Even on a Cold Day, Viticulturist Lisa O’Conner Feels the Warmth at Wessex Hundred
Lisa O'Conner will tell you she chooses to forgo manicures and makeup as Viticulturist at the Williamsburg Winery. Neither works for her in the elements that range from pouring rain, falling snow on a cold morning and 102 degrees on a July afternoon. No matter what's going on outside,, she can’t imagine being anywhere else except among 60 acres of vineyards at the Wessex Hundred Farm. Her passion for the outdoors is only rivaled by what she feels for Williamsburg Winery owner
A Toast to the Williamsburg Winery for a Platinum & Four Golds at International Competition
Raise a glass to Petit Manseng! Better yet, take a sip of the Williamsburg Winery’s 2019 Petit Manseng, which achieved the Platinum Award at the 2021 Winemaker Challenge International Wine Competition. You could call the 13th annual event the Academy Awards of wine judging. Medal winners are determined after judges sample thousands of entries via blind taste testing. The 2019 Petit Manseng earned 94 points and is one of only two wines in the Commonwealth to earn a Platinum Me
A New Way to Enjoy a Flight of Wine at the Williamsburg Winery
Sit. Sip. Savor. Take part in a new tasting experience at the Williamsburg Winery ‘s Susan Constant Hall, adjacent to the Retail Wine Shop. “We’re changing from the standard tasting format with people standing at a bar and making it completely different,” said Williamsburg Winery Founder Patrick Duffeler. “We wanted to have enough small tables, some for two, some for four, some for six, so people can leisurely enjoy wine.” Replacing a “grab-and-go” approach to wine tasting an
Going Behind the Scenes with a More Personal Patrick Duffeler in his New Book
As much as the Williamsburg Winery has evolved over the last 20 years, so, too, has its founder, Patrick Duffeler. Readers of the second edition of “The Art and Science of Viticulture and Winemaking at the Williamsburg Winery,” released May 19, 2021, will not just learn about the labor-intensive process to make and store quality wine — topics from the original book published in 2002. Unlike the text heavy first edition, this coffee table book is visually appealing with photog
Second Edition of “The Art and Science of Viticulture and Winemaking at the Williamsburg Winery”
Williamsburg, Virginia — The second edition of “The Art and Science of Viticulture and Winemaking at the Williamsburg Winery” featuring stunning photographs from the Wessex Hundred farm and a behind-the-scenes look at Virginia’s most storied winery will be released on May 19. Authored by Williamsburg Winery founder Patrick Duffeler, the 168-page book offers an intimate look inside the 400-acre farm that is home to a four-star hotel, a countryside restaurant and one of the lar
A Friendship Forged in Motor Racing
Patrick Duffeler and Clyde Berryman are fast friends. The founder of the Williamsburg Winery and the once co-owner of the Williamsburg Art Gallery share more than a love of wine and fine art. Each has ties to motor racing and yet . . . “I would say Clyde is more of a fan of motor racing than I am,” says Duffeler, who played an integral role in that sport’s history by creating the inaugural Marlboro Formula One car team for his employer at the time, Philip Morris. Raised in Tr
The Williamsburg Winery and the Chesapeake Bay Wine Classic Celebrate 30 Years Together
The Chesapeake Bay Wine Classic will celebrate its 30th anniversary in November 2021, and for all three decades, the Williamsburg Winery has been along for the ride. Thirty years ago, when real estate developer Bob Stanton wanted to start a local wine festival, he made a call to Patrick Duffeler. “May I call you Patrick?” he asked the founder of the Williamsburg Winery. “Absolutely,” replied Duffeler, whose winery was in its infancy at the time. The first planting of grapes o
