One of Virginia’s oldest wineries, Grayhaven is located in Gum Springs, 40 minutes northwest of Richmond off of Interstate 64. The vineyard was founded in 1978 by Lyn and Chuck Peple with the help of their daughters Jane and Max, and remains remains family owned and operated. Grayhaven Winery was launched in 1994
Wine. Tier II. Grayhaven’s wines are different than those you will encounter in much of Virginia, with a two-fold focus on South Africa and on French hybrid grapes. Wines include Pinotage, Marechal Foch, Touriga, Petit Verdot, Port & Pommeau-style wines.
Setting. Grayhaven’s fifty-acre farm is nestled among rolling hills and surrounded by vineyards, horse pastures and forests. Small tasting rooms. A fire pit, another South African touch, will keep you warm outside in colder months. Cheese boards and salami are available to go with your tasting.
Stories. A Taste of South Africa. While some may be unfamiliar with it, South Africa’s wine history dates back all the way to 1659, when Dutch explorers set up a trading station near the Cape of Good Hope. South Africa’s climate and soils, especially near the Cape, have proven to be very welcoming to grapes. Quality production varied until the end of Apartheid in the 1990s, but since then South Africa has taken off as both a major wine destination and exporter. A distinctive feature of South African wine is its star red wine grape, Pinotage. Pinotage (a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault) can make great single-variety offerings as well as being a key component in Cape Blends. Grayhaven got its South African flair in 1998 when Deon Abrams, a native of Cape Town, South Africa, joined the family and the family business. Deon, general manager and one of Grayhaven’s winemakers, was responsible for introducing South Africa’s Pinotage grape into Grayhaven’s vineyards in 2001. One of only a handful of Pinotage growers in the United States, Grayhaven has continued to increase its Pinotage production to keep up with the demand. In 2017, Grayhaven began leasing a small vineyard block in South Africa help offset the production swings typical in Virginia. Today Grayhaven keeps expanding its South African flavor, hosting the South African and Wine Festival in September.