Our visit to Château O'Brien late last November was nothing short of delightful. After calling ahead to arrange a tasting, we were warmly welcomed and treated to a wonderful selection of Howard's wines -- each expressive and beautifully crafted. We especially loved his award-winning Tannat -- bold, smooth, and full of character. We enjoyed the experience so much that we had a box shipped back to our home in California. Opening a bottle of the 2020 Arinarnoa this past weekend brought us right back to that afternoon -- exceptional winemaking and genuine hospitality. read more

Chateau O'Brien at Northpoint - Wineries Near Me - Markham, Virginia

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While I have been drinking this wine for more than a decade (my brother lives nearby), this was my first opportunity to visit. Everyone was so friendly and warm and welcoming- the atmosphere has an amazing rustic charm to it. The views are breathtaking. I hope to come back in the warmer months to appreciate the outside. And the wine? Amazing. Make sure you try the Northpoint red. read more

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We stopped by Chateau O Brien on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. We called on the way there to give them a heads up we were coming in a group of six, and when we arrived we were met with a smile as they showed us the table that they had kindly put a reserved sign on. After we put the food we brought on the table, we went off to do the red tasting. We really liked the wine and ended up purchasing a mixed case (which included their petite manseng- I'm normally a red wine drinker but that is the perfect summer wine). We'll definitely return! read more

Chateau O'Brien at Northpoint - Wineries Near Me - Markham, Virginia

We were greeted warmly as soon as we walked in the door and the ambiance inside was just as welcoming. They were just beginning a special cellar tasting with the wine maker but we did not have tickets as we were just driving by and decided to stop in so we were the only ones in the tasting room and got one on one service with Dave who was great. After determining the types of wines we like, he customized our tasting for us so we were able to try some of the whites and reds. The wines were pretty good, they have a tannat which was good and unusual for the area. We ended up buying a bottle of the Cabernet Franc which was young but tasty and a box of chocolates to take home. We met the owner briefly after his cellar event and he was very kind and personable. I applaud him for keeping his winery 21 and over only. Personally I'm tired of going to wineries with children and dogs running around all over the place. The last thing I want to hear while sipping a great wine is a kid screaming. After our tasting, before getting back on the road, we drank some bottled water while enjoying the views from their Adirondack chairs outside. A great experience. read more

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Hidden gem Love the wine, pourers, building and the view! A must see and enjoy wine experience Cheers read more

Chateau O'Brien at Northpoint - View of the vineyard - Wineries Near Me - Markham, Virginia

How appropriate that my 600th review is of one of my favorite places to visit, a winery!!!!! Leslie is the best!!! She made our visit and our tasting worth our time!!! She was a pure joy. She was engaging, energetic and full of good vibes!!! The winery sits kinda nestled up on a slight hill overlooking some amazing views. The drive in is breathtaking as you enter through the large wooden gate and are immediately greeted with a sea of lovely vineyards that just grab you at first sight. The stairway to the vineyard is beautiful!! If you look close enough you can see grapes growing on the vines. Too cute and the perfect backdrop for a picture (insert photo snap sound here). After you are done fawning over the copper door and make your way inside, its a lovely sight. The tasting room is not huge but it certainly is welcoming none the less. They do offer two different types of tastings and have separate rooms for each, yet only one room was open today but they did not hinder out visit. Leslie immediately greeted us, explained the tastings and then proceed to help up our group of five along with the couple that came in right before us. She was wonderful at explaining the wines, how they are made and what to look for or taste for as we enjoyed each pour. Not much of a fruity wine person, the Apple wines are fantastic!!! We were lucky to get a taste of the Apple wine that was transitioning out as well as the one that was transitioning in. It was interesting to learn the apples they use to make the wine are harvested from the nearby apple orchard. The Rose` we had was interesting but not in a bad way. It is on of those you need to taste for yourself to fully understand what I mean, you would know it the minute you taste it! The best part of the tasting, which is more work for the staff but provides you will an enjoyable experience, they change the glasses after each tasting so you get a clean glass for a clean tasting each time. First time this has happened at a tasting I have been too, yet it made me appreciate the tasting even more and there is no cross pollination between the wines. On a hot day, they have plenty of covered patio seating that was surprisingly cool as well as some indoor seating. Outdoor seating is an option as well. read more

