Editor’s Note — if you’re looking for additional Charlottesville recommendations, here are some other posts to check out:
- Charlottesville Travel Guide
- A Girls’ Weekend in Charlottesville
- Pippin Hill Farm & Vineyards
- Afton Mountain Vineyards
- Jefferson Vineyards + A Few Charlottesville Restaurant Recs
- King Family Vineyards + A Few More Cville Restaurant Recs
- Early Mountain Vineyards & My New Favorite Restaurant in Charlottesville
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Last weekend, I went down to Charlottesville to visit my friend Molly and hang out in the best college town in America! I try to get down to Charlottesville a few times a year, and it’s a great place to visit for a weekend trip since it’s a quick drive and I don’t feel like I need to cram everything into a weekend as I’ve covered a lot of ground since I first moved into UVA dorms in fall 2009. While a lot of times on my Cville trips to visit Molly, we fall into the same routine of heading to King Family Vineyards and post up for an afternoon—but this past weekend, we decided to mix it up and head to Merrie Mill Farm & Vineyard.
Located in Keswick, Virginia, just a short drive away from Charlottesville, I first learned about this super cute winery from TikTok! While the property has been a farm since 1857, the tasting room just opened this year. We loved the vibe and the wine, and are already talking about our next visit back! All the seating inside is first come, first serve, as are the majority of the tables out on their lawn—the terrace, however, is reservation-only. (I would check back before you go to confirm this is still the case—I bet this winter the indoor tables will be available via reservation.) We booked a reservation on the covered part of the terrace in advance—there was a two-hour limit on the table, but once our time was up, we didn’t want to leave, so we moved inside and were lucky enough to snag the couch area right by the fireplace. (Molly and I didn’t take up that whole area by ourselves—her sister and some friends came to join us, too!)
Since we had never enjoyed Merrie Mill’s wine before, we started with a tasting—it included a rosé, a viognier, an estate white, an estate red, and a petit verdot. As a shock to no one, my favorite was the rosé, so that’s what I drank after we finished our tasting—there’s nothing better than a cold glass of wine on a HOT summer day!
Merrie Mill does allow outside food if you’re outside, but we hadn’t brought any since we ate a huge breakfast at Beer Run prior to heading to the winery. As such, later in the afternoon, we ordered a snack off the menu—which all looked delicious! We did the caprese salad, which had fresh tomatoes, and it was so good.
Count me in as a huge fan of Merrie Mill Farm & Vineyard—I can’t wait to make a return trip next time I am in Charlottesville!
