Winery aims to draw travelers with retail shop

View larger image Teresa Tanner, tasting-room server, pours a North Mountain Vineyard white wine inside The Valley Wine Cellar in New Market. The Maurertown winery opened a retail shop in the former Shenandoah Valley Travel Association building on Old Cross Road at the Interstate 81 interchange. Rich Cooley/Daily The Valley Wine Cellar The shop is at 277 W. Old Cross Road in New Market. Hours are Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Plans are to soon extend hours to Wednesdays and Thursdays. North Mountain Vineyard, at 4374 Swartz Road in Maurertown, is open Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call 436-9463 or go online to www.northmountainvineyard.com. View larger image The Valley Wine Cellar is in the former Shenandoah Valley Travel Association building at 277 W. Old Cross Road. Rich Cooley/Daily View larger image North Mountain jams and barbecue sauce are some of the foods available at the shop. Rich Cooley/Daily View larger image A glass of white wine sits on the counter of North Mountain Vineyards retail outlet store, The Wine Cellar, on Old Cross Road in New Market. Rich Cooley/Daily

By Josette Keelor-jkeelor@nvdaily.com

NEW MARKET-North Mountain Vineyard in Maurertown has branched out into wider Shenandoah County, now including a retail location at 277 W. Old Cross Road in New Market.

The family-run business hopes to show off the valley's wine at its convenient location along Interstate 81.

The Valley Wine Cellar features wine from North Mountain Vineyards as well as food products from other local vendors, says co-owner Krista Jackson Foster.

She says her family had been looking for a way to bring in more business, and when the location for the retail store became available, they jumped at the opportunity.

"It was pure happenstance," she says. "We said, 'OK, let's do it.'"

The store had its grand opening at the end of May.

"Our main thrust for the wine shop was for travelers to stop in and purchase some wine without having to go further inland," she says.

Besides offering a place to purchase Shenandoah Valley wine, the Valley Wine Cellar has tastings of North Mountain Vineyard's wine.

"Our flagship wine is the Chambourcin," she says. "It's one of the up and coming grapes."
"Cabernet Franc is coming on strongly," she adds.

She describes the family's wine as Bavarian Austrian, a passion that stems from her heritage as a native of Germany.

"We have a wine called Oktoberfest," she says. "It's a Riesling blend."

Though the family's background is not in winemaking, they became interested in the business when the vineyard became available, she says.

The vineyard has been in existence since 1982, she says. She, with her husband, Brad, and son, John, purchased the business almost 13 years ago.

"Our family is the second owner of North Mountain Vineyards," she says.

Having lived in California and then in Texas, where her husband was raised, the Fosters later settled in Virginia where they raised their son, she says.

"I'm a teacher and my husband, he is a pilot," she says. "And our son is a geologist at the USGS."

"[John has] extensive background in organic chemistry, and that's why he is making such wonderful wines," she says.

The Valley Wine Cellar does not offer wine by the glass, but Jackson Foster hopes that visitors will take time to taste and smell the various bouquets.

Watercolors by Janet Cardwell are on display and for sale at the shop. Local artisan water, goat cheese, cheddar cheese, handcrafted bags by The Carpet Bagger in Woodstock and wine-related gifts are also available.

"It is a totally different endeavor, actually," Jackson Foster says.

"What we would like to promote is Shenandoah County wine and Shenandoah Valley wine."