MARCH NEWSLETTER 2026
IN THIS NEWSLETTER...
VIP Wines of the Month
Report from the Tasting Room
Report from the Vineyard & Winery
Report from Locksley Farmstead Cheese
Note from Jenni
It's been a long, cold winter, but the days are slowly getting longer and warmer as we finally enter the first month of Spring. Next week we'll be turning the clocks forward, which means more daylight after a long day of work - the perfect time to stop by The Ag District on your way home! We're open 'til 8:00 on Friday evenings so you have plenty of time to have some dinner and a relaxing glass of your favorite Chrysalis Vineyards wine while you unwind from a long week at work. Don't forget to visit The Farm Market while you're there and pick out some nice steaks to grill on Saturday, some delicious Locksley Farmstead cheese to pair with your evening wine, and some bacon and eggs for Sunday brunch! Whatever you need, we've got you covered!
We've got some great events coming up this month, including our Farm Market Launch. Be sure to mark your calendar and come out to get some fresh air, award winning wines, delicious foods, and local meats, cheeses, eggs, and more!
THE FARM MARKET PRESENTS - The Farm Sampler Bundle
This month we've put together a selection that provides a taste of everything that our market offers!
What’s inside:
• One dozen eggs
• One package of chicken breasts
• One package of ground beef
• One package of kielbasa
• One 1/2 lb. piece of Nottingham Gouda
📍 Available at The Farm Market at The Ag District Center, home to Chrysalis Vineyards and Locksley Farmstead Cheese Company
💲 $47 (Before tax)
*Available for pickup at The Ag District Center while supplies last!*
MARCH EVENTS:
March 7th at 2:00-3:00 PM - Trivia (FREE TO ATTEND)
Join us for an afternoon of trivia brought to us by the friendly folks at the Middleburg Library. Questions will be based on the popular romance series Bridgerton by Julia Quinn. Participants will have the opportunity to sample our Chrysalis Vineyards Mariposa, a lovely rosé perfect to welcome spring and a prize will be awarded to the champion!
*Must be 21+ to attend. Held in our 21-and-over seating area.*
March 13th at 6PM - VIP Pick-up Party - St. Patrick's Day Celebration (RSVP REQ)
CLUB MEMBERS ONLY - Club Members MUST RSVP to TR-Manager@ChrysalisWine.com by March 8th. More information about this event can be found in the "Note to Our VIP Club Members" section of the newsletter. Want to join the party? Join the Club and RSVP today! To join our VIP Club CLICK HERE.
*Must be 21+ to attend. Held in our 21-and-over seating area.*
March 26th 5 - 6PM - Book Club (FREE TO ATTEND)
Join us at The Ag District Center, home to Chrysalis Vineyards, on Thursday, March 26th, from 5 to 6 PM for Book Club! Haven't read the book yet? No Problem. Come sip, listen to the discussion, and hear about next month's read!
*Must be 21+ to attend. Held in our 21-and-over seating area.*
March 28th 12 - 4PM - Farm Market Launch
Join us as we officially kick off The Farm Market at The Ag District with an afternoon of celebrating everything happening across the farm - with a special spotlight on the new farm products now available at The Ag District Center. We're thrilled to expand our offerings to include beef, chicken, pork, eggs, and more - making it easier than ever for you to take home the bounty of local agriculture. Throughout the day guests can enjoy paired wine and cheese tastings (fee applies), cheese samples and demonstrations, and more!
Interested in attending? Reach out to TR-Manager@ChrysalisWine.com.
NOTE TO OUR VIP CLUB MEMBERS
Join us on Friday, March 13th at 6 PM for our St. Patrick's Day Celebration. We'll be entertained by a showcase of Irish dancing presented by Foley Irish Dance as you enjoy the wines of the month and delicious Irish themed appetizers!
We kindly ask members to RSVP to TR-Manager@ChrysalisWine.com no later than Sunday, March 8th to reserve your spot. RSVPs received after March 8th 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 (2 per membership only). 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!
This March our VIP members will receive the 2024 Albariño and 2020 Papillon.
2024 Albariño | Wine Club White Selection This 100% stainless steel–fermented Albariño is medium-bodied and bursting with bright, lively flavors. Aromas of orange zest, honeydew, and grapefruit lead to a palate of nectarine, ripe peaches, and citrus fruits, perfectly balanced with crisp acidity. Classic stone fruit and tropical notes make this wine refreshing and expressive, a perfect companion for a special dinner.