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Sad that I don't have the option for no stars. From the minute we drove onto the property, there were a lot of negative signs - don't do this, don't part here, don't don't don't. Not a very welcoming environment. We walked in and to the bar to do tastings. The lady working the counter was very nice and personable. We got our first tastings and went to the side of the bar to sit down. Mind you, we were the only ones in the place. A man came up from down below where we were told they were doing private tastings. He saw us sitting and asked if we were here for the wine tasting. We said yes and he said- you can't sit here, you have to stand at the bar. We were happy to go back up to the bar for our next pours but it felt really awkward standing there and I also have a bad back so needed to sit. He was rude and belligerent to us and based on previous reviews, this seems to be the norm. Don't go here if you are looking for a nice relaxing wine tasting. Our server added in another taste for us because she felt bad. We finished our tasting and tipped her well but it wasn't enough to overcome our uneasy feeling. read more

Extremely uncomfortable and unprofessional. We showed up to do a wine tasting and were told by the owner that we couldn't sit but had to stand at the counter because "seating was reserved for reservations"... It was NOT EVEN CLOSE to being busy - we were 3 of the 7 people there on a Saturday around 1:00pm.... Not to mention, it was obvious that my mother-in-law could not stand for prolonged periods of time yet the owner did not care... Signage saying "no" this here and "no" that there, this place felt micro managed and unwelcoming. Even the tasting room was walled off from the live music entertainment and we weren't even allowed to sit in the area with live music to do our tasting. The wine wasn't event worth tasting, I would highly recommend going to other places near by then wasting your time or money at O'Briens. It's obvious that the owner likes to set rules right down to the "close door" sign on the bathroom - of which he literally went behind people coming out of the restroom to make a statement of closing the barely cracked doors. The only positive thing I have to say is that the young lady at the counter was cheerful, even though it was obvious that she felt uncomfortable when the owner was being extremely rude and unwelcoming. Such a disgrace of a vineyard. Would not recommend. read more

The service, wine, and food was absolutely delicious. The patio and inside deck was gorgeous. I love the views from both with the mountains in the background. Since it's currently fall the picture were to die for! I love a great background, peaceful surroundings, and great outdoor decor. They have a tasting for all kind of wine drinkers. If you like sweet, dry white, and a special cellar for the red wine drinkers. The tasting averaged from 8 to 15 dollars. Totally worth it and the employees were super knowledgeable of everything. They also had great specials on the bottles of wines read more

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Never felt so unwelcome in my life. Owner is very rude and even though they offer tastings, you can tell they only want to cater to private groups. read more

Chateau O'Brien elicits very strong views, mostly centered on their prices & rules. That's because O'Brien provides an 'adult' wine-centric experience that is increasingly rare, which throws off people who are accustomed to the more event-centric wineries nearby. Put it this way; if VA wineries were restaurants, many would be considered laid back mom & pop joints or pubs. Some would be very nice 3 or 4 star facilities. But Chateau O'Brien sets out to give a 5 star wine experience which few can achieve. They have 45 acres of vines, some on the property but most just down the road, making their wine 100% estate, On special occasions you might get music, but the lack of kids, dogs, or large groups provides a certain serenity. This is advertised on their website & signs coming in, so the 1 star reviews from parents/dog owners/limos who don't do their homework prior to visiting (and being told they can't do a tasting) are unfair. Owner Howard O'Brien caters to those who wish to do without such distractions for a few hours, and I'm grateful for it. The way they conduct tastings is unusual; on weekends the tastings for whites (including roses and maybe an apple wine or lighter red) and reds are done in separate tasting bars (and charged separately). While the typically bone-dry whites are good, it's not what they are known for. Chateau O'Brien is unabashedly a place for those who love well aged, bolder reds, especially my all time favorite grape (and a rarity in Virginia) - Tannat. O'Brien's Tannat wines are a big reason I rate them so highly, but not the only reason. Howard ages his reds for 24 months in new French oak, which gives them a very smooth quality. He also gives them a lot of cellar time, to the point where his 'standard' menu has wines from 2011 when most places are serving 2014s barely out of bottleshock. THAT'S why you're paying $15 a tasting! What I tried: 2011 Cab Franc; remarkably smooth, and one of a handful of Francs that doesn't have the signature peppery texture I find in other VA wineries. Bought a bottle. 2011 Petit Verdot: complex, bold but not overly so. Like the Franc, I suspect its long aging time has smoothed out the tannins to make it what it is today. 2011 Tannat Reserve: OK I'm biased here; I absolutely love this grape, so I can't give you an unbiased description. I seriously think they have the best Tannat in the state, period. 2011 Vintner's Blend: Because this is Tannat heavy, see above. Late Harvest Tannat: Not on the tasting menu, but I bought a glass. There's a reason I bought a case of this a few years ago, and it's long, long gone. During my latest trip I also did a special flight of aged Tannat wines, which included a few 'bonus' wines including an excellent Cab Sav, Malbec, and a rose blended with - you guessed it - Tannat! To those who complain about the prices, my wallet feels your pain. Bottle prices ranged from low 30s to high 50s or even 60s, and that's without rarer bottles from the cellar he brings out for special events. That said, you get what you pay for. And if you don't believe it's worth it, that's OK; Howard consistently sells his limited production to those who do! read more

