Gadino Cellars: A Family Tradition
Washington, VA

Imagine, if you will, a classic movie. The camera pans across the scenery of an old Italian vineyard. You see ancient, stone buildings alongside the sun-bleached vines where the family has gathered to celebrate the harvest. They’re sharing some time together. Some good food. Some good wine. Everyone feels welcome.

Now, Washington, Virginia may not be northern Italy (it’s a little more humid than Italy). The buildings aren’t nearly as old and things aren’t quite so bleached by the Mediterranean sun. The feeling of family and being welcomed, however, is definitely present.

Bill and Aleta Gadino had their love of wine and family instilled into them by their Italian grandparents. While living in California, they discovered winemaking was a shared passion and something achievable– at least as a home-based hobby. That started to change when they moved to the east coast in the 80s and the hobby started to take on a life of its own.

In the beginning, grapes were shipped from California to craft their own private label wines for friends and family. That practice shifted considerably when, in 1989, they purchased 15 acres with an eye towards growing their own grapes here in Virginia. The next decade saw them cultivating an increasing variety of grapes– some for their private label and some to be used by the increasing number of regional vineyards in search of locally produced varietals.

Today, the excess is used in-house. A dozen or so varieties are expertly selected and blended by the Gadino’s. Each variety reflects the best of that year’s harvest and is crafted in small batches to produce fantastically unique and special wines. There is no compromising on quality simply to produce the same thing year after year.

This means their best wines might change from year to year. One harvest might produce an excellent chardonnay or pinot grigio. The next might favor one of their more unique, Italian offerings – the nebbiolo or the traminette. Gadino’s cabernet franc, however, is a perennial favorite.

As they’ve shifted from a more private affair to a more public one, so has the Gadino’s vineyard. There’s a tasting room– open to the public Friday through Monday for most of the year, but limited in the number of guests to ensure a more intimate, personalized experience. There are traditional bocce ball courts to enjoy during good weather days, and in the fall guests are invited to join in the harvest. It’s hard work, to be sure, but deeply satisfying and accompanied by a “mostly” Italian meal that will help cement the experience in your memory.

Stop by for one of their bestsellers– Cabernet Franc, Seyval Blanc, Petit Verdot.

Visit Gadino Cellars at 92 Schoolhouse RD, Washington, VA, 22747.
https://gadinocellars.com/ – (540)987-9292 – call ahead for reservations and seasonal hours.