Disclaimer – The writer was employed by Prince Michel (under different ownership) from 1999-2002.

Founded in 1980, Prince Michel (Me-shell) Vineyard and Winery is one of the pioneers in the modern era of Virginia wine.  Today, through a vineyard designate labeling program, innovative retail strategies, expanded distribution and the introduction of a number of new varietals, Prince Michel Vineyards is aging gracefully and increasing in complexity.  

Located directly on US 29, Prince Michel is a quick day trip from Old Town Alexandria.  In fact, with their new neighbor, Sweely Estate Winery (featured in last month’s Grapevine), sleepy little old Madison County is fast becoming a wine destination.

Owner Kristin Holzman has invigorated Prince Michel with an exciting energy and youthful pizzazz.  This verve is best expressed by the wide array of new items available in the wine boutique.  While staying true to the roots of the shop being clearly in wine, Holzman has vastly expanded the offerings to include a variety of gifts for the wine newbees (wine slushy mix) as well as the established connoisseur (high end closures and decanters). From hand painted artwork to blown glass to porcelain sculptures, anyone seeking a unique gift should explore Prince Michel’s ever changing inventory.    

In a new retail strategy, Prince Michel Vineyard and Winery are preparing to open a new tasting room in Old Town Alexandria.  The King Street operation will feature all of Prince Michel’s vintages as well as many of the unique items that can only be found in the Prince Michel Wine Boutiques.

Prince Michel is one of the best distributed wines in the state with placements in retailers and restaurants from Old Town Alexandria to Southside as well as Maryland, the District of Columbia and North Carolina.  The winery’s popularity can be traced to two key wine elements, quality and consistency.  

The person most directly responsible for product quality and consistency is Winemaker Brad Hansen.  Formally trained in wine by Dr. Richard Vine at Mississippi State University, Hansen served internships at well-known Washington State leaders Chateau St. Michelle and Columbia Crest.  Prior to joining Prince Michel’s winemaking team ten years ago, Hansen served as Director of Wine Operations at Chateau Elan in Northern Georgia.   

Overseeing one of the largest volume wineries in Virginia, Hansen’s wide ranging background has served him well.  His first hand understanding of wine growing has helped him establish long term growing goals with his vineyard partners pushing quality over quantity.  With an affable smile and easy going demeanor, Hansen runs a lean cellar operation augmented during harvest by a number of interns from around the world.

The wines of Prince Michel are known for consistency across vintages and their integrity to the varietal character of the grapes presented.  The 2006 Dry Rosé is made from 100% Merlot and features a flavor profile highlighting raspberry, strawberry and rhubarb (yes, my notes said rhubarb).  Stainless steel processing provides this wine a fruit forward attack and solid mid-palate along with a clean crisp finish.  The Dry Rosé is an excellent choice for summer barbeques or just sipping on the deck after a full day.

Eighty-Five percent of the 2006 Prince Michel Chardonnay was fermented in Stainless Steel with the balance fermented in new French oak barrels.  The stainless steel process allows the fruit to express its subtle apple and peach nose while the oak provides a bit of structure on the very clean finish.  The ’06 Chardonnay is an excellent wine to pair with a not too spicy grilled chicken dish.

Without being pretentious many of Prince Michel’s Vineyard Designated wines provide Winemaker Hansen a creative outlet working with highly selective, hand picked fruit in his personal style designed to capture the complexity in the glass.

The 2006 Quaker Run Syrah is an excellent example of the benefits of a slowly aged hand crafted wine.  Harvested from Quaker Run Orchards and Vineyards in Madison County’s spectacular Grave’s Mountain Lodge region, the wine spent twenty-one months in French oak from the Allier forest in Burgundy.  The resulting vintage has a tight nose with cigar box and hints of lavender undertones.  The French oak subdues the fruit on the attack generating a more subtle dark stone fruit feel, the mid palate is fully developed leading to a memorable finish.  Drinking great now, this wine will only improve over the next two to three years with proper storage.

The premier wine in Prince Michel’s red portfolio is Symbius.  The tasting room is currently pouring the 2005 vintage of this red Bordeaux-style blend.  The blend changes each vintage dependent on the characteristics of the fruit available.  The 2005 vintage is 48% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Cabernet Franc and 10% Petit Verdot.  Aged twenty seven months in French oak, the Merlot dominated wine has a subtle attack and a mid palate that explodes with round full tannins featuring dark black cherry and anise undertones.  The extended barrel aging results in exceedingly integrated undercurrents from each of the grapes included in the blend.  This dark, well balanced wine ends with a lasting finish.

After 29 years, Prince Michel Vineyard and Winery continues to innovate and reimagine new retail concepts and new wines.  Prince Michel’s leadership in quality and consistency will keep their award winning wines flowing from Madison County across the state and beyond.

Neil Williamson is the President of The Trellis Group, a marketing consultancy focused on Virginia wineries.  He can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it


Vintner Spotlight


Brad Hansen
Winemaker
Prince Michel Vineyard and Winery

Hometown—Seattle, Washington; present—Madison, Virginia

Item in always in my fridge:  Goat Cheese

Most Challenging Wine Pairing:  Greek salad

Best Thing about the Virginia Wine Industry: We are such a young industry and as such we are still in the exploration stage.  For example, we are still finding new vineyard sites and experimenting with different grape varieties and stylistic blends.  Also, I’ve always found my fellow wine makers open and willing to share their experiences.

Worst Thing about the Virginia Wine Industry:  Since we are such a young industry, we have had some past missteps from which we are still healing.  I however look at this as an opportunity to show off how far we have come in such a short period of time.

Favorite saying/bumper sticker:  “I’d rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy.”

Comfort Food:  Black-eyed peas and turnip greens.

Most Embarrassing Moment:  I once lead an entire room full of people in singing happy birthday to a lady at one of my wine dinners.  The problem was that it wasn’t her birthday, yet she didn’t correct me until I had finished all the verses.  I then had to go to the correct “birthday girl” at the next table and repeat the entire song while everyone giggled at my mistake.  It was actually pretty fun!

Most Overrated Virtue:  I suppose you’d think a wine maker would say “temperance”, but I actually think all virtues are Underrated.  

Favorite Wine(s):  Any wine I can share with my wife.

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