Petersburg is a historic city about a half hour south of Richmond, with a charming, cobblestone-street Old Town district that's less popular and more walkable than its more populated/popular sister city to the north. Petersburg, like Richmond, was pretty much ravaged during the Civil War, the famous Appomattox River flowing through the city's northern border and providing key access to the James River. Battlefields surround the city, giving the city a haunted vibe (weird Virginia fact #45: The only house made out of tombstones in the country is in Petersburg). The battlefields include the site of the horrific Battle of the Crater (depicted in the 2003 film Cold Mountain). You can spend your morning touring the battlefields, visit two nearby wineries during the afternoon, and finish up at a variety of cool spots in the Old Towne district of Petersburg.
Morning:
Tour the battlefields!
The blogmaster in front of a piece of artillery:
The Crater:
Chimney:
Afternoon:
Winery time!
Two wineries are located east of the Petersburg/Hopewell/Colonial Heights corridor: New Kent Winery and Saudé Creek Vineyards.
New Kent Winery is a unique location as it is the only winery that we're aware of in the state that was developed as not only a wine destination, but a permanent housing community. This is a planned community not far from the busy I-64 corridor between Richmond and Hampton Roads, with vintages in mind. In fact, some of the neighborhoods in this community have names like "Viniterra," and the community is popular with American families and retirees alike.
The impressive winery building was built from historic materials reclaimed from buildings and structures well over a century old. Heart-pine trusses were reclaimed from a 1901 Southern Railroad Depot located in the Shockoe Bottom area of Richmond, handmade, pre-Civil War bricks were added, and the siding and roof shingles were milled from cypress logs that had been submerged in north Florida rivers for more than 150 years. The result is an inviting structure that mirrors the attitudes of the owners, the staff, and the wines.
Of the vintages, we adored the Chardonnay Reserve, with smooth vanilla notes and a hint of oak; the unique white Norton rosé, with a touch of sweetness that works perfectly with curry-based foods, and the bold Merlot, with its notes of blueberry and raspberry. The tasting process is Virginia Lady or Gentleman style; deliberate, entertaining, and intimate. Visitors are welcome to join tours of the impressive property throughout the day. Or, you can kick back inside or outside on one of the patios (in warmer weather, of course) overlooking the grounds and the community. This is not Reston. This is a low-key, decidedly Southern, winery experience.
Not far down the road from New Kent, about 20 minutes southeast along highway 249, Saudé Creek Vineyards is another impressive, relatively new location. Their tasting building is built on a bluff about half a mile from the Pamunkey River (a tributary of the York) and you can see the river through the trees from their expansive outdoor deck. New Kent Winery's offerings were heavy on the white side; Saudé Creek offers more for the red fans in your group. The Chambourcin has a Pinot Noir-ish medium body, and is dry and tasty as a fine Chambourcin should be, with a slight mouthfeel of plum. Their Cab Franc has soft tannins and a slightly chalky and peppery finish; wonderful. For the whites, we loved their Pamunkey Fall, a blend of Viognier and Chardonnel - fruit forward yet dry. Fans of sweeter wines will enjoy their blush Squire's Blend, a blend of Chambourcin and Muscadin, as well as their Traminette, perfect for white pasta dishes or Thai food.
Video clip of the experience at Saudé Creek:
Evening:
Petersburg and the nearby cities of Hopewell, Colonial Heights, and Chester offer numerous hotel, motel, and B&B options. You can visit the Virginia Tourist Guide's Petersburg for a list of options. For a great selection of beer (both European and craft), as well as a warm (in both senses of the word) environment and great food, we highly recommend The Brickhouse Run, a true British pub (go for the Scotch eggs, bangers and mash or the delicious Petersburger). From their website: "We like to think that if Petersburg, Virginia were part of Britain this is what its pub would be like." True, that. The bar tender was immensely chatty and knowledgeable, particularly about craft beer. We didn't notice Virginia wine offerings, but we were in a beer mood by the time we arrived here anyway.
Petersburg is a college town (Virginia State University, Richard Bland College), so there can be a lively atmosphere here. For a throwback to your college days, visit Longstreet's, a burger/sandwich joint with an expansive selection of craft brews. Stroll around the cobblestone alleyways and be sure to visit the Appomattox River, where a mere 100 miles up the river, the Civil War was put to an end.
Any season is the right time to visit one of Virginia's best kept secret towns: Petersburg.
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