What better way to spend Valentine’s Day than wine tasting? We spent two days visiting dog-friendly wineries in Leesburg, Virginia and couldn’t have been more pleased.
We chose Leesburg for proximity to Alexandria, concentration of (dog-friendly) wineries and availability of luxury, romantic accommodations. On a mid-morning weekday, the drive was barely over an hour from Alexandria to a great resort and a dozen plus wineries. We’d been wanting to try Lansdowne Resort & Spa for a while, so this was the perfect time.
First Stop: Vanish Farmwoods Brewery
We started at Vanish Farmwoods Brewery, approximately 15 miles northwest of the resort which was the anchor for this trip. We don’t visit breweries often, but this one was just a few miles from the first winery on our itinerary and allows dogs in the taproom, so it was an easy addition. And it proved to be a great one!
They have a TON of seating, both indoors and out, which is one of the most important factors for us in determining how dog-friendly a place is (if there’s nowhere to comfortably sit with your pup, what’s the point?). Dogs are not allowed in the primary taproom, but they do have their very own taproom, Dog Town. It has probably two dozen large picnic tables, in addition to the several dozen tables in the primary taproom. SO MUCH SEATING indoors. And they have equally as many tables outside. There were three other dogs in Dog Town with us and plenty of space for everyone to relax without being on top of each other.
In addition to the awesome seating, they offer wine and cocktails. So, if beer isn’t your thing, you have options. A little something for everyone. They also serve pizza and barbecue on alternating days. So really, there’s no reason not to visit this place. We give it 5 Pups for abundance of seating indoors and out and being super welcoming to dogs.
Second Stop: Hidden Brook Winery
Then it was on to Hidden Brook Winery. We’d been before, but they were so welcoming to Rummy that it was worth a revisit. They have roughly a dozen tables inside, a few tables on the covered porch and a tasty charcuterie plate. 5 Pups for indoor seating and covered outdoor tables.
Impromptu Stop: Winery 32
We had only planned two stops, but were making better time that anticipated and weather was nice, so we decided to try Winery 32. It wasn’t on the itinerary initially because they don’t allow dogs in the tasting room and for February trips, we focus on dog-friendly tasting rooms. But with the unseasonably nice weather and it being a slow weekday afternoon, we felt comfortable letting Rummy hang out on the patio while we were inside for our tasting. They have a lot of tables outside, many covered, so it will be a great place to visit in Spring or Fall.
We give it 3 Pups for lack of indoor seating for dogs. On days like this it wasn’t an issue. And many of the outdoors tables were covered to provide shade. But on super hot days when neither dogs nor people want to sit outside and covered tables aren’t available, we would probably have to skip this one. If you’re tasting without a dog, they do have a bistro (the reason they can’t allow dogs in the tasting room) and the menu looks pretty spectacular.
Overnight at Lansdowne Resort and Spa
Booking & Check In
We’d had Lansdowne Resort and Spa on our list for some time, so we were excited to finally try it. Its location made it a great anchor for our wine tasting and it surpassed our expectations from booking to check out. I booked the reservation online and the process for adding Rummy was very simple. Often, when I book a reservation I have to call to add her. With Lansdowne, adding pets is part of the reservation process. You can add the pet fee ($100 per pet, nonrefundable) to the cart. They also had dog meals and treats to add. We ordered a pup risotto and apple pupcake. Super cute and something special for her!
Check in was seamless and a bed and bowls for Rummy were waiting in the room. This is nice for two reasons. First, logistics. We need this stuff and it’s nice to have it waiting in the room. Second, it’s nice for Rummy to see familiar items that she knows are for her. I think it helps her to relax quicker in unfamiliar surroundings.
Dog-Friendly Wine Tasting in Leesburg, Virginia
Mar 03, 2019
What better way to spend Valentine’s Day than wine tasting? We spent two days visiting dog-friendly wineries in Leesburg, Virginia and couldn’t have been more pleased.
We chose Leesburg for proximity to Alexandria, concentration of (dog-friendly) wineries and availability of luxury, romantic accommodations. On a mid-morning weekday, the drive was barely over an hour from Alexandria to a great resort and a dozen plus wineries. We’d been wanting to try Lansdowne Resort & Spa for a while, so this was the perfect time.
