Sunset Hills Vineyard
Sunset Hills is tucked away off of County road 287 in Purcellville, in northwest Loudoun County. Created by Mike (an entrepreneur who sold a tech company) and Diane Canney (from an “intelligence” career). In June 2022, the Canneys sold both Sunset Hills and 50 West wineries to Chris and Katie Key. Chris is a native of Loudoun County, and met Katie at a California wine tasting; he created and sold three cybersecurity companies, while Katie is in public relations. The winery also owns two satellite vineyards in the Shenandoah Valley, and 100% of its grapes are from Virginia.
Wine. One of Virginia’s Top 100 wineries, and one of Northern Virginia’s Top 40 wineries. Sunset Hills was awarded a silver medal for their Chardonnay at the 2025 Virginia state-wide Governor’s Cup wine tasting competition, a much quieter event for the winery than the 2024 event. At the 2024 Governor’s Cup, Sunset Hills came away with three gold medals — one of the best showings for a northern Virginia winery, for their 2021 Mosaic, and their 2022 Viognier and Chardonnay. Their 2020 Sunset White, 2021 Cabernet Franc, and 2022 Petit Manseng were awarded silver medals at the 2024 event. The wineries’ entries to the Best of Loudoun 2024 competition were less well received: their 2023 Chardonnay and 2022 Sunset Hills Reserve settled for bronze medals. The winemaker is a 2011 UVA graduate, Corry Craighill, who also plays cello and runs.
Setting: Three stars. Panoramic views from a 140-year old Amish farmhouse. Voted “most romantic Virginia winery” in 2012. From another review: “Time your trip to catch the sunset at your next stop, Sunset Hills Vineyard. Housed in an 8,000 square- foot Amish-restored barn, Sunset Hills’ tasting room is warm and elegant, featuring a stunning 35’ beamed ceiling and massive mahogany tasting bar. Two large decks provide panoramic views overlooking vineyards and sunset views.” Food gets good reviews.
Stories: Virginia History — End of the line. The train station of nearby Purcellville, 3-4 miles south of the winery, marks the end of a Northern Virginia trail used by millions – the W&OD. Bikers, hikers and more use some part of this 45-mile trail every day, as it runs through the most densely populated part of the state. Sometimes called “the skinniest park in Virginia,” the W&OD trail runs along the bed of what was for decades the Washington & Old Dominion railroad. The train line originally ran a little further West, to Bluemont, but in its last years, after World War II, service ended here at Purcellville, and today so does the trail which succeeded the railroad.