OCTOBER 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
There’s so much happening at Chrysalis Vineyards right now—harvest is in full swing, Virginia Wine Month (October) is officially underway, and the autumn leaves are bringing back so many of our seasonal friends. To top it all off, one of our new favorite fall events is just around the corner!
Join us for our Annual U-Pick Norton Day & Winery Tour on Saturday, October 4th, from 11AM – 4PM (ticket details below). Come experience Virginia’s native grape firsthand, pick a few clusters for yourself, and enjoy a guided tour of the winery. As life gets busier and the holidays draw near, take a moment to slow down with us—sip, savor, and celebrate the beauty of fall at your favorite Virginia winery in the heart of wine country. Whether you’re joining us for U-Pick Norton, spending the afternoon with friends, or simply enjoying a glass surrounded by the colors of autumn, we look forward to sharing the season with you.
OCTOBER EVENTS:
Join us for music at Chrysalis Vineyards Saturdays from 2 - 5PM!
OCTOBER 4th - Joe Martin
OCTOBER 11th - Melanie Pearl
OCTOBER 18th - Andrew Renner
OCTOBER 25th - Patty Reese
*Live music at Chrysalis Vineyards will return in May 2026.*
OCTOBER 4th 11am - 4pm - Norton U-Pick Day and Winery Tour
Step into harvest season with a one-of-a-kind, hands-on celebration of Virginia’s native grape—Norton! Join us in the vineyard to pick your own grapes, then head behind the scenes for a winery tour and a guided tasting of wines in progress. Along the way, enjoy the festive atmosphere with local artisans on-site (Nollypop Boutique, Blackhorse Forge, and Loudoun Honey) plus the option to purchase a glass of wine from our select list or a freshly made sandwich from The Little River Bakehouse stand.
Tickets
25lb U-Pick & Winery Tour Ticket - $55
Includes:
- Admission for one adult
- Up to 25 lbs of hand-picked Norton grapes to take home
- Winery & barrel room tour
- Guided tasting of 5 wines in various stages of production
U-Pick Norton Child/Young Adult Ticket - $10
Includes:
- Admission for one child/young adult under 21
- Chance to assist with grape harvesting alongside a parent/guardian (Children must be accompanied by an adult ticket holder at all times.)
This is a rare opportunity to connect with Virginia’s Norton grape, experience winemaking up close, and take a piece of the harvest home with you.
CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE TICKETS
OCTOBER 16th 4 - 6pm - 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.
OCTOBER 30th 5 - 6pm - Book Club
Join us at Chrysalis Vineyards on Thursday, October 30th, from 5 - 6 PM for Book Club! This monthly gathering is completely free to attend. We are delighted to have the wonderful team from Loudoun County Public Library hosting and leading the discussions.
We will be reviewing: Mexican Gothic by Siliva Moreno-Garcia and tasting the Chrysalis Vineyards 2022 Mariposa, a wine that is the perfect complement for this month's read.
Haven't read the book for this month? Not a problem! Come listen to the discussion and gear up with the rest of the club for next month's read!
*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
Join us for a Chili Cook Off at our original tasting room location (23876 Champe Ford Road, Middleburg, VA 20117)! Bring your crock ready to rock (Warmed and ready to serve) and knock the socks off your fellow VIP Club members. Only one shall reign supreme. Not a cook and want to help judge the winner in the competition? Not a problem! Join us and taste through the delicious chilis of your fellow VIP members. This month's club party will take place Friday, October 10th at 6 PM.
Members must RSVP to TR-Manager@ChrysalisWine.com no later than Sunday, October 5th to reserve your spot. Please be sure to note in your RSVP whether or not you will be bringing a crockpot full of chili. RSVPs received after October 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, the number of people attending (2 per membership), and whether or not you will be bringing a crock pot full of chili to enter into the competition. 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 October, our VIP members will receive the 2023 Albariño Verde and 2021 Private Reserve Red.
The 2023 Albariño Verde is 100% Albariño. This wine has tropical aromatics comprised of banana and pineapple, reminiscent of sandy beaches and blue waters. The palate is greeted with racy acidity and slight pin pricks of effervescence with flavors of fresh zested limes, sharp lemon rind, and ripe grapefruit.
