We all know wine and cheese go well together, but did you know that at Chrysalis Vineyards at The Ag District in Middleburg, the wine and cheese are both made on property? Home to what is said to be the largest planting of Norton grapes in the world, the 412-acre agri-conservation area is also home to Locksley Farmstead Cheese Co., a creamery that produces ten distinctive European-style cheeses, nine of them regularly available at the tasting room.
“Cheese and wine – how could you go wrong?” said Ag District founder-owner Jenni McCloud. “What makes the wine and cheese truly special here is that they come from the same land. Just as wine has terroir, so does cheese. Both carry the unique character of where they’re made, and together they create a pairing that’s naturally meant to be.”
McCloud started making wine at Chrysalis in the 1990s, perfecting Norton, the hardy Virginia grape, but also producing world-class Viognier and Albariño.
“After establishing the vineyards, we still had plenty of land and the question became—what next? The answer was to create another value-added agricultural product, and that’s how Locksley Farmstead Cheese Company came to life.”
Starting with Milking Devons, a heritage breed from Devonshire, England in 2006, the creamery opened in 2016. They now craft cheeses using milk from Holsteins and Jerseys.
So which wines to pair with which cheeses on your next visit?
McCloud’s recommendations are to go from white to red, as with a meal:
- 2023 Albariño Verde with tangy Merry Men Manchego
- 2023 Viognier with creamy Maid Marian Camembert
- 2021 Locksley Reserve Norton with Nottingham Gouda
- 2021 Petit Manseng with the rich King Richard Blue Cheese
Other cheeses to try are Little John Cheddar, Friar Tuck Fromage Blanc, Garlic & Herb Fromage, Red Knight Pepper Jack and White Knight Monterey Jack. While the fresh mozzarella isn’t available for retail, you can enjoy it exclusively on pizzas from the Little River Bakehouse.
A bakery as well? Yes, cheers to three businesses in one.
