King Family Vineyards - Polo and The Stranger

 

My latest venture on the Monticello Wine Trail brought me to King Family Vineyards.  I recently sat down for a quick chat with James King of said Family on an uncharacteristically gorgeous fall day and suffered a distinct sense of déjà vu.  It is the first week of November, I can see the Blue Ridge Mountains rising over the field in the distance, Virginia’s fall firework spectacular is running its final performance, and I find myself regretting my decision to wear pants instead of shorts because it is almost 80 degrees outside while I listen to the story of a winery that did not set out to be one.  You see, for first timers here at Ramble Virginia, this is not my first time this fall that I have been able to take in all of the colors of the season, listening to the story of an unintended winery, while lamenting my trousers.  So, without further ado, let’s learn a little bit about King Family Vineyards at Roseland Farm.

Chukkas Are a Thing

There is a pretty good chance that you’ve never heard the word chukka.  I had not come across the term until I started writing this post.  Chukkas are the polo equivalent of quarters in football or innings in baseball, they are how polo matches are broken up.  Depending upon the skill level of the players participating, each match is divided into at least four, but no more than eight, of these seven-minute long periods.  There is also an overtime period of some type at the end of each chukka that can last up to 30 seconds.  I think.  I’m pretty sure some of what I just wrote about polo is correct.  I know that it is played on horseback for sure…probably…maybe.

Look.  I have only done a very small bit of research into this equestrian sport called polo, mostly to figure out what a chukka was since I heard the word bandied about by my host James King, and I admit to knowing basically nothing.  Not just about polo, but I know nothing about so many things.  But, I digress.  I do know that what little I have learned about this lesser-known sport has definitely peaked my interest.

Now, if you are not familiar with King Family Vineyard, and if you’re still reading this, you may very well be wondering why I am talking about chukkas in a blog post about a vineyard.  Well, the simple reason is that without polo, there would be no King Family Vineyard.   

It Was Always About Polo

Prior to coming to Virginia, David and Eileen King were living in Texas with their three boys Carrington, Stuart, and James.  As their sons grew, the King’s decided that they did not want to raise their family in a big metropolis.  They wanted to raise their family in a more rural setting, not Houston where they lived, and settled on returning to Virginia.  Other than leaving the hustle and bustle of the city behind, David King had one other essential feature that he was seeking in his new home.  David was an avid fan and player of polo.  He yearned for the family’s homestead to be able to house a proper polo field, meaning that it would need a lot of flat area that could be opened up to play his favorite game.

In 1995, the family found their new home at Roseland Farm.  Crozet was definitely a rural community in the mid-90’s (still pretty much is) and it is plenty far from the larger urban areas of Richmond or Northern Virginia.  There are spectacular views of the Blue Ridge Mountains from anywhere on the property.  And, of course, there was ample room for David’s dream, the polo field.  The King’s were in Crozet and Roseland Farm was born.

The Stranger

So, it is 1995 and the King Family owned a large farm in Crozet, but what to do with the property?  A vineyard certainly wasn’t on their minds, at least not yet.  No.  Roseland Farm started off as a proper farm.  They grew corn and alfalfa, raised livestock, and had a nursery on property.  A grand scheme it was not, but a working farm it was.  That was, until 1997 when the region experienced a severe drought in just the King’s second year.  Things were not looking good for Roseland Farm, but luck was on their side.

One evening following that rough drought, as the family was preparing for their evening meal, they heard a knock upon their door.  When David opened it, he found a young man at the entrance whom he had never met before.  This stranger, named Tom Vanderberg, had been traveling in the area near the farm and decided to call upon the family to make them an odd, if not crazy, offer.  You see, this visitor was a recent graduate of Virginia Tech in the little known field of viticulture.  After explaining just what viticulture meant, he informed the King’s that he was on his own search for a little piece of perfect property, just as they had been some two years prior.  Apparently, he told the family, the land that they had purchased with dreams of a working farm and polo field, also had outstanding soil and conditions for growing grapes.  His proposal was a lease of land.  He wished to pay them for the ability to grow 10 acres of grapes on Roseland Farm. 

With the recent drought and tough conditions this added revenue would certainly be of help to the family.  The family was intrigued, but, after careful consideration, they decided against allowing this strange young man lease their property.  It was not that they did not think that it was a good idea to grow grapes at the farm, but that they thought it was quite a good idea – maybe so good that they should do it themselves.  Late that very year, in 1998, King Family Vineyards was established and the family was in business.