The 2021 Private Reserve Red is a blend of Norton, Nebbiolo, Tannat, and Petit Verdot. Norton contributes floral aromatics with notes of purple flowers and blackberries on the palate, while Petit Verdot and Tannat lend round tannins, ripe plum, and structure for a long, 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
As the days grow shorter and cooler nights settle in, the landscape comes alive with the beauty of autumn—golden leaves, crisp air, and the excitement of harvest season. October is Virginia Wine Month, and we invite you to come raise a glass with us at Chrysalis Vineyards.
This month, we’re celebrating with our Wine of the Month: 2021 Locksley Reserve Norton—our flagship red wine crafted from Virginia’s native grape, Norton. A gold medalist in the 2024 Virginia Governor’s Cup, this vintage opens with aromas of sage, tobacco, and dark red fruit, followed by flavors of black pepper, spice, and black currant.
Settle in at a table, take in the beauty of the fall scenery, and relax with a glass (or two) of wine. Feeling hungry? Pair your pour with Locksley Farmstead Cheese or explore our wide selection of food offerings, including weekly features that bring something new and exciting to the table.
Plan Your Fall Gathering
Autumn offers a beautiful setting to bring family and friends together at Chrysalis Vineyards. To reserve a space for your special gathering, reach out to us at TR-Manager@ChrysalisWine.com.
Join Our Team
We’ve been fortunate to have some of our VIP members’ young people and local teens join our weekend staff over the years. If you know someone 18+ looking for part-time work and extra spending money, we’d love to hear from them!
TR-Manager@ChrysalisWine.com
Cheers from the Tasting Room!
- Lori Tate, Tasting Room Manager
REPORT FROM THE VINEYARD
You know there’s been a lot of chatter within the industry about the strangeness of this year and how it’s impacted the vineyards. Most of Virginia is experiencing reduced yields across the board. However, it is the white varieties that seem to be the most significantly impacted, Petit Manseng at Chrysalis excluded.
This year started off very cold which had a greater impact on the vines then initially seen at bud break. We’ve seen longer and more spindly shoots, indicated by node, the space between buds. On average, these are around 3-4 inches, but this year, a lot the nodes seem to be stretching to around 4-6 inches. This indicates a lot of available water in the soil but also that the vines are stressed and need to grow as much as possible. This really isn’t a bad thing, per se, but it can be indicator of future problems.
Due to the constant rain during flowering, as a state, we experienced about a 30% reduction of yield with most of that impacting white varieties. That coupled with the fog, humidity, and cloudy days has resulted in higher disease pressure attacking fruit set, tacking on an additional yield reduction of 10%.
Fast forward to harvest, and the temperatures just keep falling. This is now resulting in stalled ripening across the state. A lot of the higher alcohol reds we’ve all come to enjoy here in Virginia will most likely be sitting at or around 12% this vintage. It could be worse for certain but this does affect physiological ripeness which will lend itself to more green bell pepper notes in Cabernets and Merlots.
But don’t fret, Chrysalis Vineyards grows Norton, a variety specifically native to Virginia’s constantly rebounding climate conditions. Unlike all of the other things we grow, our Norton yields haven’t suffered, the vines have pushed large amounts of foliage, and the fruit is quite tasty! Don’t believe me? Come out on October 4th from 11am to 4pm to our Norton U-Pick Day. You’ll have the opportunity to pick some Norton for yourself, tour the winery, and shop with some terrific vendors. Tickets can be purchased online!
CLICK HERE TO PUCHASE YOUR TICKETS
- Jake Blodinger, Winemaker
REPORT FROM THE CELLAR
Harvest is moving along like a dream. I’ve been working on some interesting things this year. For instance, I’m really excited about what we are going to be trying with the Petit Manseng. Petit Manseng has traditionally been used to make dessert wines from the French region of Jurançon and we typically use it to make our “sticky”, as Jenni would say, dessert Petit Manseng. This variety does this well because of its natural ability to bolster high sugar levels and sharp acids. The acid easily wrestling the perception of sweet on the palette makes for a delicious wine. The flavors in this style are reminiscent of honey suckle, golden raisins, and candied pears.
