News

In May of 2019, the winery’s most award-winning wine, Autumn Gold, received another medal in the Indy International competition. Splashdam White was awarded a Silver medal in June at the Virginia State Fair Wine Competition along with Riesling, which received Gold. MountainRose was pleasantly surprised in July by the Wise County Chamber of Commerce with the 2019 Small Business of the Year award.

On September 26th, Eric and Opie were honored to represent the Lawson family, attending the Black Tie and Boots Gala in Richmond. That evening the winery’s Gold medal winning Riesling went on to receive the 2019 ‘Best in Show’ for white wines, against a strong field of fellow Virginia winemakers.

In October, reporting their best harvest in efficiency and production, the vineyard brought in nearly thirty tons of grapes in just under four weeks. These results seemed fitting since the year began with the introduction of ‘Persephone’ (purr-seff-annie), a sparkling Concord wine variety named for the daughter of Demeter- the Goddess of the Harvest!

These recent wins continue the award winning streak for MountainRose Vineyards. David and Suzanne are ever thankful to all the family, friends, crew, volunteers and especially their growing fan base of loyal customers who continue to make MountainRose Vineyards a success!

Greek yogurt with berries
Berries and mint pair beautifully. Mix plain unsweetened Greek yogurt with strawberries (or mixed berries) and sprinkle with chopped fresh mint.

Mint tea to aid digestion
Use 5-10 big leaves or more depending on how strong you want it. Tear the leaves and place in mug. Pour very hot (not boiling) water over the leaves and let steep 5-10 minutes.

Strawberry, mint & basil with balsamic vinegar
This combo is great alone as a side, or on top of mixed greens. Use it as a bruschetta topper with goat cheese! About 2 cups cut strawberries mixed with 10-20 leaves each of chopped mint and basil. 3-4 tablespoons of a high-quality aged balsamic will finish it perfectly.

Minty lime fizz
Muddle 5-8 mint leaves in the bottom of a glass. Add ice, a healthy squeeze of lime and club soda with a few drops of stevia.

Mint up your water
Add fresh mint to plain or sparkling water, or even freeze whole leaves in ice cubes to add beautiful color to your beverage.

You can buy mint plants and other herbs from the greenhouse at MountainRose Vineyard.

Grab a few bottles of wine and some friends – it’s time to celebrate the beautiful weather at MountainRose Vineyards with a picnic! When it comes to filling your picnic basket, we suggest packing easy appetizers like an assortment of crackers, meats, cheeses, and fruits. (Grapes are always at the top of our list!)

 When it comes to pairing wine at your picnic, pick a versatile wine such as Blair, Dorchester or Darby Blush. Bring your lunch from any local restaurant and we will gladly pair one of our wines to compliment it!  We also have a selection of cheeses, summer sausage, crackers, and snacks available in our tasting room. Kids and dogs are always welcome to play in the vineyard as well, so pack a basket and enjoy a fun picnic in our beautiful surroundings this spring and summer! We are YOUR local playground and you are always welcome! 

Picnic Pack List:

• Easy finger foods and versatile wines
• Cooler with ice, cups, plates, utensils and napkins
• Cutting board for cheeses and snacks
• Small trash bag
• Light blanket or sheet
• Plenty of time to relax and enjoy!

Or make an appointment and let us do the work and make you a delicious charcuterie board.

MountainRose Vineyards would like to thank everyone who voted in Savor Virginia’s Readers’ Choice Awards this past fall. MountainRose won Best Winery in three categories: Sparkling Wine- Bronze, Dessert Wine- Silver and Cabernet Franc- Bronze. Voters came out in force to support their favorite Virginia venues and MountainRose is honored to be among the winners.

Full results will be published in the Spring/Summer edition of Savor Virginia Magazine. Savorva.com is currently featuring an online article, “Crushin’ it: Fall Grape Harvest in Virginia”, with some wise words from our own Suzanne Lawson.

The loyalty of our customers, not only in voting online, but in continuing to support our business through the darkest days of the pandemic, has made all the difference. We are working to fully reopen for visitors, in anticipation of sunny days and shining smiles!

You may have seen the peppermint cuttings that we are rooting on our Facebook page and wondered, “Are they going to make peppermint wine!?” No, not yet, but we might make an elderberry wine sometime.

We have partnered with ASD, Appalachia for Sustainable Development (Abingdon, VA), and LUSH Fresh Handmade Cosmetics (Canada) to produce herbs including whole elderflower, cut peppermint leaves, and cut nettle leaves.  

We are using regenerative practices that contribute to generating building soil, soil fertility and increased biodiversity. Hopefully, this venture will also diversify our business and serve as a public demonstration site for regenerative mine land for the local farming community and our visitors.