The Winery at Bull Run
- The Winery at Bull Run is located in Centreville on Route 29, bordering historic Manassas National Battlefield Park. Bull Run advertises itself as the “closest winery to Washington,” which is a bit out of date with the opening of two DC wineries. The working farm is owned by Jon and Kim Hickox.
- Wine. One of the Top 25 wineries of Northern Virginia, and among the Top 100 wineries in the state. Four Bull Run wines were awarded silver medals at the 2023 Virginia Governor’s Cup state-wide wine tasting competition: the 2021 Petit Manseng, 2020 Cabernet Franc, and 2019 Petit Verdot and Meritage, while their 2020 Chardonnay came away with a bronze medal. This was a bit of a come-down for the winery, as Bull Run was one of the stars of the 2022 Virginia Governor’s Cup, being one of the very few wineries to be awarded three gold medals at the event – for their 2019 vintage Cabernet Franc Reserve, 2020 “Reconciliation,” (a Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon Blend) and “Fort,” (their port-style wine) – along with nine silver medals. The Cabernet Franc Reserve and the 2020 Lily’s Viognier were awarded gold medals at the 2022 Finger Lakes Wine Competition, while the 2021 Petit Manseng was awarded a gold medal at the prestigious 2022 San Francisco International Wine Festival. The 2021 “Delaney” white blend was named “Best White Hybrid” at the 2022 Atlantic Seacoast Wine Association competition, though it only received a bronze medal at the San Francisco tasting competition. The Bull Run 2020 Petit Verdot and 2021 Adelaide Rosé received silver medals at the San Francisco International event.
- Setting. One star. The Hickoxes have assembled a number of Civil War artifacts which are displayed on the property. Views of the battlefield area as the winery sits on a small rise. Light fare and weekend food trucks. Tends to be busy – very busy at times — given proximity to Fairfax and Washington.
- Stories. Two stars. Civil War – the Battle of Manassas – an alarming start. The Battle of Manassas, or the Battle of Bull Run as it is known north of Virginia, set the tone for the long, drawn-out and bloody Civil War more than any other event. More accurately one would speak of the First Battle of Manassas. One July 16, Union Brigadier General Irvin McDowell set out from Washington with the largest field army deployed to date in North America, 35,000 men. His objective was to capture Richmond, the Confederate capital, and bring a swift end to the two-month-old rebellion. On July 21, just north of Manassas (and along the north side of today’s Interstate 66), McDowell led his troops over Bull Run and met the Confederate Army led by Brigadier General Beauregard. It was the first major battle of the Civil War. The Union’s superior forces were slow to position themselves, which allowed Confederate reinforcements to arrive by rail. McDowell sought to attack the Confederate flank, but his move was poorly executed; a brigade of Virginians under the little known General Thomas Jackson stood its ground, earning Jackson his famous nickname, “Stonewall.” With their reinforcements, the Confederates counterattacked: Union troops panicked and retreated in a rout. Both armies were sobered by the many casualties, and the prospect of a short end to the war receded quickly. The Battle also showed how weak military planning, intelligence and leadership were on both sides at the war’s outset. In 1862, a Second Battle of Manassas (or Bull Run) would again be fought here, with larger armies and higher casualties. This too was a major Confederate victory, and set the stage for Robert E. Lee to lead southern troops in an invasion of the North. Today the Battlefield is maintained by the National Park Service. It is a sobering but extremely interesting way to visualize not one, but two, of the critical battles of the Civil War. The entrance to the Park is three miles from The Winery at Bull Run, and well worth the visit.