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I love Chateau O'Brien. I love it so much so that I spent my 30th birthday here, I will order their Vintner's Reserve at the Capital Grille every time we go there, and will tell anyone who wants a different VA winery experience (and wants to listen to me-of course) to go here. The tasting room sits over the train tracks, up off the hill with a breath taking view of the Virginia country side. Walking into the front door you will be greeted quickly and asked which types of wines you prefer, then led to the appropriate tasting area. I'm more of a red drinker for the most part, but I like their whites as well. This is actually one of the few VA wineries I can say I like all of their wines. I have had both tastings several times, and they even put together a special group tasting for my birthday when my husband called ahead of time. It was quite lovely! Also note worthy, even though I wouldn't necessarily drink it by the glass, I love to cook with their apple wine! Actually it was Mrs. O'Brien who told me about putting a little apple wine in the crockpot with pork and I have made this several times now. Yummy! Another thing that makes for a fantastic experience is the venue itself-it is just beautiful! It is also very peaceful. Fair warning: this is not the type of place you go to get rowdy. This is a place to relax and enjoy the view, the company and the wine. Their patio is the perfect place to enjoy a bottle of whatever suits your fancy and some quiet time with friends, family (21 and up) or your significant other. As others have mentioned, there are several wines (my favorite is among them) that are more expensive than other Virginia wineries. But you know what? I'm willing to pay for such great wine! Lastly, I have enjoyed listening to Mr. O'Brien talk about his business and his craft. We were lucky enough to have him do the group tasting on my birthday and I think it's obvious he is very passionate about what he does. I always enjoy getting to meet the person behind the products I love. So I think it's cool that he still does tastings when he is there and will give such a detailed account of what goes into his wine. Chateau O'Brien was, is, and will probably always be my favorite VA winery. read more

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**3.5 stars** Went out today and visited a couple of wineries that I've never had the chance to check out. First stop on the tour was Chateau O'Brien - what is interesting about the name is that it's Irish! The approach to the winery is somewhat steep, must be very exciting in the winter time! The architecture of the place is - well it's hard to put a finger on it - somewhat eclectic with a Medieval European flavor to parts of it - combined with something more of a "Modern Mediterranean" feel - there is a heavy emphasis on copper - lots of copper! In fact, when we went to push open the front door, I got the distinct feeling that we were entering a medieval Keep! check out the photos I posted with the review to see many of the copper elements. Our wine pourer was Wayne - who is also a Chef for the winery when they host events. We tasted five wines: Northpoint White, Virginia Chardonnay, Northpoint Red, Buddy's Bistro Red, and their Virginia Apple Wine. All of the wines are good - but the ones that resonated with me were the Northpoint Red and the Virginia Apple Wine - I ended up buying a bottle of each. There is lots of room to hang out and enjoy a bottle of wine afterwards and some food - either inside - or outside on the deck. Definitely worth your time to check out! read more

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I was kind of disappointed with Chateau O'Brien. They have two different tasting rooms with different wine offerings. When we went they were understaffed so only one tasting room was open - the one with all reds. I'm not a big fan of reds so we opted not to do the tasting. I bought a glass of one of the whites and it was just ok. They had a really nice outdoor sitting area and a decent amount of food options. They make an apple wine with (I think!) apples that come from the orchard that's right next door. It was a convenient winery to get to after a nice day of apple picking. read more

