I tried visiting WineTree Vineyards before when I was in the area, but I was driving from the opposite direction, and there were no signs really indicating where it was. So we passed it up. THIS TIME, I took I-77 right to the Emerson Avenue exit and found WineTree Vineyards with no problems at all. 

WineTree Vineyeards is a farm, vineyard and winery all in one. Craig and Candice Bandy purchased the WineTree Farm in 2001 to expand their grape-growing abilities, which they had been doing as a hobby for years. They sold the first bottle of wine in 2008, and produce traditional style dry white and red wines, as well as sweet wines.



When we first walked in, there were folks already there. So, we kind of had to mill about the tasting area waiting for our turn. There are no appointments at WineTree; instead, the WineTree Vineyards Tasting Room is open Memorial Day through Labor Day from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. From September through May, the tasting room is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. January and February, tastings are available 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday and weekdays by appointment.



This wine tasting differed from the others in that the actual owner was not there to talk us through the wines; instead, the daughter helped out. While she had a good handle on the the wines, there were a few questions she wasn't able to answer. Also odd was two guys who were hovering at the appointment, trying to condescendingly be funny ('Let me guess your names! Is it Brittany?'). So, the vibe here was totally different from the others.

They have a good number of wines, including noiret, cabernet sauvignon, red satin, riesling, chardonnay, traminette, cayuga white, Lighthouse (off-dry white wine), MainSail (a dry white), catawba, angel blush (blend of catawba and fredonia), fredonia, and hummingbird (blend of two North American native grapes and Cayuga white). I liked their sweeter wines more than their dry ones. And I ended up taking home a bottle of the hummingbird!

To visit: Take the Emerson Avenue Exit off of I-77, go west on Rt 68 towards Parkersburg for 200 yards. Jesterville road is directly across from the Emerson Commons entrance. Drive 0.7 miles down Jesterville road and look for the signs. The vineyard, tasting room, and gift shop are on the right side of the road.

WineTree Vineyards is located at 772 Jesterville Road, Vienna, WV 26105. 304-865-0507. Main phone is 304-481-4856.

You may have seen the road-themed wines from Stone Road Vineyard located in Italian restaurants or wine shops around West Virginia: Flashing Yellow, Headlight White, Curves Ahead, Right on Red. Dave Stone had always been a big car guy, and when he and his wife Lynne retired from teaching, it made sense to incorporate some of Dave's car love into their new winery.



Vu ja de helped me get to Stone Road Vineyard, located in Elizabeth, but I did manage to take one small turn at the end that I wasn't supposed to, but quickly corrected. No cell phone service at this location, so be sure to get exact directions before you venture here.



Once we parked, the first thing I asked is if they had a restroom (hey, I had been driving for hours at this point in the country, so no place was nearby!). They actually led me into their home - which was super kind of them. This led to a mini tour of the vineyards, which grow along the hillside overlooking some beautiful West Virginia mountains.





The winery, created in 2004, features a dozen wines. We tried all of them in their tasting area, which doubles as their production area. But Dave hopes that isn't a forever thing. They intend to expand and have more space on the second floor of the building.



We worked from the bottom to the top of the list, starting with the earthy reds. Mountain Man is a special dry red blend, which had some big flavors. Merging Traffic is a dry red blend - burgundy. Limited Access is an old vine zinfandel. Share the Road is a cabernet that comes oaked or unoaked; I preferred the oaked.



Right on Red is a merlot, Cross Road Red is a blend, and Stoplight Red is also a blend (and one of my favorites). Curves Ahead uses a barbera grape. Road Flare Red is a blackberry merlot (mmm). One Way White is a green apple riesling that tastes exactly like a jolly rancher. Headlight White was another favorite, and Flashing Yellow is more of a dry white.

This winery had the most options available, plus a whole spread of cheeses, crackers and even some fresh fruit. I ended up taking home a bottle of the Headlight White. And luckily, they pointed me in the right direction to the last and final winery of the trip - WineTree Vineyards. Written directions in hand, we were on our way.





Tastings are by appointment only: 304-481-3591. Stone Road Vineyard is located at 1800 Morehead Ridge, Elizabeth, WV 26143. Your GPS and cell phone aren't going to be much help here, so chat with them, and they'll be happy to bring you to them!

The next stop along our West Virginia wine tour was Vu ja de Vineyards, which gets its name from being the opposite of déjà vu - so experiencing something you've never encountered before.



"Somehow there is a sense that there is a secret, a mystery about us. Although once they know a little more about the name & the wine they never forget us. Vu ja de Vineyards is nestled in the rolling hills of West Virginia, we are the new high-end small boutique winery and we aim to be the very best at what we do everyday!"

Ever since I moved back to Morgantown, I don't see some of my best girlfriends as much as I'd like to. So, we had a "Girls Day," which included wine. Lots of wine.

We took a tour through what I've termed West Virginia's wine country. There are four wineries currently in the area of Spencer-Elizabeth-Parkersburg. Our first stop was at Chestnut Ridge Winery.

Chestnut Ridge Winery, named after the road it's located on, has not been around for a super long time - just since 2012 - but they have been active in the winery market in West Virginia, pushing to help create a "wine tour" of sorts in West Virginia.

They offer a number of wines, from dry to very fruit-forward. I liked the Gewurztraminer, which was crisp and very summery. The pomegranate was also quite tasty, and they only had about one or two bottles left. But the standout for me - and many others that I've heard - is the peach chardonnay. It's sweet, smooth and light.

A plate of crackers helped cleanse our palates inbetween tastings. They intent to add a pizza oven to the building so they can offer actual meals to patrons, in addition to simple crackers and cheese for tastings.

The Spencer winery has a beautiful tasting room with plenty of space for events. It is surrounded by beautiful views and an artist's colony. The owners, Phillip and Teresa Holcomb, are entirely welcoming and talented. The space they have cultivated is not only beautiful with beautiful artistry displayed around the property, but it's fun -with plenty of space inside and outside on the wraparound porch to visit with friends.

Chestnut Ridge Winery is located at 15 Chestnut Ridge, Spencer, WV 25276. Once you get to Spencer, there are small signs leading you up to their location. Follow those signs all the way back until you reach the tasting room. The winery is open to public tastings Wednesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. No appointments are necessary, but I think it's always a good idea to make sure they'll be at their location and not at an event around the state. Phone: 304-377-5721 or 304-927-4831. Chestnutridgewinery@gmail.com.

More reading: http://www.wvliving.com/West-Virginia-Food/Fall-2014/Chestnut-Ridge-Winery/