After an internship in a large winery in Northern Virginia, David returned home with a dream of having a successful vineyard and winery in Wise County. The land available to him was part of our family’s cherished 150-year-old farm, once marked by coal mining in the 1970s.  The challenge was tremendous and two-fold: grow a vineyard in an area where grapes for wine had never been grown and plant vines on soils left after mining. David spent countless hours researching and implementing new practices in the home vineyards to meet these challenges, an environmental first. 

In 2004, MountainRose Vineyards blossomed into reality. That same year, David and Brandy expanded their dream by acquiring Grace Vineyards in nearby Russell County. Nestled on former tobacco fields, this lower-elevation site opened up exciting new horizons, particularly for cultivating bold, expressive red grapes.

Visitors to our winery often marvel at the beauty of the vineyard and delight in the story of how we created something so beautiful from land previously mined for coal and an old tobacco field. In an age of environmental consciousness, our vineyards are an excellent example of successfully rebuilding the soil’s quality like lost fertility, minerals, nutrients, and moisture to make it fit for intensive farming that is a vineyard.

In some ways, our grapes are farmed today much like they have been for thousands of years with sunshine, water, and soil. Science and technology have revolutionized the process with specialized equipment, new techniques like grafted vines, chemicals, and a wealth of knowledge available at your fingertips. However, growing grapes still requires commitment, a love for the land, and a desire to create a new crop just like the early farmers. 

Every vintage brings its own unique blend of joys and challenges — moments of triumph and lessons learned. Through it all, our journey is guided by unwavering dedication, a love for our land, and a commitment to crafting wines that capture the essence of our labor and the beauty of our surroundings — all crafted into a beautiful glass of wine just for you.

We warmly invite you to visit us, wander through our vineyards, hear more of our story, and savor our wines against the backdrop of the breathtaking Southwest Virginia Mountains. Here at MountainRose Vineyards, our doors are always open to share our dream with you.