First Stop: Vanish Farmwoods Brewery
We started at Vanish Farmwoods Brewery, approximately 15 miles northwest of the resort which was the anchor for this trip. We don’t visit breweries often, but this one was just a few miles from the first winery on our itinerary and allows dogs in the taproom, so it was an easy addition. And it proved to be a great one!
They have a TON of seating, both indoors and out, which is one of the most important factors for us in determining how dog-friendly a place is (if there’s nowhere to comfortably sit with your pup, what’s the point?). Dogs are not allowed in the primary taproom, but they do have their very own taproom, Dog Town. It has probably two dozen large picnic tables, in addition to the several dozen tables in the primary taproom. SO MUCH SEATING indoors. And they have equally as many tables outside. There were three other dogs in Dog Town with us and plenty of space for everyone to relax without being on top of each other.
In addition to the awesome seating, they offer wine and cocktails. So, if beer isn’t your thing, you have options. A little something for everyone. They also serve pizza and barbecue on alternating days. So really, there’s no reason not to visit this place. We give it 5 Pups for abundance of seating indoors and out and being super welcoming to dogs.
Second Stop: Hidden Brook Winery
Then it was on to Hidden Brook Winery. We’d been before, but they were so welcoming to Rummy that it was worth a revisit. They have roughly a dozen tables inside, a few tables on the covered porch and a tasty charcuterie plate. 5 Pups for indoor seating and covered outdoor tables.
Impromptu Stop: Winery 32
We had only planned two stops, but were making better time that anticipated and weather was nice, so we decided to try Winery 32. It wasn’t on the itinerary initially because they don’t allow dogs in the tasting room and for February trips, we focus on dog-friendly tasting rooms. But with the unseasonably nice weather and it being a slow weekday afternoon, we felt comfortable letting Rummy hang out on the patio while we were inside for our tasting. They have a lot of tables outside, many covered, so it will be a great place to visit in Spring or Fall.
We give it 3 Pups for lack of indoor seating for dogs. On days like this it wasn’t an issue. And many of the outdoors tables were covered to provide shade. But on super hot days when neither dogs nor people want to sit outside and covered tables aren’t available, we would probably have to skip this one. If you’re tasting without a dog, they do have a bistro (the reason they can’t allow dogs in the tasting room) and the menu looks pretty spectacular.
Overnight at Lansdowne Resort and Spa
Booking & Check In
We’d had Lansdowne Resort and Spa on our list for some time, so we were excited to finally try it. Its location made it a great anchor for our wine tasting and it surpassed our expectations from booking to check out. I booked the reservation online and the process for adding Rummy was very simple. Often, when I book a reservation I have to call to add her. With Lansdowne, adding pets is part of the reservation process. You can add the pet fee ($100 per pet, nonrefundable) to the cart. They also had dog meals and treats to add. We ordered a pup risotto and apple pupcake. Super cute and something special for her!
Check in was seamless and a bed and bowls for Rummy were waiting in the room. This is nice for two reasons. First, logistics. We need this stuff and it’s nice to have it waiting in the room. Second, it’s nice for Rummy to see familiar items that she knows are for her. I think it helps her to relax quicker in unfamiliar surroundings.
Relaxation & Dinner
We arrived at the check in time of 4:00 pm so that we could relax and enjoy the resort before dinner. We chose one of the sitting areas on the lobby level with a few comfortable chairs by a fireplace. This was really nice–we discussed our favorites from the day and really enjoyed just sitting together. And Rummy was perfectly comfortable lying by the fire while we did. It’s really nice to be able to focus on us, but still have Rummy there so we don’t feel bad about leaving her alone. Some hotels allow dogs but restrict them to rooms, which is fine if you’re only stopping in late to crash. But we take Rummy on these trips so she can hang out with us, so having the option for her to join us in the lobby is important.
