THE WINE DOWN
WHAT’S DELISH AT LOCAL WINERIES?
53RD WINERY AND VINEYARD
A note from Winegrower and Owner, Dave Drillock
I’m back! It has been a heck of a growing season. From early heavy rains to heat domes to drought!
Don’t forget the Spotted Lanternfly!
What’s a winegrower to do…giving up is not an option. That said, yields are lower resulting from smaller berries. My prediction…Winemakers and their Teams, who work hard in a normal year, will offer above average wines from a tough growing season, showcasing Virginia’s resilience!
October is Virginia Wine Month, and we are releasing our 2024 Viognier.
A Medium bodied white wine, and if you like white peach, you will enjoy this wine. Lots of complexity and minerality at the finish. The connection of wine over the millennia has always been Family, Friends and Food and this wine is perfect for all three.
We invite you to visit our serene, meadow-like location in rural Louisa County. We pride ourselves on being genuine and approachable, eager to share our passion for wine without any scripted lines or memorized facts, just a warm and welcome atmosphere. We are a Winery that just wants to be a Winery!
For more details, please check our website at www.53rdwinery.com or call us at 540-894-1536. We look forward to welcoming you to the winery, and we truly appreciate your business and support.
Upcoming events:
Saturday, October 4th - Live Music: Danny Kensy 1-4pm Tasting Room Aread Catch award-winning country artist Danny Kensy live at the winery!
Named Modern Country Artist of the Year (2023) and Songwriter of the Year (2024), Danny brings his edgytraditional sound that’s made him a standout voice in today’s country music. With four Top 20 indie singles, multiple charted hits, and a track record of sharing the stage with Brad Paisley, Brothers Osborne, and Rascal Flatts, Danny’s high-energy show is one you won’t want to miss.
The Tasting Room is closing at 4:45pm for a private event.
Saturday, October 11th - Louisa Humane Society presents Empty Bowls 11-5pm
Enjoy soup paired with 53rd wines and take home a handcrafted bowl donated by Virginia’s Dream Pottery and local artists. Tickets benefit the Louisa Humane Society— $35. A great cause and one of their largest fundraisers.
We hope you can join us and thank you for your support.
thoughtfully paired with an elevated graze box from Sauce Catering.
https://www.exploretock.com/ fiftythirdwineryandvineyard/ event/570980/two-shades-of-rose-aculinary-pairing-experience
Saturday, October 18th : Wine Club Pick-Up Day 1: 4th Quarter
2025 11-5:00pm
Live Music: Mike Proffitt 1-4pm
Food Truck: Salty Bottom Blue Oysters
As always, we are planning an extra special tasting experience. Not a wine club member, no problem. Guests welcome for $17/person which includes the tasting and a food coupon for the food truck.
Sunday, October 19th: Wine Club Pick-Up Day 2: 4th Quarter
2025 11-5:00pm
Live Music: Scuffletown 1-4pm
Food Truck: Zippy’s Smokeshack
As always, we are planning an extra special tasting experience. Not a wine club member, no problem. Guests welcome for $17 per person which includes the tasting and a food coupon for the food truck.
Saturday, October 25th - Live Music: Matt Johnson 1-4pm
Matt Johnson is a Central Virginia musician with a soulful voice and standout piano skills. A former The Voice, Season 15 contestant on Team Jennifer Hudson. Matt has performed everywhere from The National in Richmond to wineries and breweries across Virginia. Don’t miss the chance to see him live at 53rd!
Open 7 days a week, 11 am – 5 pm • Sat/Sun. 12-6 pm
13372 Shannon Hill Rd Louisa, VA 23093 (540) 894-5474 • 53rdwinery.com
DUCARD VINEYARDS
2021 Merlot
A welcoming nose of dark fruits and herbs is evident in this well-balanced wine. Soft tannins with vanilla notes leave a rich and warm mouthfeel. This wine was aged in French oak for 9 months. Just named one of VinePair’s 20 Best Merlots for 2025. We are open 7 days a week throughout the month of January, with live music every weekend!
