I'm really surprised at all the 5 star reviews for this winery. I've been to dozens upon dozens of wineries all around Virginia, and the surrounding area of Goochland and Charlottesville, and this spot is nothing to write home about. When it comes to the other gorgeous wineries around, this one pales in comparison. I was curious coming down Rt. 6 because I've passed the signs for Elk Island many times. And I've tried some of their wine at Rassawek Vineyard at a wine festival years ago, so I decided to pop in! It's tucked away in the woods, down a dirt road, with an uneven gravel parking area with steep slopes. I got stuck twice, my car's wheels just spun in the driveway. I think they should pave the paths to and from the house and the parking lot. It was a mess. I walked down the dirt path, climbed a couples steps to the porch, and came to a modest house, part of which was remodeled into a tasting room. Very small. Very plain. The dining room was sparse and set up with one table for guests to sit, but the interior and surroundings were nondescript. Except for the invasion of stink bugs that lined the perimeter of the ceiling, no other interesting decor. I was pretty turned off by the insects everywhere. There was a sliding door which lead to an enclosed, (I think it was enclosed) sunroom/balcony and there were a few guests out there. The view was basically "the woods". The bathroom was down a hall, where I saw a closet used for wine storage, and the stairs were set up as a makeshift gift "shop". Definitely not one of the more fancy places to have a flight of wines. The gentleman serving the flight was polite and nice enough, $12 for the tasting. Here are the wines I tried: 2024 Sauvignon Blanc, (reds) Naked Norton, 2023 Merlot, 2020 Petit Verdot. While these wines were fine, I wasn't overly impressed. I checked out and didn't purchase anything, but it was pleasant to sit and experience this small, very casual, homey style winery, but I've no desire to return. With a bit of TLC and some improvements to the exterior and interior, this winery could a much better. read more

Elk Island Winery - Wineries Near Me - Goochland, Virginia

We were in the area for John's school reunion & John remembered this winery from his last visit. He thought it would be a nice stop between school and driving back to the city. It was a mild day, but threatening to rain- but we enjoyed a flight of wine while taking in the views from the deck. Seriously beautiful. The wine was delightful too and if I didn't already have packed luggage, I would have considered buying a couple bottles! If you love supporting small businesses and enjoy wine- I highly recommend! The even offer a membership for discounts on monthly wines. LOVE it! read more

Such a cute winery! It was kind of hard to find.. directions took us 3 different places. But you can't miss the American flag outside once you find it! It's a super steep driveway so be careful. But it looks like you're going into someone's home but that's the winery!! It's so cute and the two girls that helped my friend and I were super sweet! We brought our own picnic but we sat on the back porch and got the wine tastings and we loved some of the wines! I would go back! read more

Elk Island Winery - Wineries Near Me - Goochland, Virginia

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What a great little winery with friendly people! After driving down a dirt path, you arrive at a house, which is actually the tasting room. Wine flights are $10 for 4-2oz tastings. Their wines tend to be on the dry side. I didn't care for the red wines I tasted, but liked the Vidal Blanc. My favorite was the Terroirier White, which was a slightly sweetened version of the Vidal Blanc. Their wines are reasonably priced and there is a nice deck on the back porch to sit and enjoy your wine. I'll definitely be back. read more

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We love visiting Elk Island Winery - located in Goochland, halfway between Richmond and Charlottesville. The tasting room is nestled back in the woods. They have both a screened in porch and open deck where you can comfortably sip your wine. Space is smaller than other wineries, so it can be a premium on the weekend. Nice selection of reds and whites and you can get a cheese plate to enjoy with your wine too! Daniel and Crista are always so friendly and welcoming. read more

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A couple of friends and I stopped in Elk Island the day after Christmas to end a day of exploring places in the area. The owners were in the tasting room, and we were greeted immediately and given menus. We all got flights and then a glass to enjoy. I can't stand a sweet wine - so Elk Island was perfect because their list is divided by dry and sweet! I tried 8 of their wines - their sauvignon blanc was my favorite of the whites I tried, but I was a bigger fan of their reds. I also really enjoyed their port - which is not something I tend to go for, and we grabbed a bottle to bring home. What stands out above their wine though, was the customer service we received. The tasting room pup helped as well :) Since it was late in the day and extremely cold, we didn't really explore their outdoor area, but I look forward to coming back - especially since this is right down the street for us! read more

We stopped into this little winery on our way home. They have an excellent selection of dry red and white wines. We chose to taste the viognier, sauv blanc, can sauv, and petit verdot. My favorite was the viognier and my husbands was the petit Verdot. The atmosphere is relaxed. There is plenty of outdoor seating and the owners are warm and inviting. I LOVED that the glasses were stemless. The table next to us had wine slushees and absolutely raved about how great they are. Next time we plan to try them out. read more

Elk Island Winery - Flight menu - you can pick four to taste. - Wineries Near Me - Goochland, Virginia

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Elk is out of the way but worth the trip. They are small - 4 acres of vines and probably under 2000 cases (they also get grapes from elsewhere, including other vineyards they manage). Opened in 2012 although the vines were planted in 2008. My server was especially proud of their white wines...which apparently were so popular they sold long out before I arrived, so I wasn't able to judge for myself! They seem to specialize in Chambourcin and Norton (including blends with them), although they are testing other grape vines so even more options should be available in the future. The winery is a house that was refurbished into a tasting room. The parking lot is small, but I doubt they get huge crowds so that didn't impact my visit. They had a large tasting menu, although these are the only ones I sampled from the list available. What I tried: 15 "Naked" Norton rose: Unusual combo, but OK. Not a rose or Norton fan, however. 16 Chambourcin: Dry, bold up front. 14 Norton: Sour cherry notes, which is a first for me when trying this grape. 14 Norton: Little gamey but not bold. I also tried some nice whites from a different vineyard, which 'guest' wines until they get their own whites back in stock. read more