Chateau O'Brien at Northpoint - Pumpkin, wine, and a view - Wineries Near Me - Markham, Virginia

I've been to one of the Tannat tastings which was nice, but not amazing. Many other Virginia wineries have better Tannats. I just attended the Wine and Craft festival in Front Royal expecting to try some of the dry reds only to discover that he brought 3 apple wines! It was just before Covid when we did the Tannat tasting. Is this the caliber of this winery after Covid, fermented apple? Very disappointed.... I did discover a few nice reds from several other wineries at the festival and plan to visit the wineries this summer. read more

I really enjoyed my visit here. It is beautiful with a sweeping skyline of mountains with seating front row center for you to enjoy you spectacular views, especially with the autumn leaves being in so many different hues. I tried both the red and white of the classic tastings. The gentleman who served me was well advised of the wines and was super nice! He commutes on the weekends from Fairfax to partake in his line of part time work because he has such a love for wine and is a good friend of the owner of Chateau O'Brien. The bottle I purchased was well worth the buy. I enjoyed it over a course of a few dinners and I can say it tastes delicious both with red and white meat despite being a white wine. Prices are reasonable and the food is good. Worth coming here and visiting with friends any time of year! read more

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Sad, coming from out of town and wanted to get some wine for the evening. Wanted to sample some wines and he told us (the actual owner) that we couldn't because I had my 3 month old son with us. Yes we read the sign that stated no one under 21, but we understand that to mean you can't bring your underage girlfriend, don't bring our rowdy kids. My three month old is a not someone that should be discriminated against... Or I guess us, for choosing to have a child. He stated safety reasons, but ummmm when is it you who decides for my family? People going to stop serving a glass at the restaurants if I have my child with me. read more

Spectacular views, great wine, and peaceful atmosphere: everything I love about a a winery.

Adding a star mainly to defend Howard O'Brien, his winery and his policies. Seems like many people trash Howard here - yes, he has a giant ego, and most likely those who trash him here have giant egos too. You can't fit too many huge egos in one room.......This is a winery. Not a day care center. The "me-first" narcissists who live in Northern VA don't get it. Not all of us want to be around your offspring all the time. And, (clearing throat)...it's a WINERY. You want to be surrounded by wine and kids? Barrel Oak Winery is not too far away. The wine here is outstanding, one of the best in the state. Howard is a perfectionist, and it shows in every wine. He must've chosen this spot, with I-66 in view from the hilltop, due to the ragged incline, so he can plant the vines on slopes for the best drainage. The decision paid off. We had the lighter wine tasting (emphasis on the whites) this time. A bit disappointed that they didn't have the apple wine, but all wines, including the bone dry Petit Manseng, were winners. Prices? Actually LOWER than other area wineries in some cases (Three Fox and Aspen Dale, in particular). The chard here, the wine we settled on, was a few dollars less than Three Fox. Because so many northern Virginia wineries are ramping their prices up, "because they can" (i.e. DC area is Recession-proof), Howard's wines don't seem as expensive now. He only employs wine experts as pourers. We were very happy with our pourer, who was knowledgeable, engaging and didn't rush our tasting. Also as the case with Howard, many pours were extremely generous. You don't like it here? At least ten other wineries are within a 15 mile radius of this place. Hasta la vista, babies. read more