2020 Papillon | Wine Club Red Selection The red selection for this month’s VIP shipment is the 2020 Papillon. This full-bodied blend of Tannat and Petit Verdot offers intense aromatics of licorice and dark fruit, evolving into complex notes of baking spices and dried cherries. On the palate, enjoy bold flavors of dark fruits, cardamom, and a smoky, lingering finish.
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
We're looking forward to the return of the green hills that surround The Ag District! To celebrate the return of green hills and St. Patrick's Day, our wine of the month for March is the 2023 Albariño Verde. This vinho verde style of Albariño differs from our Albariño Reserve because the fruit is picked slightly green, about 2 weeks ahead of the fuit harvested for the fuller bodied Albariño Reserve. This early pick retains the tropical fruit notes with aromas of pineapple and banana and flavors of fresh zested limes, sharp lemon rind, and ripe grapefruit.
We would also like to put special focus on some of the newest offerings at The Ag District. Our Farm Market area is filling out nicely with local beef, pork, chicken, and eggs with more to come. Be sure to stop by on March 27th for our Farm Market Launch!
- Lori Tate, Tasting Room Manager
REPORT FROM THE VINEYARD AND WINERY
While things are still fairly quiet in the vineyard and cellar, we do have a few activities to keep us busy in preparation for spring. Freddi, Filiberto, and their crew are continuing to prune and tie vines and repair trellising in the 50 acres of vineyards here at our Locksley Estate and the 20 acres at our Hollin vineyard in Delaplane.
We're also busy in our greenhouse! As the world's largest planting of Norton, we always need to have young vines available to replace damaged vines. Through the years we've developed a successful method for propagating vines from cuttings taken from dormant vines. These cuttings, with about 6-8 buds, are usually taken during December as the vineyard pruning gets underway. They are then sterilized, dipped in root hormone, and planted in perforated paper boxes called "bands". The real trick comes in the management of the temperatures in the greenhouse and proper watering. While we need the roots to be warm so that they develop, we need the exposed cutting to stay cool so that budbreak doesn't occur too early. If the vines were to develop leaves then the energy needed to grow strong roots would be depleted. Hot water runs through rubber tubing under the boxes that contain the plantings to warm the roots without raising the temperature of the surroundings too much. Large blue tarps are draped over the greenhouse difuse the light, provide shade, and keep the temperature from rising on warm, sunny days. This allows the cuttings to remain dormant while the roots grow vigorously. By the time spring arrives the cuttings have had a chance to grow strong roots and the leaves will naturally develop with the warm temperatures. Sometime in April when it's warm enough outside and we're beyound the threat of frost, the vines are moved outside to a protected area where they grow stronger before they are planted in our nursery area. After years of trial and error these methods produce vines with an impressive 70%-80% success rate when planted.
Our greenhouse program ensures the continuity of our healthy Norton vineyard. We also make these vines available for purchase to anyone starting or expanding their own Norton vineyard!
REPORT FROM LOCKSLEY FARMSTEAD CHEESE COMPANY
Hello there, from Locksley Farmstead Cheese! Spring is a popular time for gatherings of friends and family for all sorts of special occasions. Graduations, baby showers, birthdays, or just a backyard cookout for no particular reason - they're all perfect reasons to share a special treat. Be the host that everyone remembers or the guest that always gets invited back by bringing a charcuterie board to share! Sweet or savory, elegant or fun, these decorative appetizers can be designed to fit any occasion. To make them truly memorable make sure you select a variety of Locksley Farmstead Cheeses to include. Not only are they the most delicious cheeses you'll be able to find, they're also local, natural, and handmade - sure to impress everyone. If you're not up to the challenge of creating your own board just reach out to us at Cheesemaker@LocksleyCheese.com and we can create one specially for your occasion (orders must be placed at least 2 weeks ahead of pickup)!
- Teri Scott, General Manager
Spring is almost here… YAHOO!!! I can’t wait for the apparent lifelessness in the fields to burst forth everywhere with that wonderful greenness. Indeed, I always carry on about springtime because it’s my favorite time of year. Growing up in Florida all the plants were always green…
Anyway, enough on spring. I’m really excited to share some great news with you, which is why I picked a photo of a Chrysalis Vineyards branded barrelhead. But… I can’t, because I promised I wouldn’t. I’m chompin’ at the bit, but I have to wait until Monday.
So, watch your email on Monday for a special note from me.
Have a great weekend, be safe, stay warm and make some plans now to visit the beautiful Bull Run Mountains this spring.
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