Winery

 

Photo By Kevin Blackburn

The Vineyard

“Wine makes daily living easier, less hurried, with fewer tensions and more tolerance.”-Benjamin Franklin

Virginia is a state steeped in culture. From Thomas Jefferson and his love of all things wine to our current wine lovers, growers, and makers forging ahead into the future, with but one idea in mind. Make fantastic wine from beautiful grapes for one and all to enjoy. The Vineyard is where we begin. John and Shelby Higgs, the owners of Barren Ridge Vineyards, began their dedication to cultivating a wine culture in the Shenandoah Valley in 2004. Upon retiring, they set out to renovate and add to an existing structure on what once was St. James Orchard; owned by John’s father, James Albert. Keeping their heritage and history in mind, the former apple orchard was removed to make way for a new dream, the first vineyard and winery in Augusta County, Virginia.

A young Barren Ridge Vineyards.

Barren Ridge Vineyards is located on a high ridge between the Blue Ridge and Appalachian Mountains in Virginia. Warm dry days and cool nights promote ripening while maintaining fruit, flavor, and bouquet from vine to bottle.

The Shenandoah Valley is considered a semi arid climate due to its close proximity to two mountain ranges. At 1400 feet, our vineyard gets its’ name from the unusual weather pattern which directs rain clouds away from the ridge. These effects coupled with the near constant breeze helps to provide an optimum growing environment for grapes.