This has to be one of the prettiest-situated, most eye-pleasing and sophisticated-looking wineries in Virginia. The building itself, the tasting rooms, and the deck are quite beautiful. You can tell a lot of thought went into creating a luxurious experience here at this young winery just recently added to the VA wine scene. The wines -- Chateau O'Brien specializes in reds, but does offer a few whites -- are, for the most part, very nice. There are two tastings, Classic ($5) and Cellar ($10). We did both. The Classic included '08 Northpoint White, '06 Virginia Chardonnay, '07 Buddy's Bistro Red, '07 Padlock Red, '07 Northpoint Rose, and '07 Virginia Apple Wine. Not usually a fan of Chardonnay or sweet wines, I liked both here. CO's Chardonnay is fermented in already-used oak barrels, which means that up-front oakiness is mellower. And the VA Apple Wine is made from five varieties of apples from neighboring Northpoint Orchard and tastes like a dry, crisp, cider-infused white. We liked the Bistro Red and bought a bottle to bring home. Our tasting guide, Rich, was consummately professional and pleasant, and made us feel right-at-ease. The Cellar tasting was a different story. Led by Howard O'Brien in the flesh, we found ourselves a bit off-put by his self-importance. He went on and on at rapid-fire speed about his world travels, his awards, his multiple residences, how he prefers "the right kind of people" to patronize his establishment (which became clear meant rich people willing to buy multiple cases of his $69 bottles), how he'll only put his wines on the wine lists at five star restaurants, the fact that he doesn't lower himself to sell wines in retail stores...when I went to the website later, however, I found a list of retail shops where you can pick up a bottle of O'Brien wine. So I don't know if he's changed his policy and not the website, or what... Yes, the man certainly knows his stuff inside and out and is passionate about his craft; but his incessant talking got in the way of us enjoying the tasting and meant it took quite a long time to get through. We sampled some wonderful reds, though: '06 Northpoint Red, '06 Northpoint Red Cellar Collection, '06 Limited Reserve Tannat, and '07 Late Harvest Tannat. I was impressed by the Tannats. I don't know if I'd be tempted back, tho. Especially considering I've now got a list of O'Brien wine retailers in my hot little hands! read more

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We attempted to visit this winery last fall after sampling from their tent that was set up in the orchard next door where we were apple picking with our two kids. The wine was decent so we decided to give it a try. We were immediately asked to leave when we walked in with the kids. It made me wonder why the people at the tent in the orchard that saw us with children didn't mention that. Rules are rules and we are ok with it but we felt a little blindsided. There is a sign as you drive in that says 21+ only but we didn't see it. On to our recent official visit... We arrived to a mostly empty winery. The left side tasting room was not in use. The lady behind the bar in the right hand tasting room was friendly and enthusiastic. She seemed very knowledgeable about their wines. Her charm and enthusiasm quickly wore off as she was easily distracted and rambled on and on about various things during our seemingly never ending 4 wine tasting. By the time it was finally over we had spent 30+ minutes standing at the bar listening to her. It was quite painful by the end. The whites ranged from OK to very good. The one red we tasted was best suited as a cleaning agent. Lovely views from the covered deck. read more

They're really proud of their wines and they charge what "they" feel is an appropriate price for them. Unfortunately, we don't concur. The wines we tasted were mediocre at best. Even their $100+ bottle of red was just "ok" and nothing special. They also charge a LOT for a basic tasting, but they did offer a decent pour, enough that my wife and I split a tasting and got a couple good sips. But $15 to taste red only and $8 more to taste white only is too much when the wines are mediocre and you don't keep the glass. The good - The tasting room is gorgeous! Very well built and decorated with nice copper accents throughout. Would we go back? Nope! TripAdvisor has plenty of comments that are similar to issues we also found, which we agree with (too pricey, mediocre wines, too many "rules"). There are much pricier vineryards, nearby in fact, with much higher ratings. There are also a couple wineries nearby which are much more exclusive. Those are all rated much better than this one. So, price and exclusivity aren't the reasons for the poor review. read more

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By far the most Napa winery I've been to in Virginia! But it also has serious French vibes, so one could say it has a bit of a fusion thing goin' on. My partner-in-wine and I came here on what was a slow afternoon for Chateau OB but that worked in our favor since we were able to spend quality time chatting with our servers as well as Howard himself (the owner). I am a major fan girl! He is funny, charming, all over the place... Listening to him chat with 2 other patrons was highly amusing; apparently he does not do first weddings at his winery... Only second, third, etc. Ha! Tastings are done a little differently here: the whites are to the right of the entrance, reds to the left in a separate room. We did both tastings, and were thoroughly impressed with both tasting educators, Keith and Marc-with-a- C. It was Keith's first day and he was already a pro! Shout out to the management (Howard) for excellent training. Highlights: a Rosé made with Tempranillo which of course is rare in Virginia (finding the Tempranillo grape here, that is), which I loved. Also a huge fan of their apple wine! Their whites were phenomenal; so crisp! I really love that Howard made a wine for his daughter's birthday; there is also a really sweet quote about family in the bathroom. The bathrooms here are really something else; see for yourself when you visit! Reminded me of a museum almost. I will without a doubt be back here sometime in the fall; I'm sure the property is even more gorgeous when it is covered in fall foliage! read more

