JANUARY 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
The new year has arrived, and winter has fully settled over The Ag District Center, home to Chrysalis Vineyards, Locksley Farmstead Cheese Company, and The Little River Bakehouse. As the days grow colder and the first snow falls, the farm eases into its naturally quieter season. In the vineyard, the rush of harvest has passed, and in the cellar, the pace slows as fermentation and pressing give way to a steadier winter rhythm. At the dairy, work quiets as well, with no hay to bale and a slower seasonal pace overall.
Even with this slower pace around the farm, our team is busy behind the scenes preparing for the year ahead. We are finalizing new events for the 2026 season, introducing fresh farm products, and working on exciting additions that we look forward to sharing with you soon.
If you're looking for a warm, inviting place to escape the cold, our tasting room is the perfect winter retreat. Each week, we're rolling out comforting seasonal features from The Little River Bakehouse alongside our delicious farm products. Come unwind, sip on the bold red wines of Chrysalis Vineyards, and savor the best of January with us.
ANNOUNCEMENT
Our farmstead offerings are expanding once again. In the coming weeks, we’ll be featuring pasture-raised pork, bringing even more Locksley Farmstead quality to your kitchen. From chops to roasts and everything in between, it’s a delicious addition to our lineup. While you’re here, be sure to explore our full selection of farm-fresh products, including grass-fed beef, pasture-raised chicken, and local eggs.
JANUARY EVENTS:
Live Music at the Ag District Center will return in May 2026.
January 9th at 6PM - VIP Pick-up Party - Bingo Night
CLUB MEMBERS ONLY - Club Members MUST RSVP to TR-Manager@ChrysalisWine.com by January 4th. 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.
January 17th 5 - 7:30 PM - Board Game Night
Join us for a relaxed evening of board games, wine, and fun in partnership with Middleburg Library. Sip your favorite wines, play a variety of games, and enjoy great company!
Held in our 21+ area.
Interested in attending?
Reach out to Jill Smedley at Jill.Smedley@TheAgDistrict.com.
January 29th 5 - 6pm - Book Club
Join us at The Ag District Center, home to Chrysalis Vineyards, on Thursday, January 29th, from 5 to 6 PM for Book Club! This month, we’re hosting our quarterly book and wine tasting to help choose next month’s read. Come sip, share, and help pick a great book, it’s sure to be a fun and memorable evening!
*This event is for adults 21+ year or older*
Interested in attending? Reach out to Jill Smedley at
Jill.Smedley@TheAgDistrict.com.
NOTE TO OUR VIP CLUB MEMBERS
Happy New Year VIPs of Chrysalis Vineyards! Join us on Friday, January 9th, at 6 PM for our Wine Bingo VIP Pick-Up Party and kick off the new year at Chrysalis Vineyards with some healthy competition!
We kindly ask members to RSVP to TR-Manager@ChrysalisWine.com no later than Sunday, January 4th to reserve your spot. RSVPs received after January 4th 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 January our VIP members will receive the 2023 Viognier and 2020 Tannat.
2023 Viognier | Wine Club White Selection
Our 2023 Viognier is thoughtfully crafted to highlight both aromatic expression and layered texture. Fermented using 100% wild yeast, this wine opens with vibrant aromatics of tropical fruit, tangerine, and delicate white flowers, offering an immediate sense of freshness and lift. Fermentation takes place in 100% neutral oak, enhancing mouthfeel and aromatic complexity without imparting any oak character. Throughout fermentation, bâtonnage is performed twice weekly on each individual barrel, gently stirring the lees to build richness and structure. After fermentation, the wine is carefully racked, and bâtonnage continues once per week, further enhancing depth and complexity. On the palate, the wine unfolds with flavors of ripe peach, dried apricot, and cantaloupe. The extensive bâtonnage lends a soft, creamy finish that lingers gracefully, creating a Viognier that is both expressive and elegantly balanced.
2020 Tannat | Wine Club Red Selection
Bold, structured, and built for longevity, the 2020 Tannat is a powerful expression of this classic varietal. Deep in color and character, this wine opens with reserved aromatics of smoke, tobacco, and spiced plums. On the palate, it is layered and complex, delivering firm structure and intensity with notes of licorice, black currant, and warm baking spices. Immense, mouth-coating tannins define the experience, leading into a long, warming, and 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
Happy New Year from your friends in the tasting room!
This January, we’re kicking things off with a great deal at the Ag District Center. When you buy two pizzas and mention PIZZA PROMO, you’ll receive a $5 voucher that can be applied towards a food purchase during your next visit.
This deal is the perfect excuse to gather with friends, enjoy a great meal, and settle in at The Ag District Center with a glass of wine in hand. Pair your pizza with one of our tasting room favorites, like our Nebbiolo or a bold Norton, and make a day of it.
This pizza deal also gives us the perfect opportunity to spotlight our Wine of the Month. Our 2020 Nebbiolo is an ideal pairing for many of the pizzas on our menu, offering inviting aromas of cedar, Bing cherry, and licorice, followed by notes of raspberry, baking spices, and plum on the palate. It pairs especially well with the Alsatian, Bacon Gouda, and Meat Lover's pizzas.
