Rosemont of Virginia Winery
Rosemont of Virginia Winery is located in La Crosse, Mecklenburg County, along Lake Gaston and just north of the Virginia-North Carolina border, not far from Interstate 85. Stephen and Chandra Rose retired in 2003, after a three-decade career at Dow Chemical, to the 450-acre Rosemont Estate. Rosemont has been in the Rose Family since 1858. A large 22-acre vineyard was planted after their arrival in 2003, with the first wines produced in 2007.
Wine. One of Virginia’s Top 100 wineries. Rosemont’s Extra Brut Sparkling Rose was awarded a gold medal at the 2023 Virginia Governor’s Cup state-wide wine competition. Several Rosemont wines have been awarded silver medals at recent Governor’s Cup competitions. At the 2023 competition, their 2020 vintage Merlot, 2021 “Block A” (a blend of Petit Manseng and Chardonel), and Extra Brut Sparkling White were awarded silver medals; in 2022, the 2019 vintage Cabernet Franc and Kilravock (their Petit Verdot-led signature red blend) and 2020 Viognier received silver medals. At the 2022 Atlantic Seaboard Winery Association competition, four Rosemont wines were also awarded silver medals: the 2020 vintage Cabernet Franc and Extra Brut Sparkling White, and the 2021 Rosé and “Lineage” (a Chardonnel). Justin Rose, a member of one of the younger family generations and a 2004 graduate of the University of Virginia, is the winemaker. All of the wines here are estate grown, from a wide variety of grapes including Traminette, Pinot Grigio, Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, plus Rosemont’s several sweet and dessert wines, including Tartan, a port-style wine that has been fortified with brandy and infused with blueberry wine created from the blueberries grown on the Rosemont Farm. Annual production is about 4,500 cases.
Setting. One star. Historic manor estate, with expansive views over the vineyards and countryside. Beautiful grounds and lots of patio space and outdoor tables on sunny days. Snacks for sale. Close by to Lake Gaston’s recreational areas. Facility is used extensively for weddings and other events.
Stories. Bringing together wine and art. Rosemont has hosted, since 2008, the annual Virginia Wine & Art Festival. The event now hosts some 35 artists and exhibitors, including music, painting, pottery and other crafts. It is one of over 40 wine festivals now held throughout the state (though clearly there will be fewer in 2020 with coronavirus cancellations ongoing). These events are highly popular, as they expand the range of experience for the million-plus tourists who visit vineyards annually, and who come also to enjoy the Virginia outdoors. While in festivals such as this one at Rosemont, participants are largely passive in enjoying the art, other venues also offer wine lovers to participate actively in the art-making. “Paint-and-sip” classes have become a phenomenon across the United States, as well as in international cities such as London and Hong Kong. These are part of a growing trend, with people seeking to “experience,” and not just purchase or view. These type of class/events have spawned a number of chains, including Painting With a Twist, Bottle and Bottega, Pinot’s Palette, and Wine and Design. One class leader notes that participants Virginia Wine & Art Festival end to have not previously done much painting before taking a class, and that having a few sips of wine helped tame the “white canvas anxiety” that novice artists can feel. Others prefer just to paint wine bottles, or wine glasses, or vineyards. For the latter, Virginia’s countryside and wineries make as good material as they can find anywhere.