Village Winery

For truly handmade wines, visit Village Winery and Vineyards, located in the historic village of Waterford. Owner Kent Marrs does all the winemaking himself, crafting each wine entirely by hand to preserve the true character and flavor of the variety. Kent grew up on a dairy farm in Kansas, but his interest was in growing fruit, and he planted an apple orchard on his family’s land at an early age. After moving to Virginia, he wanted to return to agriculture, and spent a decade researching and visiting other wineries in the state before embarking on his own venture. He and his wife Karen purchased the property, which is part of the historic landmark village, in 2001. The winery’s rustic and casual tasting room is located in a restored building adjacent to the bank barn. The original bank barn on the site was burned during the Civil War and rebuilt over the smaller, original stone foundation. Kent planted two acres of vineyards on the property and an additional eight acres nearby. His winemaking philosophy values quality over volume, so he reduces the grape crop by hand before it is fully ripe to intensify the flavors. His wines are all aged in French oak barrels. He also grows elderberries, which are small, dark berries that grow in clusters on small shrubs. He turns the fruit into syrup for ice cream, yogurt, and cheesecake, and puts it into sparkling beverages. There is seating inside the tasting room as well as outside under the shade of mature trees, offering an authentic experience in the rural setting of DC’s Wine Country®.