Make sure to keep an eye on our website and social media pages for the most up to date listings of our upcoming artists.
Chocolate and Wine Program. This class has become a beloved tradition at the winery and a favorite for guests. Ann and DuCard owner, Scott Elliff, select each pairing and share the reasons why they work. While tasting and sipping, Ann will talk about the history of chocolate, her role at Lindt, and offer samples of the “building blocks” of chocolate for everyone to try. Scott will share the story of the vineyard and how wine is made. Think you have it down? Good because there will be an opportunity for you to come up with you own perfect pairing. Limited seating, advance reservations required. $75 per person. Sorry, no discount for Wine Club members at this event. Purchase tickets at https://ducardvineyards.com/event/ chocolate-wine-pairing-fall-2/
Open daily
Mon-Thurs. 12-5 pm Fri. 12-9 pm Sat/Sun. 12-6 pm
40 Gibson Hollow Ln Etlan, VA 22719 (540) 923-4206 www.ducardvineyards.com
EASTWOOD FARM AND WINERY
Fall at Eastwood Farm and Winery
menu in the tasting room every day featuring German-inspired delights, including our Flammkuchen, Bacon Maple Pecan Brie and loaded potato soup seven days a week. Check out our website for full food truck and tasting room menus.
Virginia Oyster & Wine Celebration | Every Friday in September & October
Our Virginia Oyster & Wine Celebration is back every Friday night! The oysters are prepared by Salty Bottom Blue. Enjoy them in a relaxed, fun atmosphere with live music from 5-8pm on the stage in our tasting room.
SPCA Popup | Sunday, October 5
Meet some new furry friends while supporting a great cause and enjoying live music, great wine, cider & beer and our Oktoberfest food truck in addition to the full daily menu.
Music Bingo | Sunday, October 12 and Thursday, October 30
Everyone loves singing along with their favorite songs and who doesn’t love a competitive game of Bingo? Music Bingo brings together the best of both worlds for a high energy game that is fun for everyone. Simply listen to the music, match the songs to the titles on your music bingo cards, and win great prizes! Free to play
Paint & Sip Wednesday, October 15th 6-8PM; October 26th 12-2PM
Grab a glass of wine (or your favorite drink!) and let your creativity flow in our relaxed and fun Paint & Sip classes.
Whether you’re an experienced artist or a first-time painter, the talented instructors of Blue Ridge Brushes will walk you through the painting process as you create your own masterpiece. Ticketed Events - Reserve Your Spot On Our Website
United By Beer Happy Hour| Thursday, October 16th 5-7PM
Join the Charlottesville Ale Trail for a fun happy hour. Open to the public.
Red Wine Showcase | Friday, October 17
Celebrate Virginia Wine Month at the Red Wine Showcase set against the picturesque backdrop of Eastwood Farm and Winery! This exclusive event brings together 18 esteemed wineries from the Monticello Wine Trail for an unforgettable evening of red wine tastings, gourmet pairings, community and conversation. Reserve your tickets at eastwoodfarmandwinery.com.
music on Saturday nights from 5-8pm (in addition to our more mellow Saturday afternoon music program).
Eastwood also hosts a range of live performances by talented local and regional musicians every Thursday and Friday night. See the Winery Calendar on our website for details.
MUSIC AT EASTWOOD!
Join us for the popular Eastwood After Dark featuring upbeat, danceable music on Saturday nights from 5-8pm (in addition to our more mellow Saturday afternoon music program). Eastwood also hosts a range of live performances by talented local and regional musicians every Thursday and Friday night (and Sundays!). See the Winery Calendar on our website for details.
Every Thursday: Live Music 5-8PM or Music Bingo 6-8PM
Thursday “Thank You” Community Day at Eastwood—$5 Taps (Beer & Cider)
Every Friday: Live Music 5-8PM
Low-Country Shrimp Boil 5-8PM
Every Saturday: Live Music 12:303:30PM + Eastwood After Dark with Live Music 5-8PM
Every Sunday: Music Bingo, Paint & Sip, Maker’s Market or Live Music (See the Winery Calendar on our website for details.)
