By Doug Fabbioli You Take What You Get Over the past few decades we have had some great times growing a culture and an economy around agriculture. Combining history, open spaces, celebrations, weekend getaways, retreats, culinary artistry, craft beverages, performing arts, and nature in a way that allows us to create a respite zone for […]
Entrepreneurism Encouraged
May 2, 2020 by Leave a Comment
By Doug Fabbioli Entrepreneurism Encouraged Clearly our springtime work on the farm has been a bit disrupted by the current circumstances of the pandemic and how our lifestyles have changed. Our vibrant rural economy, focused on hospitality and tourism, has been dropped on its head. The business owners, managers, association heads and politicians have been […]
Spring has clearly Sprung!
April 3, 2020 by Leave a Comment
By Doug Fabbioli Spring has clearly Sprung! I turned around the other day and Mother Nature had caught me napping. Now, I know that we had a very mild winter, and my crew was able to keep up with most of the winter pruning, but things are really greening up now! For us on the […]
Clean Competition raises the bar!
January 1, 2020 by Leave a Comment
By Doug Fabbioli Clean Competition raises the bar! When we play by the rules, respect the balance of the system and have a positive goal, we all win! The other day at our Saturday start up meeting in the tasting room, Anne (who creates the tasting bites for our daily tastings), mentioned how the specialty […]
Zero to One
November 30, 2019 by Leave a Comment
By Doug Fabbioli Zero to One The scariest step is always the first! This concept is consistent through business, relationships and life. The learning curve for the first time of doing something is always the steepest. Kissing a girl, getting behind the wheel of a car or making a batch of wine can all be […]
Balancing An Industry
November 1, 2019 by Leave a Comment
By Doug Fabiolli Balancing An Industry I have been in the middle of the maturing of the Virginia wine industry over the past couple decades. When we talk about maturing, I don’t want folks to think that there is an end to this part of our state. There are different challenges that we take on […]
Is there Art in Agriculture?
July 31, 2019 by Leave a Comment
By Doug Fabbioli Is there Art in Agriculture? I have spent almost 4 decades working in agriculture, turning crops into a preserved, value added product, and teaching people how to be successful at this vocation. We don’t always acknowledge that there is an artistry to agriculture, mainly because the science is so critical to success. […]
Let’s make a plan!
July 1, 2019 by Leave a Comment
By Doug Fabbioli Let’s make a plan As a grape grower, I have to have some long range vision. The decision on “what grapes to grow where” is decided 4 years before any crop is harvested from those vines. If the vines don’t grow well in that location, or if the vines you planted were […]
Where are the lines drawn in the alcohol world?
June 1, 2019 by Leave a Comment
By Doug Fabbioli Where are the lines drawn in the alcohol world? Beer, wine or liquor? How do you make what, who sells it and how is it regulated? I must admit, I have learned a few things about this subject over the past few decades. When working with alcohol products that are based on […]
It’s Bud Time!
May 1, 2019 by Leave a Comment
By Doug Fabbioli It’s Bud Time! So the season has begun again! The green leaves that contain the chlorophyll are growing bigger every day, staging themselves to collect another seasons worth of the sun’s energy. That energy will be turned into the sweetness and flavors in the fruit that will make our wines something for […]
