Popped in here on a recent Saturday afternoon and enjoyed a flight tasting outside by the fire pit, although it was not lit. Having the fire going would have created a nicer ambiance. We decided not to stay after our tasting or else I would have inquired about having it lit. My favorite from the tasting of 4 wines was the Petit Manseng. The road to get to Wisdom Oak has been mentioned by many others so I will echo that it is pretty much a one way road. Service was friendly and she brought our tasting to us quickly. read more

A must visit, top of my list Virginia winery with awesome wines and even awesome-er owners and staff!!! Yea man, I said it and it is true. Get on over to WOW and buy everything on their shelves. Quality is quality and it just gets better and better at Wisdom Oak. I am mostly a dry red drinker but even I appreciate the whites here (not trying to sound snobby you must drink all different types of wine at least thrice). The Petite Manseng to the Tinto are must tries, TRY IT ALL! Wisdom Oak also boasts a great outdoor seating area and a newly expanded and covered patio. Accompanying the great seating areas are views of the vines and the iconic wisdom oak. Seating is spread all over Jason and Laura's property so you can set yourself away from people that you do not want to converse with hahaha. No matter how far you go though you can count on the knowledgeable and extremely friendly owners making their rounds to make you feel special. That's about all I have. It has taken me entirely too long to post a review for WOW especially since we have been members for years. Speaking of memberships, you should join!! Perks and benefits for all. read more

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Both times I've been to Wisdom Oak have been relaxing and fun. Recently I went during Phase 2 of Virginia's reopening. Their online reservation system is easy to use and they do a great job or spacing the seating/tables more than 6 ft apart. The new wine ordering process is simple and allows for minimal contact with others. Highly recommend an afternoon at this beautiful winery. read more

Wisdom Oak Winery - resident winery pup, Bailey, making her rounds :) - Wineries Near Me - North Garden, Virginia

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This was our second visit to this winery but our first during COVID. No tastings due to COVID, but they were offering glasses & bottles, as well as some snack options. We enjoyed our glasses of Chardonnay & Sauvignon Blanc from the comfort of teal Adirondack chairs under the shade of the massive tree on the grounds. We enjoyed beautiful views. Overall, a lovely day. read more

Wisdom Oak Winery - Tasting room - Wineries Near Me - North Garden, Virginia

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6 of my friends and I went to Wisdom Oak today. We enjoyed the time there and we liked the wine. One of my friends was contacted by the owner, I presume, asking how or experience was. She told them we liked the wine and the person that waited on us, but told them the road needs to be improved. The road is one lane, mostly dirt and pot holes, with only about one place to back up in the event you meet a car coming from the opposite direction. The response from the winery was pretty rude, telling her they had no control over the road and that they had accommodated or large group so we could be seated under cover. That was nice of them, but there's was only about 8 other people there besides us, so it wasn't a big sacrifice to accommodate us. We are not planning a return visit after the response from the winery. read more

Checked out this winery on our most recent visit to Charlottesville. It's a good distance from the main road and so peaceful. You can hear the birds chirping. Mom and I shared a tasting and decided on a bottle of the Albariño. Ben took the time to visit with us on the history and recommended wine pairings. Super cute smaller winery with a casual feel! read more

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Came here a few weeks back. Highly recommend the sangria they offer. I wasn't fond of the wine but everyone's taste was different. The power was out so they were serving outside and no food trucks bc of no power. Still e joyed the beautiful views. Also dog friendly place read more

Wisdom Oak Winery - Wineries Near Me - North Garden, Virginia

This is a great winery. The wine is delicious, the staff is always welcoming. Indoor and outdoor seating are both good options. Will return for sure!! read more

This is usually the first winery stop If I am in the area for the weekend as this is my favorite winery in the Charlottesville/Afton area. The owners and people that operate this winery are very nice and accommodating and the wine is amazing of course. I love how low key this winery is and how the vineyard dog (Bentley I think her name is) just wanders around greeting guests. Will keep coming back as always! read more