Chateau O'Brien at Northpoint - Wineries Near Me - Markham, Virginia

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Come for the views, stay for the wine and food. After passing on Chateau O'Brien in the past, we finally had a weekend without our child, so we made a bee-line to the tasting room. After reading all the mixed reviews we were not sure what to expect. However, while we missed Howard (in cellar doing private tasting in tasting?) the staff was friendly and helpful. And the wines were good. There was high quality reds and there was a tasty fruit wine (apple). Our server made it sounds like Howard had mixed feelings about the apple wine - but hey - its cheaper, takes less time to process, and can be done after grape harvest, so hope they keep making it as it makes a great holiday gift. After our tasting, we ordered food - flatbread, croissants, and delicious chocolate to go with a few more glasses of wine - they even had sangria available. We went early enough on Saturday and it was not too crowded, so were were able to get prime seats to see the great views below. If you can escape the dogs and little ones for a few hours, its definitely a place to stop by. read more

Chateau O'Brien at Northpoint - Great views - Wineries Near Me - Markham, Virginia

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We've now driven to this place on 3 separate occasions on "open" days and the winery gates have been closed. We've called the numbers listed on multiple sites... one of them is disconnected... the other is some woman that seems highly unamused that her number is listed under Chateau O'Brien. This is super unprofessional. If you're closed, update the multiple platforms that state otherwise AND your physical sign out front that says you're open. Come on. read more

I enjoy this winery with every visit! I first went a few years back for a birthday wine tour and again this month. I love the outdoor sitting area that has a lovely view, even when the weather isn't cooperating. The wines are pretty good and we really liked the Northpoint White this time. Great stop if you're checking out wineries near Markham. read more

Chateau O'Brien at Northpoint - Patio area - Wineries Near Me - Markham, Virginia

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Beautiful landscape. Beautiful views. Great for coming with friends and chilling and snacking and drinking. We liked a few from white and a few from red tasting. Tasty delicious wines. My fav was the north point but at $109, I can't afford that. Worth a trip here with friends. read more

Chateau O'Brien at Northpoint - Wineries Near Me - Markham, Virginia

Little arrogant Italian man runs the business. Only people to come in and he sits there and tells us to move our car, didn't decide to even try the wines. Will not be back read more

So I'm not a big wine-tasting person, but when you go with people who are super enthusiastic, you give it a chance. And when they give up well before the session stretches past the 1 hour mark, that's a problem. When they're openly shit-talking the very loud woman very slowly doing the session, I mean, yeah. The apple wines were tasty. Fwiw, I went out of my way to spend no more money than the fees of the tasting. The douchebro owner doesn't deserve it. read more

Chateau O'Brien at Northpoint - Wineries Near Me - Markham, Virginia

Phenomenal customer service and wines. The owner was very welcoming and the girl who did the tasting was very informative. The blueberry apple wine was unbelievably good. Highly recommend this place. read more

I'm part of a wine group that frequents different wineries in Va monthly. We decided to try Chateau O'Brien since we had never been there before. That was a big mistake! This was the first winery I have been to that I didn't feel welcome. The man behind the bar was very unfriendly, rude and spoke to us very aggressively. My group and I normally buy several bottles of wine wherever we go but I refused to spend my money at a place that felt it was ok to speak to us the way this man did. We had a wine tasting set up but because of the way we were treated we left and went to another winery a few miles down the road. One thing I can tell you with certainty is that I will never go back to Chateau O'Brien. Virginia has so many wineries that are friendly and welcoming, why go somewhere that does not treat you with respect. One good thing I can say about the winery is that it led us to a wonderful winery not far from there where I was happy to spend my money. read more

Absolutely phenomenal! With the COVID-19 restrictions it is so difficult to make any real personal connections. Howard, the owner, greeted us curbside and regaled us with beautiful tales of his travels to Uruguay and other wine destinations. He helped us choose a variety of bottles complete with descriptions and guided pairings. The vineyard sits atop a beautiful hill where the trees and mountains surround you with greenery. We cannot wait to return to the vineyard once the COVID-19 pandemic ends. read more

