Heard It Through The Grapevine: Cobbler Mountain Cellars

By James F. Finn

When you think of quality wine, which region does your mind turn to?

Wine Country in Napa? Maybe. Think the town of Delaplane in Fauquier County, Virginia, home to several vineyards, including Cobbler Mountain Cellars. This vineyard is at the base of Big Cobbler Mountain and operates uniquely as a vineyard and cidery.

Jeff and Laura Louden own the land and have been working hard since moving back from South Carolina in 2009. Laura’s father, Lawrence McCarthy – a schoolteacher by profession – purchased the land in 1959. In the mid-60s, Mr. McCarthy moved his family to direct a school in South Carolina for children with disabilities yet still kept the property even after his passing. Laura returned 40 years later with husband to cultivate their dream of creating a working vineyard.

Wine and cider maker, Jeff Louden graciously took the time to discuss his background and the future of Cobbler Mountain Cellars.

Prior to wine and cider making, Mr. Louden’s formal education and professional background was in finance. His interests in the grape and growing led him to experiment with winemaking in the kitchen. He even studied Oenology, the science of wine and winemaking, at the University of California – Davis.

“It all started with an interest in the grape. I was very interested in growing, but when you’re in finance – you don’t get to do as much growing,” he says with humor. “Your nose is deep in the books.”

Jeff’s chance to experiment came in the early 2000’s when he started to make his own wine out of his home kitchen in South Carolina.

“Once I started, it was like I couldn’t put down,” says Mr. Louden. His batches increased from one to five to ten until Laura told him – in Jeff’s words – “Honey. We need to do something else. I need my kitchen back.”

Laura proposed they return to Delaplane to the farm. The rest is history. Cobbler Mountain Cellars encompasses 10 acres of land in Delaplane, with 10 more acres in Charlottesville, Virginia. Their wine and cider can be found in bars and stores across the tri-state area (D.C., Maryland and Virginia) – including Whole Foods. They have also been picked up by Kysela Pere et Fils, LTD. – a national wine, beer, spirits and sake distributor.

Be sure to check out Cobbler Mountain Cellars on Facebook to see if they are being featured in a store or bar near you.

The wines and ciders are delicious and the staff members (whom include Jeff and Laura’s kids and their dog “Corky”) foster a friendly and warm experience. This blogger’s personal favorites for wine and cider were the following:

1. Wine Winner: 2013 Syrah – It has a nice fruity smell to entice the nose. Once a splash hits the palate, a hint of spice segues to a fruity finish. It should also be noted that the grapes in Northern Virginia are lighter due to the southern growing season and humid conditions as opposed to Napa where air conditions are dry.
2. Cider Winner: “Kickin’ Cinnamon Hard Cider” – Apple pie in a 750ml tall-boy bottle. You have to taste it to understand it. You’ll want to break out some vanilla ice cream with your glass.

My friends, Alexander McMillen and Jeremy Sayres, turned me onto this gem. Both work in IT and are lovers of good wine

“When you come here, people care very much about the wine,” says Sayres. “They’re not just reading from a script.”

McMillen, a wine collector, is very fond of the winery and has made several visits prior to this one.

“It’s really down-to-Earth. It’s a different experience from other wineries in the area.”