Wisdom Oak is an old vineyard but under new managment, and reopened only in late July 2016. The vineyard is tiny (2.5 acres), so their wines use mix of local and estate grapes. Some wines are on the young side, but it's cozy and well priced. The driveway is a loooong dirt road (and in some places, one way), so think carefully about going here when it's muddy. My servers were the owners - Jason & Laura Lavallee. I'm not sure if I should call them work-aholics or wine-aholics, because they have day jobs during the week yet tend to the winery on the weekends! Either way, that's dedication. For the time being, Wisdom Oak's wines will be a mix of the old owners and the new ones. I liked both, but with some aging I think I'll have a preference for the newer ones. What I tried: 2015 Chardonnay: In true marital compromise fashion the owners decided to blend their Chardonnay between oak and steel, despite each having a preference for one vs. the other. 2014 Vidal Blanc: Steel; little sweet with pear notes 2013 'Cloche' white blend, with emphasis on Traminette. If you've ever had this grape, you'd know it has a very distinctive strong nose. But I like Traminette so it wasn't a bad thing at all. 2014 Petit Manseng: On the sweet side (which isn't necessarily my preferred style) but I did like it. 2014 North Garden Red blend (Cab Sav and Merlot): A bottle left from previous owners, but actually I liked it quite a bit. Nice cherry nose. 2014 Merlot: Left over from previous owners. A little sweet but thought it was OK 2015 Meritage: I liked it....but it was young. Give it time though and I'm sure I'll enjoy it more in the future 2014 Rose Reserve: Not bad for roses; not as sweet as some. read more

Wisdom Oak Winery - Wineries Near Me - North Garden, Virginia

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The winery advertises wine made from oak barrels from various locations which is what drew us to visit. However you are not able to taste any of these wines they are only available by the bottle. The ~1 mile dirt road leading up to the winery is only wide enough to fit one car and there are no pull offs and minimal visibility of oncoming cars coming over hills/around the turns. The dangerous drive is not worth the wine/experience. To address the owner's comment- the website highlights wine made from oak barrels from different locations - this is what was meant by advertises. This is an accurate review intended to set better expectations than were set for us. We wouldn't have gone out of our way to visit Wisdom Oak if we had accurate expectations. Thank you. read more

Amazing location and staff. It was well worth the drive from 151. So glad we went. The staff answered all kinds of questions and the wine was great. Will be going back to this one. read more

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Absolutely amazing afternoon at this winery! Jason and Laura (owners and winemakers) are incredible hosts. One of the bottles we purchased I asked the hostess if the winemaker was in and would he sign the bottle for me. Not only did Jason sign the bottle but he hand delivered it to our table and took time to answer questions we had about his winery. Laura noticed we were having difficulty taking a selfie under the oak tree and she came over as asked if she could help! Beautiful grounds, great wine, excellent knowledgeable staff and gracious hosts. Joined their wine club and will definitely be back! read more

Virgina is home to over 200 wineries. This weekend I had a chance to experience a few central region vineyards. We drove about 3 hours west from Baltimore and opted to stay in Charlottesville, VA. Fortunately for us we have friends who are from the area so we had locals to give us perspective on the best places to go during our stay. We started our wine country tour on Saturday with a trip to Wisdom Oak. For just $7.00 you can sample all of the wines and the tasting fee is waived if you purchase 3 bottles. Wisdom Oak was probably the favorite of the places we tried over the weekend. I fell in love with their Vidal Blanc as well as their Petit Mensang- both sweeter, white wines. In fact, I'm pretty sure our entire party bought some combination of one or both of the wines as we all unanimously fell in love with them during our tasting . I also really enjoyed their Meritage a red blend which combines Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and merlot. read more

Wisdom Oak Winery - Tasting at Wisdom Oak. - Wineries Near Me - North Garden, Virginia

It was very easy to make online reservations at Wisdom Oak, and I was happy to see that social distancing was adhered throughout! Staff was extremely friendly. There were comfy adirondack chairs and picnic tables spread out among a hill overlooking the barn and vineyard creating a wonderful atmosphere. We tried their pre-packaged wine flight since there are no tastings in these covid times. All were enjoyable, but not the best I've tasted in the area. read more

This is a terrific new spot south of Charlottesville. The grounds are beautiful (check out the giant oak tree near the vineyards and the winery - Sugarleaf's labels feature this wonderful old tree). Every wine was good and the tasting experience was leisurely and informative. I would easily give this place five stars, but their prices are about the highest I've encountered in the entire state. They even top Glen Manor in Front Royal. And their tasting fees are high as well. I allow some slack on this for newer wineries--they need to recover some of their initial start up costs. I'll visit them again in the next year or so...maybe their prices will go down. That said, their Cab Franc is one of the best I've had in the state, and that's saying a lot since nearly every winery in Virginia has Cab Franc. read more