Just don't waste your time. There are plenty of other wineries nearby that you will enjoy so much more then this one. The owner, apparently his name is Howard from other posts I've read, was extremely rude and arrogant the entire time. Not just to us, but also to his staff. I honestly felt bad for the people who work there. There were too many instances to write on here, but over all the staff was okay, the wine was okay, but the owner was simply too rude and it created an unpleasant atmosphere. You will have a much better time at a different winery. We won't be going back and won't be recommending. read more

My friend and I stumbled upon this winery after tasting two of their apple wines at the orchard down the road. The staff were super friendly (we could tell they were overwhelmed with the labor day crowd and events going on, but that's understandable). We both did a tasting at their bar: 2 of their other apple wines (so we tried all 4 with the sampling at the orchard), a white, and their petit verdot (I think 2014). All of their wines were great!! We were very impressed that we liked all of them (normally I tend to like 1-2 in a tasting). I'm also normally a dry wine fan, but their sweet wines were incredibly unique and not headache inducing sweet like many others I've tried. Highly recommend their apple blueberry wine, and giving this place a try :) Hope to come back! read more

Disappointed in this winery. Arrived late in COVID on a Saturday to an empty parking lot and were turned away because of no reservations. Totally understand reservations but most establishments allow walk ins if they are not busy. They were happy to encourage us to make reservations.... the answer is NOPE... if you are not busy now I'm not going to come back. I don't recall the wine being that elite the last time I was here read more

Went to Chateau O'Brien on a quiet Thursday afternoon a few weeks ago with some friends from out of town. I took them here because the one other time I'd been here a year ago, Mrs. O'Brien poured for us and was very generous, courteous, and informative. She even refilled our glasses just for a picture! "You can't have empty glasses in your picture!" she said. What a lovely lady. But that was a year ago, and we didn't have the misfortune of meeting her husband back then. This time...we weren't so lucky :( The only other people there was a couple on the deck enjoying a bottle by themselves, nobody else inside. We wanted to start with a tasting of their whites, then move on to their reds. We were informed, or rather forbidden, by Mr. O'Brien himself that this would be a waste of our palate and he wouldn't let us. HE WOULDN'T LET US!? Okay, we took his advice and saved a few bucks. I'm sure my palate would have been okay though. What ensued next was the absolute WORST tasting experience I've ever had, with none other than Mr. O'Brien, self-proclaimed greatest wine-maker in the world. -His sales pitch just went on and on and on. He wouldn't shut up so we could talk amongst ourselves. We learned all about how fast his wines sold out, how he couldn't keep anything in stock, and that we had better buy the "last bottle" now before its gone. -He told us no less than ten times how much business he turns down, how many awards and features his winery has received, but when I asked him a question about the wine, he looked at me for a second as if I dare interrupt, and then continued on his tirade about himself. He totally ruined all positive feelings or thoughts I had for Chateau O'Brien. -He was extremely rude to my out of town guest and made her leave the tasting room when she answered her cell phone. Remember, we were the only ones there! I was about to buy two bottles, but after this last straw promptly asked for the check, no bottles, please. -He overcharged me for a tasting we didn't participate in. I am 99% positive it was intentional because I didn't buy any bottles, and he was hoping I'd overlook the charge. I didn't drink that much! I wouldn't be surprised if he tried this on other guests who might have had a little more to drink and not caught his "innocent mistake". -If that wasn't enough, we were outside taking pictures, not even close to the vines. He came outside, yes OUTSIDE to tell us to stay out of the vineyards. -If THAT wasn't enough, he came back outside a second time as we were walking to our car and asked my out of town guest where her glass was 2-3 times. I reminded him that we all watched him take it off the counter and clean it right in front of us. Finally told him point blank that we weren't stealing his glass so leave us alone, and he finally went inside. We got out of there before he could bother us again. I will NEVER go back to Chateau O'Brien, there are too many good wineries in VA to waste your time with this jerk. About the wine here, taste is subjective of course, but for these ridiculously high prices its not that good nor is it worth the Mr. O'Brien experience. read more

