MAY NEWSLETTER 2025
IN THIS NEWSLETTER...
VIP Wines of the Month
Report from the Tasting Room
Report from the Cellar
Report from the Vineyard
Report from Locksley Farmstead Cheese
Note from Jenni
Breaking News from the Vineyard! Bud break has officially hit the vineyard, and our beloved arbor vines at The Ag District Center are coming back to life! One of your favorite spots to sip and relax—the arbor—is waking up with vibrant green shoots, and it won’t be long before it forms a stunning canopy once again.
May is shaping up to be a fantastic month here at Chrysalis Vineyards. We’re excited to unveil our new Wine of the Month, so be sure to check out the tasting room report for all the details. Plus, we invite you to get hands-on with our White Wine Blending Class—a fun experience for wine lovers ready to get creative.
Don’t miss out on the full lineup of May events below. And if you love great food, make sure to swing by the tasting room on Thursdays to be the first to try our chef’s newest weekly features!
MAY EVENTS:
MUSIC IS BACK! Saturdays from 2 - 5PM
May 3rd - Luke Andrews
May 10th - Robbie Límon
May 17th - Joe Martin
May 24th - Melanie Pearl
May 31st - Patty Reese
May 16th @ 5PM - White Wine Blending & Bottling Class
Discover the winemaker within during this unique and interactive evening of creativity and craftsmanship. Guided by our talented winemaker, Jake Blodinger, you’ll dive into the art and science of white wine blending—from tasting and experimenting to corking your very own custom bottle. In this hands-on class, you’ll learn the techniques behind crafting a balanced blend, then put your new skills to work as you create a wine that’s truly your own. Here’s what awaits:
- A guided white wine tasting to inspire your custom blend
- Expert blending instruction from Jake Blodinger
- Time to craft your own unique white wine creation
- Hands-on corking and labeling of your personal bottle
- Includes: All the supplies required to blend and bottle your wine
Celebrate your passion for wine in a fun and relaxed setting at Chrysalis Vineyards.
Space is limited, so reserve your spot today for this exclusive experience!
CLICK HERE to purchase your ticket today.
*This event is for 21+ and over ONLY and will be held in a 21+ area. All participants/ticket holders must be 21+.
May 29th @ 5PM - Book Club
Join us for our next Book Club gathering on Thursday, May 29th from 5–6 PM at Chrysalis Vineyards, where we'll be hosting our quarterly book tasting! The amazing team from the Middleburg Library will present three book options for the upcoming reads, and we’ll pair each one with a delicious Chrysalis wine. After the tasting, you’ll help decide which book we read next! Come sip, chat, and connect with fellow book and wine lovers!
Interested in attending? Reach out to Jill Smedley at
Jill.Smedley@TheAgDistrict.com.
NOTE TO OUR VIP CLUB MEMBERS
VIP Club Members, mark your calendars! Join us on Friday, May 9th at 6 PM for a flavorful evening of great wine and even better company at our spring pick-up event! Taste through a few of our delicious wines from this month's VIP pick-up while enjoying a delicious light dinner crafted by our chef, all in a relaxed setting that's perfect for connecting with fellow members. We can't wait to see you there! Members must RSVP no later than May 5th by emailing TR-Manager@Chrysaliswine.com. RSVPs received after May 5th will be placed on a waiting list, and while we will do our best to accommodate everyone, entry to the event cannot be guaranteed. Please include your name and the number of people attending (up to 2 per membership). Lastly, when planning your visit, please remember that we close at 8:00 PM.
Not a VIP Club member yet?
Learn more about the benefits below and join the club today!
For May, our VIP members will receive the 2022 Private Reserve White and the 2022 Rubiana.
Our white selection this month is the 2022 Private Reserve White, a beautifully expressive reserve-style blend that captures the freshness and energy of the season. Aromas of orange blossom honey, sun-ripened apricot, and a touch of coconut rise from the glass, inviting you into a vibrant and aromatic experience. On the palate, it unfolds with juicy notes of cantaloupe and nectarine, a silky, medium body, and a bright, refreshing finish that lingers with just the right touch of acidity. A true springtime showstopper.
