It's a lovely location, but the wine was just alright and the guy behind the bar was not very attentive or personable.Went with my parents two weeks ago. They had been before, but this was my first time so I had a tasting and they both decided to wait and have a glass with me at the end of my tasting. One side of the bar was a little crowded so the 3 of us stood at the other end. The older gentleman behind the bar made eye contact with us, but then just kept chatting with the folks at the other end of the bar. He finally made his was over and I got started with my tasting. This was where it just got awkward...I was sipping the first wine, just savoring it and I clearly have a little bit left in my glass (more than a sip). Again, my parents weren't doing the tasting since they'd already been there before, so I was the only one doing the tasting. The older gentleman walks back up, picks up the next bottle, uncorks it, and gives me a description of it...which was great, except that I clearly wasn't ready for the next wine yet as there was still plenty in my glass. And it wasn't like I'd been sitting there milking it for 10 minutes. So I felt pressured to finish the wine quickly and then move on to the next. Then he gave me this judgmental look because I finished the last 2-3 sips in one gulp only because he was standing there waiting to pour the 2nd wine. It was just incredibly awkward.Then the 3rd or 4th wine I tried I just did not care for so I asked for one of the buckets so I could pour it out. He shot me another judgmental look and said, "Are you seriously not going to finish it??" I explained that yes, I did not care for it and did not want to finish the glass. He rolled his eyes and begrudgingly fetched a bucket for me to dispose of the remaining wine. Of the 6 wines I tried, I only finished 4 of them and disposed of the other two. I also had to walk down to the other end of the bar to grab a few crackers to cleanse my palette between the white and red wines and had to ask him for some water to clean my glass.I did end up buying a bottle of the Chardonnay and Meritage, but the whole experience was just awkward. There were also signs taped up EVERYWHERE about don't do this or don't do that. It was very strange. One of them said not to bring any children onto the large patio at the rear of the building. But then this large group went out back with several strollers and small children. I asked the gentleman at the bar about it and he said, "Oh, well that's the owner so I guess he can do whatever he wants." Charming.All in all, some of the wine was nice and the venue was lovely, but some of the wine was really not appealing and the staff/attitude left a lot to be desired, especially for the price.---------------Side note: they grow none of their own grapes. This isn't really a plus or minus and they openly state this, but just don't go thinking you're going to see huge fields of grapevines belonging to the establishment.
We arrived just as the winery opened, based on reviews we'd read on Trip Advisor. Smart move! Folks began arriving with food, etc--clearly, despite the weather, events had been planned.We were the first to do a wine tasting that morning, which was nice because it felt very private. We tasted 3 whites and 4 reds for a $10 fee; the pours were substantial so it was good value. After we completed our purchase, we ordered two glasses--Melange and Meritage--and a meat/cheese platter and enjoyed the ambiance in the tasting room. The wines are blended on site but the majority of grapes are grown elsewhere in Virginia, including the Charlottesville area.The setting is lovely, both indoors and out. We look forward to visiting again!
I went with some girlfriends for an enjoyable evening of live music, good conversation and good wine. Noticed many young families with picnic baskets, which we thought delightful. The winery is beautiful, the staff is friendly and knowledgeable. Who could ask for more!
We arrived at around 6pm on a Friday evening and still managed to get one of the picnic tables. A tablecloth is a must and we enjoyed an splendid-weather picnic. Somehow there were no bugs at all (!?). We brought cheeses and crackers, but picnic food is available at reasonable prices.As for the wines, we enjoyed the whites better - comparable or better to those in Napa Valley wine tours. Wines are not inexpensive and we brought back home a case.
We're big fans of the Paradise Springs Winery. The tastings are fun and it's in a beautiful location. Very popular place and gets crowded on weekends, so recommend getting there early. Lots of seating and you can bring your own food in to enjoy with the wine. We signed up for the Wine Club and it's great - unlimited free tastings, discounted wine, etc. -- a good value. Would highly recommend checking it out.