A delicious experience awaits. See you in the tasting room!
- Lori Tate, Tasting Room Manager
REPORT FROM THE VINEYARD AND WINERY
January in the Vineyard
Pruning & Propagation While many aspects of the winery slow down after harvest, work in the vineyard never fully stops. January marks our return to the vines, with the focus shifting from fruit to long-term vine health. This is pruning season, a critical step in setting the vines up for the coming year and for future vintages.
Winter Pruning
Each winter begins with rough pruning, also known as pre-pruning. Unlike final pruning, where canes are cut back to just two to four buds, rough pruning intentionally leaves extra growth behind, typically six to eight additional buds beyond the primary spurs. This gives us flexibility later in the season and provides material for propagation.
Pruning is as much about evaluation as it is about cutting. Each vine is assessed individually for overall health, disease pressure, and structural integrity. The crew inspects shoots and arms for signs of winterized disease, which may appear as black spotting, healed scarring in the wood, or knotting along the trunk and canes, often indicators of virus. Any compromised wood is removed and taken out of the vineyard.
Physical damage is also addressed during this process. High winds can force canes against wires or posts, bending them sharply and weakening their structure. If a shoot looks questionable, it is removed to protect the vine’s long-term productivity.
Propagation in the Greenhouse Alongside pruning, Freddy and the crew begin selecting shoots for propagation. Ideal cuttings come from healthy, balanced vines and are no thicker than a pencil. Once collected, the cuttings are trimmed to about 10 inches, or roughly 10 buds, cleaned, dipped in rooting hormone, and planted into nutrient-rich soil housed in paper boxes.
Each box is placed into trays of 24 and moved into the greenhouse. Beneath the trays, warm water circulates through small black hoses, keeping soil temperatures around 80 degrees and encouraging healthy root development. The cuttings are maintained with daily watering and consistent warmth, and within a few weeks, new root systems begin to form.
Growing Norton, From the Ground Up
Did you know? Chrysalis Vineyards is home to the largest planting of Norton in the world. Of the 70 acres of grapes we grow, 40 acres are dedicated entirely to Norton, the Real American Grape!®. Many of those vines were propagated right here on-site. This year, we are preparing approximately 10,000 Norton vines. After spending early spring in the greenhouse, they will be planted in the nursery in April and May, continuing the cycle that keeps our Norton program growing strong.
REPORT FROM LOCKSLEY FARMSTEAD CHEESE COMPANY
Well, winter is here, and as Thomas Paine said, “These are the times that try men’s souls”. While he was referring to the struggle for American independence from England, it’s just as applicable to farming, especially dairy farming, in the winter. Our cows don’t get a break from the harsh weather, and neither do Steven, our dairy manager, or Randy, his assistant. Through all the worst days of cold, windy, and snowy weather, our herd needs to be fed, cared for, and milked twice every single day. That means tromping out into muddy fields, driving on icy roads, working in freezing conditions, and even sleeping in the dairy parlor when big storms are approaching. The health and safety of our animals are our top priorities, and our farmers certainly sacrifice their personal comfort to ensure that the job gets done.
The work that our dairy staff puts in is just the first step in creating our delicious farmstead cheeses, but it’s definitely the hardest and most important step. So, support our farmers… stop by the Ag District Center and pick up some Locksley Farmstead Cheese. And the next time we get a winter storm, enjoy it with a nice bottle of Chrysalis Vineyards wine and be thankful that we have farmers who work hard to bring us such fine, local agricultural products.
- Teri Scott, General Manager
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
And what’s the traditional, perfect wine to ring in the New Year? Champagne? Yes, but there’s absolutely no need to source your “sparkler” all the way from France (and pay the Big Bucks!). You can get a perfect glass of small-bubble, spritzy, yeasty… yet fruity flute right from The Ag District here in Middleburg!
I’m talking about our very own Albariño sparkling wine, Farfalla. And it really gives a quality Champagne a run for its money. Perfect, not just for toasting the new year, but for almost all of your holiday meals and entertaining. Sparkling wines go with practically any dish; it's really the only type of wine (white, red, rosé, sweet, etc.) that can.
A lot of our friends and customers don’t know about this fantastic bubbly. It doesn’t allow for easy sampling in our tasting room, since it’s a Pét-Nat (Pétillant Naturel, French for naturally sparking, which they call the Méthode Traditionnelle, or traditional method of making sparkly wine). The bubbles get lost after hours of being open, and the yeast that has remained in the bottle goes into suspension, clouding the wine. BTW, that doesn’t impair the flavor, but opening and pouring the whole bottle at once is the way to go with this wine. That said, you can open it for a glass, put a sparkling-wine stopper on the bottle, and let it settle in the fridge for a couple days. And it will be just as spritzy when you want to enjoy the rest days later. It’s one of my go-to dinner wines during the holidays. It's FESTIVE!!!
Anyway, swing by the Ag District Center and pick up a few bottles for the Holidays. Find out just how much your friends and family will be complimenting your sparkling wine sense! And, while taking the first sips, you can explain the history of this neat type of wine. I've linked a primer on Pét-Nat wines to brush up on your own wine knowledge right here.
Have a very Happy, Safe and Productive 2026.
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