What about the kids?
Kids can share in the experience with their own juice tasting flights and cheese boards!
OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK!
Winery Hours: Sunday-Wednesday (125 PM); Thursday-Saturday (12-8 PM)
We look forward to welcoming you to our cozy tasting room, seven days a week. Join us for award-winning wines, beer, and cider, as well as a delicious seasonal menu by Chef Andrew Partridge that is perfect for lunch or dinner. Delight in lounging on our enclosed & heated veranda with a glass of our gold medal 2022 Meritage Reserve. Or, stay inside and enjoy live music with a seasonal toasty flatbread or our scrumptious Cast Iron Baked Brie. Escape to Virginia Wine Country, only five miles from Downtown Charlottesville. Open year-round, seven days a week.
Pet friendly and large groups are welcome. Ample indoor and outdoor seating.
After another successful harvest season, we are thrilled to be settling our wines into a nice winter nap as the aging process continues and the 2025 harvest matures. October is PACKED with many fun events here.
If you haven’t seen our reels, click away to your favorite social media site for some winery funnies! VIRGINIA WINE MONTH IS HERE! Check out the many activities happening at the Hills!
Our event space is now complete and booking for special events in the coming year -- come take a tour before 2026 pricing increases kick in!
Have YOU seen our social media posts? Trending videos on all platforms... check us out! EVENTS:
Oct. 3rd - LIVE MUSIC with Madison Kinney. This family favorite -- she not only runs our Country Dance Night, but her voice is like that of an angel. Come kick off your October right here with some sips and singing at 5:30 p.m.
Oct. 10th - LIVE MUSIC with FarAway. This local duo is a favorite all over the central wine region. Come see why sipping wine and savoring their tunes is a great way to kick off your weekend. Music starts at 5:30 p.m.
Oct. 12th - HARVEST DINNER at Hardware Hills
We are celebrating our 2025 season with a chef crafted dinner paired with our handmade Hh wines. Seating is limited and selling out fast, so join us for this very special evening of fine food, wine, and many cheers to another great growing season
https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ ticketing/2025-empty-bowls-for-louisahumane-society
Live Music: David Kulund 1-4pm
Sunday, October 12th - Two Shades of Rosé: A Culinary Pairing Experience
Join us for Two Shades of Rosé: A Culinary Pairing Experience at 1:30 PM in the pavilion, where we’ll explore two unique expressions of our Rosé,
Fridays- Friday Night Out! Every Friday night through the summer we feature half price wine flights, live music, food for sale, and grills available for use until 8:00pm.
Weekends- Live music all weekend long! Check out our lineup on our website!
Fall Chocolate & Wine Pairing Event - October 19, 2025 123:00pm
DuCard Vineyards is excited to welcome back Master Chocolatier Ann Czaja, DipWSET, for
Join us in celebrating the 2025 harvest. There is always something for the whole family to enjoy at Eastwood from our gold medal 2024 Petit Manseng and Petit Verdot to our new Oktoberfest beer and our popular juice flights for kids. We will also be hosting live music four days a week all season long. Join us for festive fall days in Virginia wine country.
Upcoming at the Winery: Oktoberfest (every Saturday and Sunday September 13 - October 31) Every Saturday and Sunday this Fall, Eastwood is bringing you all the cozy, festive vibes with a lineup of flavor, fun, and celebration featuring delicious food truck specials, raffles, live music and traditional Oktoberfest beer. And the fun doesn’t stop after the weekend. You can enjoy a special Oktoberfest
Harvest Party Weekend | October 17 -19
Join us for a festive weekend as we celebrate Harvest Party Weekend and Virginia Wine Month! Enjoy three days of live raffles, pop-ups, wine, food, music, and the Harvest Party Artisan Market on Sunday 10/19. See website for live music schedule
Halloween Weekend| October 31Nov 2
Enjoy our special release “snickers” chocolate stout and other fun adult treats like Chocolate Fondue and Warm crab dip, along with live music all weekend long.