I can’t say enough good things about this winery. I purchased a livingsocial deal for a wine education class and tasting. My friend and I were a little late, but they were gracious and helpful. We did a tour of the winery that ended in the barrel room where they stock and age the wine in barrels. The reds were pretty delicious (my favorite red from the tasting was the Meritage). The whites were okay (I’m not that big of a white wine drinker), but the highlight was their Swagger port. That was the last wine of the tour and they accompanied it with a small chocolate. I’m not normally a port drinker but it was by far the best port I had that day and it was my favorite wine. It was rich and slightly sweet without being overpowering. I bought a bottle.If the wines weren’t enough of a reason to go there then the atmosphere is what makes this place unique. Aside from beautiful landscaping, they have a very warm and welcoming environment. They have a long bar in the entrance to order wine and cheese plates, with limited seating inside. On the in-door patio is a large warm fireplace (perfect for fall and winter) with cozy and comfortable couches and tables for lounging. The outdoors has plenty of picnic tables for additional seating.I recommend coming early on Saturday to secure a seat (whether it’s a nice seat indoors to escape the cold or a seat outdoors to enjoy the weather). This place gets busy after 1pm and seems to be a local favorite. Come and enjoy their spirits and you can even bring your own picnic basket if treats to enjoy with their wine.
We came here for some engagement photos last night. The drive itself took about 90 minutes coming from falls church, VA. I'm so glad we got to do this drive because clifton is such a pretty area of virginia. The winery grounds itself was very pretty, and PLENTY of parking. This is always a good thing because can be stewipdly creative when it comes parking their cars. I guess you can call this a pet peeve for SUV owners.The wine itself was REALLY good, and the cheese/meat choices were just as good. This area is extremely family oriented, and very peaceful. My fiance also tells me that the wine has good some highly specialized rewards. I don't consider myself a big wine drinker, but I would come back for more. i would recommend you get the 3 meat/cheese combo if your with a group of more than 2 people. For 20.00 bucks it's a really good deal, but you can also bring your own snacks. You will also find a band playing outside in the patio area. Overall, It's a really nice winery but out of the way in my opinion. Plan accordingly if you visit!One final note would be that the wine can be pricy.
I love this place so much. I go with my boyfriend or to celebrate my sisters birthday or just to have a good time with family. You can make it as expensive or cheap as you want because they allow you to bring your own food is long as you buy their wine. My only problem with this place is when you sit out on their back porch and they have live music it is always too loud. The service is good and they are friendly. It gets really busy because it's popular and well-known. They have a covered and uncovered area for seating.
My wife and I decided to spend a Saturday afternoon going to Paradise Springs Winery for a tasting. We live in MD so it was a beautiful drive out to Clifton, VA. We arrived early in the afternoon (around 12:30pm) and the winery was already buzzing with visitors. The property is beautiful inside and out. The staff are all very pleasant and very knowledgeable about the wine. You can tell that all of the employees really enjoy being there (and why wouldn't they!). After the tasting we went out to the patio and had lunch. There was a lot going on. People were picnicking outside, we saw a few birthday parties, work functions, a reunion, and witnessed a wedding proposal. It was a lovely day to spend in scenic Clifton and we really loved the environment and most importantly the wine! Paradise Springs is a WONDERFUL!! check it out!
We stopped in on a Sunday around 1PM to give them a try, as we've heard lots about their tasting room and the wines they offer. We found the parking lot to be completely packed. Upon going in, we were lucky enough to find a table, so we held on to it while doing our tasting. Tasting was nice. Their wines tasted quite nice and the guy giving us our tasting was very personable and offered great service. So, we bought a bottle and sat and enjoyed it while waiting for friends to show up. The tasting room is very pretty. We really liked the exposed wood walls and the view of the barrel room. Overall, it's slightly more crowded than we like in a winery, as enjoying wine should be a nice, quiet venture, not a loud bar and this place was very loud, despite the sound-deadening panels hung everywhere. But this could be because there are very few selections for wineries in the Northern VA area.The prices of their wines are also rather high and they didn't taste in that price range.Would we go back? Yes, to go hang out with friends who live in that area. But when we want to visit wineries for quiet secluded sipping, we'll stick with venues in Fauquier.