Our red selection this month is the 2022 Rubiana, a Spanish Crianza-inspired wine with enticing aromas of leather, warm spices, and ripe cherries. On the palate, it delivers layered notes of clove, wild raspberries, and blueberries.
As a reminder to our members, all VIP wine is available for pickup at the Ag District Center tasting room anytime during regular business hours. If you haven't been able to visit for a while and need to pick up more than 3 months of wine selections please call at least a day in advance of your visit so we can have them ready for you.
NOTE: Please do not reply to this emailed Newsletter. Your email will not be handled in a timely manner or may even be lost.
REPORT FROM THE TASTING ROOM
As May arrives, spring is painting the countryside with vibrant colors. The hillsides are glowing with new growth, the trees are budding, and wildflowers are beginning to bloom across the farm—adding pops of color to every corner of the Ag District. Sunshine and warm breezes invite us all to linger a little longer—and what better way to enjoy the season than with a glass of something golden?
With our most recent Gold Medal win in this year’s Virginia Governor’s Cup, we’re proud to feature the 2022 Bull Run Mountain Cuvée as our May Wine of the Month! This beautifully crafted red blend has earned its place among the finest wines in the state, and now it’s your turn to taste why.
With aromas of caramel, cherries, and vanilla, and flavors of cordial cherry, coffee, and brown sugar on the palate, this wine offers a rich, smooth experience that’s perfect for sipping as the sun sets. Bold yet approachable, it’s truly the “flower” of the Tasting Room this month. Glasses are $9 and bottles are $25, with 15% off for Club Members.
See you in the Tasting Room!
- Lori Tate, Tasting Room Manager
REPORT FROM THE VINEYARD
I’m sure many of you have heard that we had a very cold day here a couple of weeks ago. I would say that we are about 99% fine with only a few buds here and there in the lowest sections getting nipped.
Freddy and our crew “rough-pruned” all of our white varietals for this exact reason. If you will recall, "rough pruning" refers to leaving a few extra buds on the spur. The buds farthest away from the arm will break first and the lower buds, closest to the arm will break later. Should a cold event occur, the buds farthest from the arm will freeze and die but don’t fret they’re the sacrificial buds. The lower buds, which are generally more fruiting anyways, will break later effectively dodging the cold event. After which, the crew will prune the extra buds away.
With freeze damage, you can’t truly assess damage until the buds develop into shoots. I’ve driven through the vineyard a few times now and have noticed a few shoots on the occasional vine that seem to be stunted or dead. All in all, the damage is to so few that it won’t affect anything and most likely we won’t notice as the season carries on. What most people don't realize is that vines tend to be very resilient and will compensate for any struggles.
All in all, the growing season is running about two weeks early for us but the leaves are looking healthy, the bees are already buzzing, and the crew is excited to start another growing season.
- Jake Blodinger, Winemaker
REPORT FROM THE CELLAR
Things are heating up—both in the vineyard and the cellar! As we work our way through bottling season one case at a time, we’re also cooking up some exciting things behind the scenes. Stay tuned—big announcements are on the way!
In the meantime, we’re thrilled to bring back one of our most popular experiences: the Wine Blending Class. This month, we’ll be diving into the world of white wines, giving you the chance to craft your very own custom blend. Whether you're a blending pro or a curious beginner, it's a fun, hands-on way to learn more about winemaking and take home something truly your own.
If you missed the February blending class, couples had the opportunity to taste three reds straight from the barrel. We discussed tannin, structure, aromatics, flavors, and how winemakers look at the individual components. We tasted through 2024 Petit Verdot, Tannat, and Norton, evaluating each of their unique varietal characteristics. From there, we replicated two different Chrysalis Vineyards wines, Papillion and Locksley Reserve.
Throughout the class, each blend sparked conversation around key winemaking principles—like designing a wine for age-ability, striking the right balance between tannin, structure, and acidity, and evaluating a wine’s potential longevity. Using these concepts as their guide, guests crafted their own unique red blends, bringing together both creativity and technical understanding. At the end of the event, each participant went home with a bottle of their very own custom red blend—a personalized expression of everything they learned.
At this month’s blending class, we will utilize three estate-grown whites to craft your own personal white blend just in time for summer. We are looking forward to sharing what we do here at Chrysalis Vineyards with all who attend.
