another son, John, designed the winery buildings, and a daughter and a daughter-in-law handle the business end and the tasting room.
Wine. One of the Top 50 wineries in Virginia. The flagship wine at Cardinal Point is their Clay Hill Cabernet Franc. The 2017 vintage was awarded a gold medal for at the 2020 state-wide Virginia Governor’s Cup competition, while subsequent vintages have been awarded silver medals at the Governor’s Cup, including the 2021 vintage at the 2023 Governor’s Cup. The 2019 vintage Clay Hill received a gold medal at the 2022 Monticello Cup wine competition. Their 2021 “Green” (a Petit Manseng and Chardonnay blend) was awarded a silver medal at the 2023 Governor’s Cup, while their 2019 “Union” (a Petit Verdot-led red blend), 2020 “A6” (a Viognier and Chardonnay blend) and “Frai Vidal” received silver medals at the 2022 Governor’s Cup. The Cardinal Point 2019 Chardonnay also received a silver medal at the 2022 Finger Lakes Wine Competition.
Setting. One star. The Afton area has some of the most spectacular views in the state, and Cardinal Point’s mountain views fit right in. Smaller and so more intimate than some other wineries in the Monticello AVA. Fresh cheeses available. Check out the annual oyster roast.
Stories. America’s Favorite Drive — The Blue Ridge Parkway. Mile 0 of the 469 mile-long Blue Ridge Parkway is in Afton, Virginia. There the Parkway begins its memorably-scenic way along the spine of the Blue Ridge Mountains to Cherokee, North Carolina, connecting Shenandoah National Park with the Great Smokies National Park. As the National Parks Service has it, “A Blue Ridge Parkway experience is unlike any other: a slow-paced and relaxing drive revealing stunning long-range vistas and close-up views of the rugged mountains and pastoral landscapes of the Appalachian Highlands”. Started in 1935 (and not fully completed until 1987), in most years the Blue Ridge Parkway is the single most-visited unit of the National Parks System. It was originally designated as the “Appalachian Scenic Highway.” The parkway is especially popular for drives in the Spring, when dogwoods and rhododendrons begin their show, and the Fall, when foliage colors the mountains, while campers crowd the area in the Summer.