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What a pleasant surprise, in Goochland of all places. When you first enter, you pass through a wrought iron gate and you're immediately met with a few acres of tall grape vines. The road passing through is lined with massive rose bushes and then the road takes a dip into a wooded lot, where you find the wine tasting room. The wine tasting room is in what used to be a home??? It's loaded with character and is quite cozy. The way it sits on the lot, also gives it a somewhat majestical feeling. As for the wine tasting experience, it was amazing! It was a rainy day and we were the only ones there, so it was nice to be one on one with the person behind the counter. Speaking of, Eileen was awesome! Super friendly, knowledgeable, and had a great sense of humor. I honestly feel like she enjoyed our company, just as much as we did hers. They have a large variety of wines. Almost 20 to choose from. Best of all, with each bottle you purchase, they waive a the price of 1 tasting. I do prefer red wines, but I've been on a white kick lately. And I do anything but super sweet wines. So with that said, pretty much everything was good across the board. Out of the 9 that I tried, only 2 were ehh. Overall, Elk Island is a beautiful winery, with good wine and great service. The only downside is the tasting room is a little on the small side. So timing is everything... read more

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Stopped in to Elk Island with a couple friends, and could not have been more pleased with the service, the setting, and not to mention -- the wine! It is so pretty there. We packed a picnic, sat atop the hill and enjoyed a couple tastings. Daniel and Crista were kind and helpful -- just some top notch customer service. Plus the wine was great -- nice variety; there is really something for everyone -- dry wines, sweet wines, sangria, etc. We all picked out a bottle to take home. They waive the tasting fee when you buy a bottle... and when the wine is good, that's an easy thing to do! Highly recommend stopping in -- they do such a great job here. read more

Good wine but very busy on the weekend. A bit pricy for what it is but we bought it anyway after the tasting. Prefer our old winery on Route 1 near Ashland. Very pleasant people though but oh the parking! read more

Date of Visit: 02/15/2020 This winery was not even on our radar but the guy at Grayhaven recommended that we go there and so we did! And we are so glad! It is quite out of the way and is a steep drive and unpaved, so it was a little muddy...that is really our only complaint. Once inside the split foyer home, we were in the tasting room/parlor. We were greeted immediately by Daniel, who was so pleasant and informative. Elk Island takes the Virginia Wine Pass (BOGO)! We so enjoyed talking to Daniel about the history of the winery and the tasting room (the house he grew up in!). We loved all the wines and bought a glass a piece. We sat out on the deck for over an hour and just relaxed. We will definitely be back! read more

Terrific 2017 Rassawek Chardonnay. Great outdoor seating deck, intimate tasting room, and savory cheese plates. Be careful of the steep driveway, but worth the adventure. read more

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Great little winery! Some realty amazing and friendly people here as well. Choose from a bunch of different wines to taste. Buy a bottle and get your tasting free. Not only do they have tasty wines they have other things u can purchase and they have a beautiful deck to sit on and enjoy a glass of wine and scenery before leaving. read more

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You won't find another local winery that boasts such friendliness combined with well made wines to enjoy on site or take home a case to treasure (and become a member of the case club with wonderful perks and a party!) Paul and Sue Anne are now joined by their son, Daniel, and his new bride, Crista to run the family winery. read more

New winery and vineyard in Goochland County with excellent wines at affordable prices. Open first and third weekend of every month. Since I first wrote this review Elk Island has added a new enclosed porch and expended their deck making it a great place to bring a picnic or just drop by to hang out. Tastings are still free and they make a great wine slushy on those hot days. I try to drop by at least once a month to restock. read more

Beautiful atmosphere, went with a group of 5 around 1 pm, we were seated promptly and the service was wonderful. I'm not much of a wine drinker but they explained all of them to me and recommended the ones they though I would like. It started piling up around 3:00 pm. All in all this was a wonderful experience and I can't wait to come back (: read more

Love this place. Service was wonderful. Very friendly. Place is hidden back in the woods. Peaceful until the train went by. I loved their whites. But you have got to get a glass of their slushy and/or ginger/green tea sangria. Amazing! Will definitely be back. read more

A great winery stop on our trip back to Richmond. The win list is great. The staff was excellent and did a great job explaining the wines. They are dog friendly. This is a must stop if you are cruising through! read more

This winery is on an gorgeous piece of land! You'll drive right though the vineyard on your way to the tasting room. Stunning beauty! The owners and their staff were very friendly and accommodating and their wine was impeccable. My favorites were the Cabernet Sauvignon and the Sauvignon Blanc. I think what I enjoyed most was that we were permitted to walk through the vineyard and admire the beautiful vines which were full of fruit! read more

Got there after dark and the staff were very good and informative about the wines. I liked the chambourcin. Not well enough to buy. Would love to check the place out in daylight. Did buy the whiskey pretzel sticks which are addicting read more

An exceptional experience we will be back! Everything about our visit yesterday was wonderful and perfect. The wine selection is varied - something for everyone, the owners are very gracious and friendly, and the ambience is cozy. We did not go outside since it was a cool day, but there is seating on the patio/deck. read more

Good wine, excellent friendly staff! Makes the whole experience great! Grabbed a glass and sat on the patio on a warm summer afternoon!

Elk Island is a great place to visit often regardless of the weather. The wine is great, the atmosphere is beautiful and the people are so welcoming. I MUST if you enjoy wineries. I highly recommend them. read more

Great Winery, and one of the great things about it is something that other Virginia Wineries will eventually try to emulate- a good price point. read more