Wisdom Oak Winery - Welcome to Sugarleaf Vineyards - Wineries Near Me - North Garden, Virginia

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One of the only wineries where I loved both the whites and the reds. The group favorite was the Tinto which is a sweet red--we bought the last four bottles! They do a great job in making you feel at home here, which is fitting for the smaller space. I can't wait to go back during the spring to enjoy their outdoor seating. read more

The place is hidden from the main road so it's kind of hard to find. We were a bit worried that we were lost but we successfully got there after 15 minutes of being on a beaten path. The owners are super friendly and nice. Although the place is a little small, the closed space makes it feel more personal and comfortable. The wood furnishings are an excellent touch to the place and the out door farm seems like it would be beautiful in the summer (we went in the winter time). Regarding the wine selection, they had most of the wine listed on the menu but they seem to have specials of the day that we got as well. The fruity accented white wine was the group favorite for this trip! Their home made cheeses that are a must have! If you have a small group of friends who would love a wine tasting experience in Charlottesville, I would definitely recommend this place! read more

Off the path as others note but worth the visit. Very very nice grounds and the people are terrific. We planned a short visit and spent the whole afternoon there. The wine was very nice and they had beautiful cheese plates and hot crusty bread. We for sure will return! read more

I LOVE this winery. This may be my new favorite! Driving down there we were all joking about how sketchy the road was, and with it being October - of course kidding about how this is where horror movies take place - but then we arrived at the winery. This place is GORGEOUS! We showed up at 4:30 on a Sunday for a tasting, and Laura, who owns the winery with her husband gave us our tasting. Their two pups were inside as well, and we had a GREAT tasting chatting with her and loving on their adorable puppies! The pours were the perfect size - I can't stand a too heavy pour of something I don't like! All of their wines were fantastic- I bought 4 bottles, which never happens! Your tasting is free if you purchase a bottle. I forgot to check-in on yelp, but if you do- you get 15% off your bottle purchase. You also get to keep the glass, and they are the nice heavy bottomed glasses :). We also all bought a glass (even the non-wine drinker in our group- who was also impressed with all of them!) and walked over to the Oak tree to sit down and enjoy our wine. Even though we stayed a bit past their closing time, we never felt rushed, nor did we feel like she didn't want to serve us that late in the day. I cannot say enough good things about this winery. I almost want to keep it a secret! We will definitely be back! read more

It was a cute little winery but I am in to dry reds. They seemed more of a white wine place. Or maybe known for it.

We sampled almost all of the wines available between our group of six on a Sunday afternoon. Collectively, we preferred the whites over the reds, although they were all unique and delicious. They offer light snacks (cheese and crackers) which we didn't try. The winery itself is on a really nice piece of property but the way to get there is a windy, unpaved road so sitting in the third back row of a SUV if you get motion sickness is not recommended. The tasting area is small, so not ideal for large groups - I'd call ahead before going. The staff was attentive, helpful and friendly. read more

Wisdom Oak Winery - Wineries Near Me - North Garden, Virginia

I was extremely impressed with this winery! The wine was great and the customer service was outstanding! Definitely recommend, a HARD yes for this winery! read more

Wisdom Oak Winery - Wineries Near Me - North Garden, Virginia

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Don't let the long one lane road fool you - you definitely want to stop in here! They are a small winery, but have delicious whites and reds, and a beautiful setting! read more