Petit Manseng has become a very popular variety here in Virginia encompassing more of a high acid dry to off dry white wine found in many tasting rooms. Outside of our dessert preparation we do use Petit Manseng in other wines in our lineup. In fact, every year, we pick a bit of Petit Manseng to have an additional component for our Private Reserve White, a wine specifically made for our club members. This addition of Petit Manseng to the Private Reserve typically brings a bit of acidity and those sweeter notes to the wine.
This year, we have a higher yield of high-quality fruit leaving us the opportunity to do a bit of “playing”. You know I don’t like to spoil things that may never come to fruition but rarely do we deviate from our popular styles of wine. This year we are thinking “why not?” All I will say is, we have some terrific P.Man fermenting in native style.
- Jake Blodinger, Winemaker
REPORT FROM LOCKSLEY FARMSTEAD CHEESE COMPANY
October is a golden month for farmstead cheese, as the crisp air and changing leaves signal the end of the grazing season. Farmstead cheese—crafted on-site from the milk of the farm’s own animals—reflects the terroir of its origin, and autumn brings a distinct richness to the flavor profile. As livestock begin to transition from fresh pasture to stored feed, the milk takes on deeper, creamier notes, which translate beautifully into aged cheeses like Little John Cheddar, Nottingham Gouda, and Merry Men Manchego.
October also marks the height of the busy season in the wine industry as we celebrate Virginia Wine Month. Nothing pairs better with delicious Virginia wine than delicious Virginia cheese. It’s the perfect time to build a rustic cheeseboard with a selection of Locksley Farmstead cheeses and complementary flavors like roasted nuts, fig jam, and mulled wine. Or wrap a wheel of Maid Marian Camembert in pastry dough, bake it, and top it with your favorite chutney. Whether you're stocking up for cozy nights or planning a Thanksgiving spread, farmstead cheese in October offers a delicious connection to the rhythms of the land and the artistry of small-scale dairy farming. And don’t forget to pick out a bottle of your favorite Chrysalis Vineyards wine to create the perfect Fall experience!
- Teri Scott, General Manager
Our “experiment” this harvest with Petit Manseng is worthy of a little historical exploration (I quoted it because I’m sure it’ll be fine… as Jake’s “I don’t like to spoil things that may never come to fruition…” expresses his usual caution and concern about our winemaking, which obviously is a good thing from my perspective. But they always come out great… or certainly very good, even in seasons where the weather has been a spoiler. Kudos to Jake, Fredy, Filiberto and his guys for their exemplary vineyard management and winemaking).
Patting myself on the back a bit, I’d like to remind folks that Chrysalis Vineyards, along with Horton Vineyards, had the first commercial planting of Petit Manseng in the U.S. In early 1997, Dr. Tony Wolf (Commonwealth Viticulturist and Director of Virginia Tech’s Alson H. Smith Jr. Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Winchester), was removing an experimental block of P. Man to make room for another grape varietal test. I was just starting Chrysalis Vineyards and my consultant, Alan Kinne, recommended that we save this variety. "OK", I said, and we sent off cuttings to New York State for grafting.
We planted Petit Manseng the following year, and in early 2002, I drafted and submitted an 18 page petition to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms to have P. Man added to the List of Prime Names for American Wines. In order to call a wine by its varietal name, it must appear on this list originally maintained by the BATF, now the TTB, Alcohol and Tobacco Tax & Trade Bureau. From Google AI:
Jennifer McCloud, the owner of Chrysalis Vineyards in Virginia, was granted permission by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (BATF)—a predecessor to the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB)—to include Petit Manseng on the list of approved grape variety names for American wines in 2002.
While McCloud secured administrative approval in 2002, the initial importation of Petit Manseng to Virginia was conducted earlier:
In the late 1980s, viticulturist Dr. Tony Wolf brought the grape to Virginia after obtaining budwood from the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station.
The first American wines varietally labeled as Petit Manseng were later produced from grapes grown at vineyards, including Chrysalis Vineyards, using this stock.
McCloud's petition was the official step needed to have the name recognized for use on wine labels.
And so, Chrysalis Vineyards produced the first Varietally Labeled Petit Manseng in the U.S. I’m proud of that! If you’re interest in reading the full Petition, you can find it here.
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