By the time my husband and I left Chateau O'Brien I felt like I had been stuck in some bizarre Brady Bunch episode. Howard! Howard! Howard! How are Howard O' Brien's wines? Good, but not worth the mental angst and exhaustion of having to listen to Howard O'Brien wax philosophic on his favorite subject: Howard O' Brien! Seriously, do not get me wrong. This guy is making good wine, and his winery is gorgeous. A lot of work and effort has been put in here to cater to people who not only love wine but love details. But my God, Howard O'Brien is a complete and total nutcase and an a$$. He's terribly obnoxious. And condescending. And boastful and proud about things that have nothing to do with winemaking. If I had a dollar for every time he mentioned his multiple homes or the fact that he is from New York I'd have enough money to buy multiple bottles of his wines. This is not a winery for the thin-skinned. Or people who don't want to shell out a pretty penny for a bottle of wine. Chateau O'Brien is not cheap. But it is good. Go at your own risk! read more

Hostile. The owner/manager has a NYC attitude. Case in point: customer walked into the tasting room and asked, politely, if they could order some cheese & baguettes since their group had purchased about $350 worth of wine (some wine tasting group) and were still waiting on the request. Owner/manager grudgingly agreed. He was annoyed by the request to order food that he offers on the menu. Acted like he was doing favors for his customers. Ashamed because this owner/manager appears to be more knowledgeable than others, and their apple wine is phenomenal. Good wine, but you'll be treated like you crashed a private party. read more

We visited Chateau O'Brien on a beautiful fall day when every winery in the area was full of people enjoying the fall colors and the wonderful weather - that is every winery except Chateau O'Brien. It was strangely quiet (granted it was early) but Linden just 10 minutes down the road had a tasting room and deck full of people. A few minutes into our visit it became clear why all of the wine lovers were elsewhere. We were greeted in the entry way by the great Howard O'Brien himself (more about this later) and decided to try the Cellar Tasting. For $12.00 per person you get to taste four of their "finer" wines. While the pours were relatively generous, I felt that the tasting was overpriced. I suppose that Chateau O'Brien justifies this tasting fee by the price of their wines (the Tannat was $79.00 per bottle) but what isn't justified is the bottle price itself. Wine is subjective so i won't go into the relative merits of the wine but I have visited a fair number of Virginia wineries, some good, some not so good, but nothing at Chateau O'Brien justified what they are charging for the higher end of their lineup. After tasting the four wines in the Cellar Tasting we decided to try the Classic Tasting ($6.00). The Classic Tasting is comprised of four of the lower end of O'Brien's wines - a fact that we were made well aware of. We were also well aware of the fact that we were tasting in the "wrong" order and were willing to accept that fact but Mr. O'Brien didn't feel the same way and proceeded to chastise us for it . Further conversation with Mr. O'Brien confirmed what other reviewers have posted - Mr. O'Brien is his own favorite subject and will not hesitate to tell you about what he owns and the superiority of everything that he does, After tasting we looked around. The outside deck provides a lovely view of I-66, complete with traffic noise. There are many wineries in Northern Virginia that provide lovely views without highways and without the noise. Our pourers were friendly, knowledgeable, and are why Chateau O'Brien received two stars rather than one. If I could rate the pourers alone they would rate a solid 4 1/2 stars. Too bad they have to compensate for their boss. In terms of value $18.00 is greatly overpriced to taste 8 wines and the price per bottle of their better reds is absolutely unjustifiable considering that Linden is just down the road. read more

Not worth your time. I've visited twice and never tasted their wine... how's that for an experience. First visit: about a year ago, we had already stopped at Linden (highly recommended by the way) and thought this place looked interesting. We got there 10 minutes before they closed. We walked in and a staffer started getting us ready for a tasting and then a bitchy manager came by and let us know that we didn't have enough time for a tasting. Maybe these folks are rich and don't want business but it's not exactly like they're in downtown DC... they're an hour from where we live. Second visit: Saturday, March 12th. The place was packed and it was obvious there was some sort of event going on. It was their St. Patrick's day party! Yay! Nothing says quaint Virginia wine country like green wine and cabbage! We pulled up and the owner was standing by the door with a guy holding bagpipes (not playing, just holding). When they saw us approaching, the bagpipes started blaring! The owner let us know that for the small price of $25 we could have a glass of wine and all the food we could eat. My response "Can we do a tasting? We've heard a lot about your wines and we'd love to do a flight." His response, "Not today." Annnnnnd that was that. We left. Why have a friggin winery then? What a bunch of douchebags. read more