Wisdom Oak continues to be one of the better kept secrets outside of Charlottesville, with good wines, a new tasting room, and under new management. New owners mean a whole new review - its been over two years since my fiancée and I last visited Wisdom Oak, which has changed ownership several times (locals still sometimes refer to it as Sugarleaf). The most recent change of ownership is a younger married couple Jason and Laura from my stomping grounds outside of Philadelphia, who is living my dream life of moving to VA to run a winery while working at home during the week (on the other hand, that sounds exhausting). They're passionate about their product, and that shows in the quality of the wine they're producing. For $8 you taste 7-9 wines and get to keep the glass. Starting with the whites, we tasted the 2015 Chardonnay, aged in stainless steel and French oak, so you get that crisp green apple along with a hint of oak. The stainless steel aged 2014 Vidal Blanc was creamy with tropical fruit, and with 1.5% residual sugar, it's a refreshing semi-sweet. If you want something a little more crisp than sweet, but still easy drinking, the white bended 2014 Cloche will fit your palate. Both the Vidal Blanc and the 2014 Cloche are excellent summer wines. Next out were the two Roses, both of which are an interesting take on the classic. The 2014 Rose will be sweeter with more body (3% residual sugar), while the 2014 Reserve is that same Rose only aged in oak and somehow a lot drier. Firmly in the reds, we tried the blended 2014 North Garden Red, an easy drinking red with good nose and soft texture. The 2014 Merlot has a lot of smooth but only placid tannins. The 2015 Meritage offered flavors of cherry and leather, and was a lot lighter bodied than I expected. To finish, we had their limited release 2015 Tinto, a port style dessert wine that is a blend of all of their reds, brandy, and stored in bourbon barrels. I'm usually not a fan of these type of wines, as I don't typically enjoy sweet and dislike brandy, but this one really impressed me with a well balanced, complex presentation that didn't have one of the flavor overwhelm the others (red wine vs. sweet vs. brandy). Overall, Wisdom Oak is in good hands with the current owners, and I anticipate the wine will only improve over the next few years. The complexity isn't quite there yet, but they're very close (and bordering and stellar with the Roses and Tinto) and this is one to watch out for in your wine travels. read more

Wisdom Oak Winery and owner Laura truly blew me away. I called a few months in advance to see if we could use their space for a bridal shower and she said yes, that she would allow it for free as long as we bought wine. She was SO easy to communicate with during the months leading up to the event and even kept in touch re: the weather the week beforehand and offering to move the event inside or move it to the next day if the weather didn't cooperate. That was already a huge blessing. Thankfully the weather ended up being perfect. What I wasn't expecting was 1) The grounds to be so beautiful that I almost cried when I pulled up on the dirt road. The road to get there takes you through canopy of trees and when you're finally there you truly feel like you reached a slice of heaven! 2) The wines were some of the best I've had, and 3) Laura was truly an angel. She went above and beyond to help me make this night one to remember, making multiple trips back and forth to bring me water and supplies I forgot, and even offering to help me decorate and blow up balloons. I was astounded at her hospitality. Thanks to her, it was a night we will always remember. I can't wait to go back with my husband and dogs next time we are in the area! Thank you, Laura!!! You are a special human being and your winery is heaven on Earth. read more

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Basically no improvements needed here! This winery is a winery in its truest state. It reopened in July 2016 under new management. The place itself is small, but there is decent outdoor seating (both in the shade and the sun). It's a quiet property, but a lovely space. Getting here was a little worrisome as the narrow dirt and rocky road was long, and, at times, hilly and curvy. I was afraid someone would be coming the other way, but my friend and I luckily timed it so we would arrive around opening time. Plus, the signage of "you're almost there!" was comforting and helpful. We parked and made our way to the tasting room. No one was there yet, so we got the full and undivided attention of Jason, one of the winery's new owners. He is co-owner with his wife, Laura, who arrived at the tail-end of our stay here. I love meeting and interacting with winery owners - they have so much knowledge and passion. Plus, Jason was superb - he offered up great facts about Wisdom Oak and entertained all of our questions with ease and enthusiasm. Plus, when another couple showed up, he was able to tend to both of our parties seamlessly! We all chatted together - it was great fun! Anyway, the wines in the tasting ranged from a few whites to two roses to a few reds. I honestly liked all of them. Some more than others, but they were all pleasing on the tongue and the flavors matched the menu descriptions. Jason mentioned that some of the options were inherited while others are experimental creations to test the waters. The menu changes all the time due to trial and error; customer input is of utmost importance here. I love that. At the end of each tasting, Jason was kind enough to ask what we liked and why and explained the order of the wines. There was a definite rhyme and reason. Jason even asked if we needed to taste any wine a second time - he let me taste two so I could decide which one I wanted a full pour of. We were able to sit outside in the sun and relax. We then went inside, I bought a bottle, and our glasses were wrapped up to take home as part of the tasting. Bottom line: this is such a wonderful winery! Wines are definitely the focus here, not food or anything else. Pair that with wonderful owners and you've got yourself a winner! read more

We booked Wisdom Oak Winery to host a graduation dinner for 18. The setting is spectacular, and our experience was incredible. A massive storm swept through between appetizers and dinner and they very calmly opened their tasting room to keep us dry and safe, then quickly reset all the tables and got us back on track. After a very warm day at graduation, this was a wonderful end to our day of celebrating. The wine was so good! There is not a single thing I would have changed about our evening, and would love to return soon! read more

