Vineyards
Slater Run Vineyards is located on Plum Run Farm off of Route 50 about four miles west of Middleburg.
Two distinct vineyard blocks comprise a total of 13 acres under vine. The five-acre House Vineyard, which can be seen on the left as you enter the winery driveway, was planted in 2010. The eight-acre Silo Vineyard, which resides beyond the pond to the west of the corn silo, was planted in 2016.
Red varietals planted are Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. White varietals include Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, and Sauvignon Blanc.
HOUSE VINEYARD
Elevation: between 450-500 feet
Row Orientation: North-South
Exposure: East
Planted in 2010
Density: about 1886 vines/acre
Total acreage: 5
SILO VINEYARD
Elevation: 500 feet
Row Orientation: North-South
Exposure: East
Planted in 2016
Density: about 1886 vines/acre
Total acreage: 8
Most people have heard that good wine starts in the vineyard. It’s true. Site Selection, Clone/Rootstock combinations, and Vineyard Practices are the main elements that create differences between vineyards.
Site Selection
At its most basic, Site Selection considers soil type and air flow. With mostly Sandy Loam soils sprinkled with shale, we have a well-drained site that prevents root rot while also providing ample nutrients. Additionally, the site is almost always breezy with consistent western winds coming off of the Blue Ridge mountains.
Clone / Rootstock
Clone/Rootstock combinations aim to pair the desired clonal characteristics of a varietal with a rootstock that will support the growing conditions of the specific vineyard site.
For instance, since Virginia often has abundant rainfall, we tend to choose clones that have looser clusters (allowing fruit to dry and not become infected with disease) and rootstocks that are low vigor (preventing canopy overgrowth in wet years).
Vineyard Practices
Vineyard Practices include initial planting decisions as well as annual canopy management choices. We have chosen to plant a densely spaced grid (1 meter between vines and 7 feet between rows) to create competition among our vines that directs energy into producing quality fruit instead of overgrown vegetation. We cane prune annually to shed old wood and maintain a lean VSP (Vertical Shoot Position) trellis system. Both practices facilitate less disease pressure.