Keeping Their Balance

Very quickly, the vineyard was off and running.  They started small(ish).  Chris Hill, a well-known and respected horticulturist, was brought in to see to the growing of the grapes and still consults to this day.  Coincidentally, Chris is an alumnus of Virginia Tech, the same school the stranger had recently graduated from.  Initially, the family was going to grow the grapes and sell them to other wineries in the area, as quite a few smaller farms did and still do.  But that plan fell to the wayside when they only decided to sell about half of the harvest from 2000 and bring the other half up to their friends at Afton Mountain Vineyards to produce the wine.  Celebrated winemaker Michael Shaps was hired that first year and King Family produced 480 cases in 2000.  Then, over a thousand cases in 2001.  Michael Shaps was followed by their current wine maker, Matthieu Finot in 2007, but the winery kept on growing.  By 2013, they were producing over 7,500 cases a year.  Not bad for a crazy idea from a random stranger.

King Family wines have won numerous awards over the years, but the one thing that James and I spoke about impressed me much more than medals or cups.  James said that the trait that he most admires about the wines that his family produce is that they strike a balance with nature.  You need two simple things in order to make great wine – amazing fruit and a skilled winemaker.  But, James believes in a third ingredient which is balance.  The grapes will tell the winemaker what it wants to be.  The winemaker only has to have the skill to listen and the wherewithal to allow the wine to be what it should be.  He believes this is why King Family wines are so well received.

There is also a core belief by the family to keep balance with the land.  Agritourism is a huge buzzword nowadays, but it is an exceptional thing when done right and the Kings do it impressively right.  I could feel the passion and conviction that James had when speaking about balance in the wine, in the business, and in nature that was only matched when he spoke about his father and polo.

Polo and More

Now that you’ve heard a bit about the story of King Family Vineyard’s history, let’s get to the really fun part.  What’s going on now!

King Family is located at 6550 Roseland Farm, Crozet, VA 22932.  You can call them at 434-823-7800, email them at info@kingfamilyvineyards.com, and find them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube by searching King Family Vineyards. 

The tasting room is open 7 days a week, from 10:00 AM until 5:30 PM.  You can get tastings up until 5:00 PM, but for that last half hour you can only buy bottles and finish up what you have already brought.  You will have to be safe when you visit though, especially now.  So bring a mask and make sure you have a designated driver.  The busiest times are between 1:00 PM and 3:30 PM on Saturdays.

Roseland Farm is really big so there is no worry about finding space outside on those nice days.  There are some under cover areas, with more to come, and there is little limitation on the size of groups that they can accommodate and reservations aren’t strictly needed, but, as always, a bit of common sense goes a long way.  If you have a group of 30 friends and family you want to visit with, make a call or email them to ensure they can give you the experience you, and they, want you to have.

There is no onsite dining, but there are snacks in their little shop to buy and food trucks visit quite frequently.  James’ current favorite is Dumplin’ by local celebrity chef Laura Fonner, you know, winner of Guy’s Grocery Games.

The polo season has ended for the year, but will start back up again on Sundays in the spring.  Keep an eye out because this is probably one of the most awesome freebies you will ever get.  That’s right.  Going out to King Family, enjoying beautiful views, and watching one of the oldest sports in the world on a Sunday afternoon in the Virginia countryside is absolutely free.  They even have a polo club, host traveling teams, and offer lessons.  I’m not sure if I mentioned it earlier, but the King Family really enjoys polo.  Of course, if playing the sport isn’t your speed, they have another equestrian activity for you via Indian Summer Tours.

The wine is the real show here on most days, so you should also try and take advantage of one of the unique tours that they offer.  There are “self-guided” tasting tours that come with a QR code for you to view videos on your phone to go with each wine, guided vineyard and winery tours every Saturday and Sunday at 1 PM and 3 PM, specialty tastings in the Library, and reserve tastings featuring older vintages than what is currently being poured.  James’ current favorites are the Vu Vre and Petit Verdot.  The man knows his wine.  I would listen to him.

There is a little something for everyone at King Family Vineyard, but I want to leave you with a simple piece of advice from James King.  He told me wine is fun.  It is made to be enjoyed and shared.  Take some time with your loved ones, family and friends, and enjoy a glass of wine together.  It will do wonders for your soul.