Arriving at Veritas Vineyard and Winery, you drive through a few of the vines and down the hill.  The winery sits somewhat unassumingly below the parking area.  Only as you round the corner of the oversized wrap around porch do you begin see the incredible view of this unique property.  Situated just of I-64 this Nelson County winery is known as being “easy to find and hard to leave”.  

Founded by Patricia and Andrew Hodson in 2002, Veritas has expanded a number of times to accommodate both the increase in wine production, now around 10,000 cases, as well as their special events.  Beyond just winemaker dinners and weddings the expansive Saddleback Hall recently served as the venue for their New Year’s Eve Masked Ball.  Guests came from far and wide to dress to the nines and dance the night away.  

In the summer the “Starry Nights” concert series provides live music to accompany one of the most glorious sunsets in all of Virginia wine.  Bands selected tend to have a wide audience so families as well as thirty-somethings can all “get their groove on”.  Last year’s series featured Beatles cover band Abbey Road as well as Jim Waive and The Young Divorcees. 

Veritas is a true family business. Owned and operated by Andrew and Patricia, daughter Chloe is in charge of hospitality as she manages the tasting room operations ensuring the best possible visit for each and every guest.  Winemaking responsibilities fall to daughter Emily.

Working with her father, Emily has been involved in Veritas winemaking since the very beginnings of the winery.  She took this practical knowledge to Virginia Tech where she earned her Masters Degree in Enology.  Over the years, Emily’s gentle nudges to the wines have not gone unnoticed.  Her wines have won countless medals and she was awarded the Judges Choice Award at the National Women’s Wine Competition in 2007. 

When done well, winemaking is all about capturing passion in a bottle.  At Veritas, Andrew, Emily (and assistant winemaker Jessica “Jessi” Gatewood) bring both the science and the art of winemaking to every vintage.  

The wines of Veritas benefit from their vineyards’ mesoclimate at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains.  The resultant wines tend to be slightly brighter and have more complexity in the midpalate.

The 2011 Sauvignon Blanc is very young harvested just a few months back.  The growing conditions produced a slightly fuller, less austere, wine but retained the lemon grass and minerality I cherish in Sauvignon Blanc.  This crisp wine would pair well with a grilled white fish and a summer’s evening.

White Star is, as the name suggests, a white wine blend. Using Viognier, Tramminette, Chardonnay and Vidal Blanc, Veritas creates a complex wine with layers of tropical tones throughout.  The wine presents in the glass with a rich straw color.  The nose leads with sweet, slightly overripe peaches and an undercurrent of cantaloupe.  The crisp attack has nice acidic balance without being sharp.  Bright apricot tones lead to a midpalate that widens to provide continuing tropical notes including mango.  The crisp and clean finish lingers ever so slightly with hints of orange, grapefruit and nectarine.

The complementary wine to White Star is Red Star, fruit forward blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Chambourcin.  The nose on this wine reminds me of a late summer farmer’s market filled with cherry and raspberry notes.  A bright fruit forward attack leads to a surprisingly complex midpalate of cascading flavors.  Plum, red licorice and black cherry all appear in supporting roles. A soft full mouth feel is accented by   tasty oak influences.

The finish is smooth featuring silky tannins with cherry notes hints of black pepper and caramel delightfully lingering on the rear of the palate.   This earthy wine will pair exceedingly well with braised beef, baked ziti or a hearty vegetable soup.  

Virginia is well known for its Cabernet Franc.  Classically a blending grape, Cab Franc has grown over the last 15 years into a strong independent varietal.  In the glass, Veritas 2010 Cabernet Franc is rich shade of ruby hinting at the depth of flavor beneath.  The subtle attack leads to a medium bodied midpalate with rich gentle tannins.  The memorable finish features hints of black pepper and caramel.  

Often people get wound up in the romance of the wine industry.  At the heart, winegrowing is farming.  The 2011 growing season featured 21 days of continuous cloud cover and rain just as the fruit should have been ripening.  Despite all the best practices in the vineyard, there was little to be done other than accept what Mother Nature had provided.  

Andrew recently wrote about the challenges of the 2011 growing season, “It brings to mind ….the bit about the guy who jumped from the Empire State building as he passed each floor saying “So far so good.” Well, that was this summer.”

Over the years, Veritas always seems to be up to something.  Despite the climactic challenges of 2011 (as a result of them actually), Veritas will be launching their new “Pink Star” wine later this year. In addition, as Patricia and Andrew move out of the Farm House into their new abode (aptly named Fawlty Towers), they are preparing to repurpose their previous home as an exquisite Virginia Wine County Bed and Breakfast. 

Working as a family, the Hodsons and the entire staff of Veritas Vineyard and Winery continues to set the pace for Virginia wines.

Neil Williamson is the Chairman of The Virginia Wine Club Tasting Panel and the Editor of The Virginia Wine Journal.  He can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it