Winemakers John Delmare and Chris Pearmund envision building Prince William County's first winery along the slopes of Bull Run Mountain.
Although the county has vineyards, it has no wineries where grapes are cultivated, wine is produced and customers can dine on dishes paired with specific wines.
Lisa and Chris Pearmund at Pearmund Cellars in Broad Run. Prince William has vineyards, but no wineries.
(Photos Len Spoden For The Washington Post)
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A winery in Prince William would make it the closest one in Virginia to the District. Delmare and Pearmund, who own wineries in Virginia, contend that such proximity to their largest market would give them a competitive advantage.
"We could be the first or last winery they visit if people visit several wineries on a weekend," said Pearmund, who owns Pearmund Cellars in Fauquier County, a winery that occasionally serves six-course dinners to show how well soft-shell crabs, for example, go with one of its chardonnays.
Some Prince William officials like the idea of such a business opening in the county, predicting it would enhance tourism.
There's one problem: Local zoning laws permit vineyards, winemaking and even food, as long as it's packaged cheese and crackers. The existing laws don't allow such a business to prepare meals, however.
So, before the proposed vineyard can bear its first fruits, the Board of County Supervisors would have to amend its zoning ordinances to permit food service.
This month, the board initiated a study to consider amending the ordinances. The county's Office of Planning and Zoning could make the changes and present them to the board in July.
"The county did not have a specific category for wineries, because wineries do not exist in Prince William County," Supervisor John T. Stirrup Jr. (R-Gainesville) said. "It would put us on the map in terms of wineries throughout the state."
Virginia's wine industry has flourished in recent years. In 1979, six wineries operated in the state, according to the Virginia Wine Marketing Office. Moreover, the wines they produced weren't known for their quality.
Today, nearly 100 wineries dot the landscape, and Virginia is the fifth-largest wine producer in the country. The wines aren't bad, either, promoters say.
"The reputation of Virginia wines has made a monumental step forward in a very short period of time," said Gordon Murchie, executive director of the Virginia Wineries Association.
Virginia's wine industry attracts more than 500,000 visitors annually and has an economic impact of $95.7 million, including sales and tourism dollars, according to the marketing office.
Many of the state's wineries are clustered around Charlottesville, and several are in nearby Loudoun County, where the Economic Development Department promotes the "Loudoun Wine Trail."
A winery in Prince William would further diversify the county's tourist attractions, said Tabatha Mullins, executive director of the Prince William County-Manassas Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Pearmund Cellars in Broad Run attracts more than 100 visitors on a busy Saturday or Sunday, Pearmund said. It opened two years ago and produces 5,000 cases of wine a year.
Delmare said he and his partners are considering other locations while awaiting a decision on the zoning in Prince William, where one of the partners already owns land north of Interstate 66.
"If the county is interested, as we are, in having a winery there, then there's a very high likelihood that the winery would come through," said Delmare, who owns Rappahannock Cellars in Huntly.
The proposed winery in Prince William would cost about $1.5 million and take less than two years to begin operating, Pearmund said. It would reap at least $500,000 in sales a year when fully operational, he said.
