Potomac Point Winery

As golf course designers will tell you, the designed environment you place your guests should be both familiar and new. By including touches that are stored in their memory of previous positive experiences, Potomac Point Winery succeeds in getting the mind to accept and embrace a new Tuscan themed winery located just minutes from Route 1 near Stafford.

Approaching over the gentle rise of the gravel driveway, the “Point” appears like a mirage perched on the hill. Containing a winery, a bistro as well as a 2,500 square foot ballroom, the red brick façade of the U shaped winery building is deceptive in its diminutive appearance.

Entering the expansive tasting room, the visitor’s perspective shifts. The high ceiling and recessed alcoves are reminiscent of the cellars on the first floor of the Niebaum-Coppala Estate in Napa Valley. The large central granite tasting bar was elegantly designed to provide for a personal tasting experience even during the high season.

Much can be said about a winery’s commitment to the tasting experience by evaluating the stemware used in the tasting room. Potomac Point’s tasting glasses are of high quality and are large enough to allow guests to fully swirl the wine without fear.

Moving through the many wine themed accessories in the tasting room, one finds the Potomac Point Bistro. Modern high top tables surround the outside of the room providing excellent perspective on the hillside vineyards.

Serving lunch Wednesday-Sunday, the Bistro provides guests the opportunity to dine in the comfort of the winery building or the courtyard. The New Orleans influence is easy to spot in the genteel comfort of the courtyard. Featuring market style umbrellas and a fountain, the 2,200 square foot plaza offers visitors the perfect perch to enjoy a glass of Potomac Point Chardonnay along with the cool breeze in the shade.

Potomac Point is the realization of a dream for Skip and Cindi Causey. In direct opposition to their description of the winery as a “Hobby gone wild”, the Potomac Point property has all the markings of a well designed and well executed master plan. The couple visited over 80 Virginia wineries, as well as establishments in California, Italy and Spain. Surprisingly it was after a trip to New Orleans that Skip penciled out the plans for their estate winery on the flight home.

The start of any journey begins with the all important and often challenging first big step. Once the plans were completed, Cindi took an early retirement from her career as an emergency management professional to dedicate all her activities to the construction and opening of the estate winery.

From the beginning, the Causeys wanted to have a special space for guests to create lifelong memories. The top floor of the three story proposal tower includes a special room with a table for two and special perspective of the vineyards and the umbrellas below.

The Richland Ballroom was designed to accommodate weddings and other important life milestones. Brides are able to select a wide variety of options for the ceremony and reception on the estate including grape stomping.

Brides often choose to prepare for their special day deep in the winery’s “Coyote Cave” so named for the mother and pup that walked across the still curing concrete slab during construction. The cellar doors of the cave open to the vineyard where the bride can walk down the rows to the specially designed gazebo to exchange nuptial vows. Open only a few months, Potomac Point Winery was listed as a “Top Five Not-to-Be Missed Stunning Wedding Sites” by Virginia Bride magazine.

Winemaking is both an art and a science. The subtle, gentle hand of an experienced winemaker can nudge a wine from good to very good. Potomac Point’s 2006 Richland Reserve Viognier is such a wine. Aged in French oak barrels and stainless steel, this excellent vintage earned a Gold Medal in the prestigious Governors’ Cup Competition.

All of Potomac Point wines have an understated elegance, a flavor profile that is more common in France than California. Gentle undertones of oak highlight rather than overpower the fruit.

Chardonnay is one of the more versatile wines in the world. Unfortunately, that versatility often results in “Plain Jane” Chardonnay’s that are over oaked to hide flaws in the wine. Not so at Potomac Point, their 2006 Chardonnay is fermented in French Oak but the oak plays only a supporting role in the flavor profile allowing the ripe pear and mango express themselves in the nose. Excellent balance provides a touch of acid on the midpalate leading to a lingering slightly buttery finish.

Potomac Point’s red wine program is equally enticing. Their 2006 Richland Reserve Heritage wine is a Bordeaux style blend of Malbec, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. The resulting fruit forward wine features black cherry and plum on the attack and a rich, albeit quick, velvety finish.

The Potomac Point 2006 Norton [a hybrid grape developed in 1820 by Richmonder Dr. Daniel N. Norton] is an excellent medium dry wine featuring rich ruby color and a slightly sweet, but tart-like finish.

With their new and growing portfolio of wines, Potomac Point is looking forward to new releases in 2008 including a Vintage Port and a Sparkling wine.

Sitting on the veranda with a glass of Potomac Point Petit Verdot watching the sun set behind the rolling hills, it is clear the Causeys’ passion and investment are quickly making Stafford an important destination in Virginia wine country.

Neil Williamson is a Virginia wine lover. He highly recommends Potomac Point’s 2006 Norton. He can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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