MUSIC AT EASTWOOD THIS MONTH!
Join us for the popular Eastwood After Dark featuring upbeat, danceable
Rt 20 near the intersection with Avon Extended (5 mi from Downtown Mall) Charlottesville, VA 22902 (434) 264-6727 www.eastwoodfarmandwinery.com
HARDWARE HILLS VINEYARD
“What She Said” White
This fun wine is a new release and a delicious representation of all the white grapes from Hardware Hills. A carefully crafted blend of Vidal Blanc, Traminette and Seyval Blanc it is packed with flavor and a hint of sweetness. A great porch sipper as we say goodbye to the warm summer months and gear up for Fall. Come get a bottle today and find out that... that’s WHAT SHE SAID!
Oct. 16th - MUSIC BINGO NIGHT with Sara. This night is so fun! Sara brings the tunes and the prizes! Bring your love for wine, music, food, and fun! Games begin at 6:30.
Oct. 17th - LIVE MUSIC WITH F.O.G. - Five Old Guys -- but they know how to party! Come get your weekend kicked off with this exceptional group of fun and funloving musicians for an evening of wine, food, tunes and fun! Music starts at 5:30.
Oct. 18th- SCOTTSVILLE WINE FESTIVAL! This first annual event is sure to please and show the charm and flavor of Scottsville, VA. Grab the whole crew and come spend a great afternoon with multiple wineries, vendors, food trucks and great music! https://www.riverbendwinefest.com/ Oct. 23rd- TRIVIA NIGHT at the Hills! OKTOBERFEST is our theme this month
and get ready to put your brain powers to the test to win! Groups of up to 6 are welcome for a fun night of casual and challenging trivia good times! Games start at 6:30!
Oct. 30th - COUNTRY LINE
DANCING night at the Hills! Pull on your boots and grab your friends. This rapidly growing-in-popularity night is sure to get your feet stomping and learning some new moves! Bring the whole group! Dance lessons at 6 followed by open floor night!
Oct. 31st- LIVE MUSIC with Brent Hull. If you haven’t experienced a night of music with Brent... well come see what an amazing artist is here. Escape the Halloween hohum and come turn up the fun at the Hills! We’ll be serving mulled wine, great food, some special treats... and the magical mash-ups of this very talented musician!
5199 W River Rd, Scottsville, VA 434.286.4710 • www.hardwarehills.com
KESWICK VINEYARDS
Spooky Season at Keswick Vineyards
October is here, and we’re celebrating Virginia Wine Month with hauntingly good wine, live music, and plenty of festive fun!
Sunday, October 12th – HADDS Day Festival!
Come out and raise awareness for our HADDS Day Festival! Every bottle sold, we will be donating $1 to the HADDS foundation. Donate to a great cause as we raise awareness for our lovely winemaker’s son as he fights with this disease. Sink your fangs into Cousins Maine Lobster, enjoy face painting & temporary tattoos, say hello to the critters in our Mini Petting Zoo, and groove to live music from Henley & Lou. A frightfully fun day for the whole family!
Live Music Every Saturday & Sunday
Raise a glass to the season! Enjoy tunes from 12–4 PM while sipping your favorite Keswick wines among the fall leaves. Enjoy your weekend with all of your Keswick fam!!! Wine Down Wednesdays It’s the last month of the year for midweek magic! Join us from 5:30–8:30 PM with Happy Hour on select wines from 5–6 PM. Perfect for shaking off those weekday cobwebs. Join the Club… if you dare Become a member of Virginia’s Most Rewarding Wine Club! A treat far sweeter than any candy. Stop by the tasting room or visit our website to sign up today!
Hours: Monday- Sunday from 10 am – 5 pm 1575 Keswick Winery Drive Keswick, Virginia 22947
Tasting Room: (434) 244-3341 ext 105 tastingroom@keswickvineyards.com www.keswickvineyards.com
