Cross Keys Vineyards
Located in Mt Crawford Virginia, near Interstate 81 exit 240 in the Shenandoah Valley. The winery is the creation of a pair of Iranians, Bob and Nikoo Bakhtiar. The vines were planted in 2002 and the winery opened in 2008. Winemaker Stephan Heys is from South Africa. The name Cross Keys comes from the nearby old community center and tavern, which tended to the wounded in the Civil War during fighting in the Valley.
Wine. One of the Top 100 wineries in Virginia. Cross Keys’ sparkling 2020 Blanc des Noirs and dessert Ali d’Oro wines were both awarded gold medals at the 2023 Virginia Governor’s Cup state-wide wine competition. The Ali d’Oro is a Traminette and Vidal Blanc. Six other Cross Keys wines were awarded silver wines at the event, and seven were awarded silver medals at the 2022 Governor’s Cup: in 2023, the 2019 vintage “XX” (a Tannat and Cabernet Sauvignon blend), 2021 Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, Joy White, Joy Red, and Fiore (a Chambourcin and Cabernet Franc blend); in 2022, the 2018 vintage Meritage, 2019 Blanc des Noirs, 2019 Petit Verdot and “XX”, 2020 Fiore and Viognier. The Pinot Noir based Blanc des Noirs was voted “Best of Show” at the 2022 Atlantic Seaboard Winery Association competition, and their 2020 Petit Verdot also was awarded a gold medal at the event. You can also have a tasting of sweet fruit wines here.
Setting. One star. An enormous estate sized for large wedding parties, and relative large plantings (33 acres) for the area, so not the place if you’re looking for small and cozy. Large outdoor seating area with excellent views of the surrounding mountains: the Alleghenies to the West and the Blue Ridge to the East. In particular the view of Massanutten Mountain, rising dramatically near the vineyard, is impressive. There is a bistro with an in-house Executive Chef for lunch or brunch to accompany the wines. Reviews of service are pretty mixed.
Stories. Massanutten Mountain. Massanutten Mountain is one of the most visible landmarks of the northern Shenandoah Valley, between the Blue Ridge and Alleghany mountain chains. It stretches from Strasburg to Harrisonburg, with a gap between its northern and southern reaches at New Market. Massanutten is a popular recreation destination, with many hiking trails and a large resort at the southern end. Cross Keys Vineyards is a twenty-minute drive south from Massanutten Resort. The Military Academy of the same name located in the town of Woodstock, Massanutten Military Academy, is one of Virginia’s better-known prep school.