- Jake Blodinger, Winemaker
REPORT FROM LOCKSLEY FARMSTEAD CHEESE COMPANY
Hello from the Locksley Farmstead Cheese international research team! This month I’ve had the opportunity to do a bit of travelling in Italy and Switzerland and made a point of trying some local cheeses. While in Italy I had the chance to try some fresh mozzarella di bufala, burrata, ricotta, mascarpone, mozzarella, and of course parmesan. My favorite was actually a soft, spreadable cheese called “Squacquerone” that is found in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy. This creamy, fresh cheese was perfect on a sandwich with fresh focaccia, parma ham, Costoluto Fiorentino tomatoes, rucola and olive oil.
After eating my way through the cheeses of Italy, I continued my research in the canton of Lucerne in Switzerland. The total population of Switzerland is just under 9 million, but they still have about 560,000 dairy cows. Travelling through the alps every hillside that wasn’t solid granite was green with pastures and grazing cows. Those high-altitude dairy cows produce rich milk that has been used to make cheese in one form or another since the Neolithic period.
The variety of cheeses produced across the world never ceases to amaze me, but I still favor the delicious cheeses produced by our dairy herd right here at The Ag District!
- Teri Scott, General Manager
OK… I just have to say it yet again… I LOVE SPRING! And that means being outside and seeing and reveling in the land and nature’s new growth.
A couple days ago I took off on my 2003 Honda Rubicon 500, 4-wheelin’ for hours around the farm, winding up at the ADC (Ag District Center) to pick up dinner. Here’s a few of my favorite spots at The Ag District:
The pond. For years, we’ve had a Canada Goose couple that bring us 5 or 6 goslings each year. The pond is fed by a spring that never goes dry, and I was told has provided water for this valley for hundreds of years in times of draught.
The front field of Norton. (photo above) This field produces the very best Norton fruit, and Jake Blodinger thinks it’s because it’s adjacent to my house! There’s an old saying that goes something like, “The best thing to have in a vineyard is the owner’s shadow!”
My mom’s gravesite. Helen Catherine Bode White passed away in 2009, and is buried in a beautiful, favorite spot between Norton fields.
“The Cliff”. This is a rock outcropping that an excavation contractor went nuts over when he saw it for the first time. He explained that he had been all over the Bull Run Mountains looking for a reference from a Civil War veteran’s journal about sleeping under a cliff overhang in inclement weather. He was sure this was that spot.
The Milking Center. I had to stop by and say “hi” to Steven Stiles, our Dairy Manager, and “his girls” the lovely cows of Locksley!
Caeli Farm. Actually, the ADC is on Caeli Farm, not Locksley Estate. These are the names of the two contiguous parcels that make up The Ag District. I acquired Locksley Estate in 1998 (naming it after Robin of Locksley, the Merry Man’s home farm) which is the production part of the farm, with the vines, winery and milking center, along with my home and our offices. I added Caeli Farm in 2008, bringing the total acreage of The Ag District to 412. Caeli is a strip of rolling land with beautiful pastures and streams, along with the Little River, which y’all cross when visiting the ADC. This is the same “little river” that gives its name to the Little River Turnpike, which was one of the first toll roads in America that connected Old Town Alexandria to Aldie and consequently to Aldie Mill, which was one of the last points east for major water flow that turned the double overshot wheels (fairly recently restored, and worth stopping to check out).
And last, but not least,
The ADC (Ag District Center). This is the hub of public activity at The Ag District, and contains our creamery, the Little River Bakehouse, our kitchen, and wine cave.
All in all, a great few hours, and after tying on a wine box to the front of my 4-wheeler, I loaded up one of Adam’s great sandwich creations and a bottle of Albariño Verde and made my way home! The perfect day, just right for this time of year.
Come and visit us, and revel in the spring beauty of the Bull Run Mountains.
Take Care,
Jennifer McCloud
Chrysalis Vineyards at The Ag District
39025 Little River Turnpike (Tasting Room/Creamery/Kitchen)
23876 Champe Ford Road (Winery/Milking Center/Offices)
Middleburg, VA 20117
McCloud@ChrysalisWine.com
Office: 540-687-8222
www.ChrysalisWine.com
Facebook.com/ChrysalisVineyards