Back in the room we gave Rummy her pup risotto before heading down to Coton & Rye for their special Valentine’s Day tasting dinner. Food and service were spectacular (Virginia wines on the list, of course!). And it was a nice break for the two of us to enjoy dinner alone. A Valentine’s Day trip with your dog doesn’t sound romantic at all, but it’s definitely doable with the right planning! And Lansdowne gave us the perfect venue to include her yet still focus on us.
Room service is definitely the way to go for breakfast. We were able to sleep in, take Rummy out when she was ready (lucky for us she is NOT a morning pup, so she sleeps in with us) and have breakfast delivered to us. Rummy had her apple pupcake so she had something special as well. We were fueled up and ready for day two! We give Lansdowne 5 Pups for ease of booking, allowing her in public (non-dining) spaces, special treats available for pups and beautiful grounds to walk her. Not dog-related, but proximity to so many wineries is a major bonus!
Day Two: Wineries Tour Continues
First Stop: Loudon’s First Winery
We started the day at Willowcroft Farm Vineyards, Loudon County’s first winery. We were so pleasantly surprised by Willowcroft. The tasting room is fairly small, and we initially thought that would be limiting. But boy were we wrong! They have plenty of seating! Upstairs in the barn you’ll find several small tables in the covered, outdoor-ish space. It’s covered and completely protected from rain, but open to temperature. We loved it because there was a nice breeze to enjoy while we sipped our glass. They also have a separate room with AC/heat with a sofa, chairs and several tables in addition to a projector (movies?!).
Outside, there were about a dozen lawn tables plus a few small tables on a stone patio. And the views are pretty spectacular. We’d love to return and spend an afternoon here alternating between the barn and the lawn.
Back in the tasting room you might be greeted by Flint, the barn cat. He hung out, completely unaffected by the visiting humans or Rummy, during our tasting. We see a lot of winery dogs, so it was nice to see a winery cat. We give this 5 Pups for indoor seating, plenty of outdoor seating and beautiful views.
Second Stop: Change of Plans
There are several other wineries within a few miles of Willowcroft. Zephaniah Farm Vineyard is roughly a 5-minute drive. We hadn’t planned to visit because dogs are not allowed in the tasting room. But with the nice weather, we decided to stop by. The tasting room is in an early 19th century home. It’s really beautiful and clear that the family is proud of its history.
Tastings are family-style, seated at dining tables in a sitting room. Bonnie, one of the owners, moved between tables to pour the tastings and in between, we were able to look around the home at the family’s historic photographs. If you like historic homes, you’ll like this one. For this reason, it’s clear why dogs aren’t allowed inside. The living room does have chairs where you can sit and sip after tasting.
There are a few benches outside. One even had a “table” that holds your glasses and bottle. But we didn’t see any tables so on a busy weekend, it may be tough to find a place to sit after your tasting, with or without a dog. Being a slow day with nice weather, we tied Rummy to a stair rail and were able to check on her through the window during the tasting. But on a busy day, we wouldn’t have felt comfortable doing that. For this reason, we give Zephaniah 2 Pups. If you’re out there on a slow, cool day with your pup, stop by. But if you don’t have a dog with you, go any time. It’s definitely worth a visit.
Last Stop: 50 West
We’d wanted to visit 50 West Winery and Vineyard on several previous trips to Middleburg but they were all on really cold days when we’d need to sit inside. So we took advantage of the day and stopped by. Since it was a Friday, the tasting room was closed and the Club House (usually open to members only) was open to the public. The Club House is pretty spectacular architecturally. It has a patio where Rummy sat during our tasting. We did check out the tasting room as we left- several tables outside with umbrellas so they should be mostly shaded. We give it 3 Pups for providing partially shaded seats outside for dogs and their people.
Virginia wine Pass
Several of these wineries provide discounts with the Virginia Wine Pass. We actually discovered a few of them through the Wine Pass’s website a while back. Who doesn’t appreciate savings? And spending less on the tastings means more money for bottles to take home!
Looking for a winery to take your pup? Our Wineries page lets you filter by tasting room access (among other criteria) and also choose specific wine regions. Wineries aren’t your thing? Check out the other categories of dog-friendly places! You can also read more of our Reviews here.