Great wines and service!!!! . We tried many of them and settled on a few. We had selected s wonderful red to drink and we needed up bring a case read more

We went to about 5 vineyards down on the Charlottesville side of Shenandoah and this was by far our favorite. It was a little harder to get away from the limos and tour buses down here than we are accustomed to so Sugarleaf was a welcome respite from the the shouting, drunk college students we found at Jefferson and Keswick. It is down a pretty, unpaved road on a hill with a great view. The tasting ($6) was well rounded and featured 8 really nice wines. We barraged the manager, Pascal, with questions about pruning, barrels and wine competitions and he was gracious and knowledgeable and even let us do some tasting from the casks. This place is great if you need to get away from the crowded tasting rooms but please don't bring your tour bus here. read more

Great winery but even better people! From the owner (Laura) to every member of the staff we had a wonderful time. Really enjoyed the private tasting (definitely recommend) and our time on the patio enjoying all the food and drink available. Hope to get back soon! read more

The most memorable part of this trek was the road to the winery. It is narrow (more so than most gravel roads), and the recent weather has left it in rough shape. The woman pouring indicated that they do get bus tours out there, but WOW - it must be a tight fit. The tasting room is small (as is the winery), but cozy. The wines were good, but I have to admit I'm not much of a red wine drinker, so I'm not a great judge of their wines. read more

This winery has everything you'd want in a tasting visit. Their wines are excellent top to bottom. There wasn't a bad one in the bunch. The tasting room is warm and inviting. The bar made from an old fallen tree is a great touch. The grounds are beautiful. The husband and wife weekend warriors who own and run the business are friendly and knowledgeable and I wish them many, many years of great wine making. My wife and I purchased several bottles of wine and we look forward to many return visits. Thank you for your hospitality. read more

GREAT spot! Love the wine and people. The outdoor area is also a great place to relax and sip some wine! read more

Wisdom Oak Winery - Awesome wine and great little spot! Tasting was great and the staff was well educated and awesome to talk to. Highly recommended! - Wineries Near Me - North Garden, Virginia

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came here on a whim because the winery we wanted to go to had a long wait. the road to the winery was long an windy (i felt nauseous). the place itself was very small. if you have groups of 8+ i would call ahead to make a reservation. the wines were good. they offer wine flights which was a nice way to try the various wines they offer. read more

Wisdom Oak Winery - Wineries Near Me - North Garden, Virginia

Lovely small winery. Every wine we tasted was good. The setting is very peaceful, on the side of the hill, and we were watching birds migrating while we were tasting, you can't get much better than that. The only issue is with access - you get to the winery via an extremely narrow gravel road, and if there is someone coming the other way you may have to back up into someone's driveway to let them through, it is that narrow. OTOH, this will keep out crowds and limos, so I'd say that is a big plus. read more

Good wines, a new-feeling and clean tasting room, and very friendly staff! It's a smaller vineyard using locale and sourced grapes, but the wines are decent and worth a try. The views are pleasant and relaxing, will definitely stop through again! read more

Wisdom Oak is set far back from the main road so they've got a tranquil outdoor space that's great for kids and families. The intimate tasting room has extra seating if you'd prefer to sip your wine indoors, and the staff was friendly and knowledgeable. We enjoyed the tasting--we especially liked the Chardonnay, with its pronounced and refreshing green apple finish, and the Petit Verdot. read more

Fantastic people here! Very hospitable and the atmosphere is beyond relaxing. Highly recommended!

This winery is definitely off the beaten path, i.e you literally drive for a mile on a one lane gravel road, but has good wine. When we arrived, we were the only ones there, so we started our tasting. They include 7 wines with the tasting and the cost is $7, but if you give them your email address it's only $5. So I opted to give up my email address for the $2 discount. The wines were all pretty good and surprisingly we liked their whites better even though we are red wine folks. The tasting room is a decent size and the bar you taste at could probably fit 8 people max. They have seating inside and outside. We opted for the rocking chairs on the covered porch which was nice. This winery is pretty secluded but a nice property and worth the visit if you're out that way anyway. read more

Wisdom Oak Winery - Tasting Room - Wineries Near Me - North Garden, Virginia

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