Inside:
GET OUT LOUDOUN
Get Out Loudoun is distributed monthly to entertainment, tourism, and hospitality venues throughout Loudoun County. For the latest news on the music scene and other community events, go to getoutloudoun.com.
CONTRIBUTORS
Alexis Gustin
Hanna Pampaloni
Norman K. Styer ON THE COVER
Owner’s Stephen and Jennifer Fortier stand in their open air tasting room at Domaine Fortier Vineyards. Photo by Alexis Gustin TO ADVERTISE
Susan Styer at 703-770-9723 or sales@loudounnow.com
TUNES
British hitmaker Howard Jones headlines the 2024 Crossroads Music Festival that will feature performance by more than 40 musicians and bands next month.
DESTINATIONS
There’s a new route on the Town of Leesburg’s roster of self-guided walking tours. Take a stroll through the graveyard.
TASTE
Restauranteurs Basil and Jenna Kuhn are looking beyond the food as they build an entertainment destination at Rai’s Rendezvous in Ashburn.
WINE
A long-held dream of Stephen and Jennifer Fortier is taking root in the Lovettsville countryside with one of Loudoun’s newest wineries.
BEST BETS
Get Out Loudoun’s top picks for August.
A Creative Craft Beer Month
BY DOUGLAS ROGERS
Visit Loudoun
“Buy me some peanuts and crackerjack,” goes the classic line in the beloved baseball song, but what about adding a can of Loudoun-made golden ale to that order next time you’re at the ballgame?
This summer, Washington Nationals baseball legend Ryan Zimmerman has partnered with Middleburg’s Lost Barrel Brewing to create the “No. ELEVEN Kolsch” – a crisp, refreshing ale made with German Hops and named for the number Zimmerman wore in his long career with the Nats. The beer is available at the Lost Barrel taproom and throughout DC and Virginia, including in the stands at Nationals Park.
“It’s a perfect complement to those environments,” said Zimmerman, a regular at Lost Barrel and friend of the owners. “Brewer Dan Sickmen
and I wanted a beer that would appeal to a wide audience. Kolsch is perfect for summer sipping, known for its crisp drinkability and smooth finish.”
A portion of the sales of the ale as well as of No. ELEVEN merchandise will be donated to Zimmerman’s ziMS Foundation for Multiple Sclerosis.
As Virginia Craft Beer Month gets underway this August, Zimmerman’s No. ELEVEN ale is not the only exciting beer news coming out of Loudoun.
Over in Round Hill, award-winning Williams Gap Vineyard is about to add a raft of beers to its tasting room menu. Starting in October, the winery will feature four rotating beers — a sour, an IPA, a lager and a seasonal — all made on property by Russ Sabbag, head brewer at Purcellville’s Adroit Theory Brewing Co.
“Our wine has been received so well in the community and we’ve had hundreds of requests to produce beer,” said General Manager Bridgette Smith. “We started small with our Vines & Steins Beer & Wine Weekends over the last three
Photo by Lost Barrel Brewing Washington Nationals baseball great Ryan Zimmerman worked with Lost Barrel Brewing’s Dan Sickmen to create the No. ELEVEN Kolsch.
PHILADELPHIA FREEDOM: A TRIBUTE TO ELTON JOHN 8/3 - DOORS: 7PM THE GAVIN EVICK BAND 8/9 - DOORS: 7PM
NEW YORK’S FINEST TRIBUTE TO STING AND THE POLICE THE ULTIMATE 2000’S DANCE PARTY WITH SO FETCH 8/31 - DOORS: 7PM 8/23 - DOORS: 7PM
LIBATIONS FROM PAGE 4
years and each time we invited Purcellville’s Adroit Theory Brewing to partner with us. Adroit shares a similar goal with Williams Gap: to produce the best beer with the best products in Loudoun, so it’s a natural partnership.”
Talking partnerships, at Belly Love in Purcellville and sister property Hillsborough Winery, Brewery & Vineyard, owner-brewer Tolga Baki has updated the AI beer he created using ChatGPT in 2022. Known as Solar Flare and developed from a recipe ChatGPT delivered after prompts from Baki, the beer is in its third iteration.
“The latest batch was changed based on customer feedback, which I summarized back to AI, along with my personal recommendations,” Baki said. “It then spit out the new recipe.”
A delicious Hazy New England Style IPA, you can get it on tap at both locations as well as in four-pack cans that feature original label designs created by AI.
Here’s to a happy and creative Virginia Craft Beer Month, Loudoun!
Belly Love Brewing Company founder Tolga Baki has released the third iteration of Solar Flare, a hazy New England IPA based on an AI-created recipe.
File photo
TUNES
British Singer-Songwriter Headlines Leesburg Music Festival
BENEFIT’s Crossroads Music Festival, an event to raise funds for nonprofits serving children in Loudoun County, will feature British singer, songwriter and electronic music pioneer Howard Jones.
The festival will take place at multiple venues in downtown Leesburg on Friday, Sept. 20, and Saturday, Sept. 21.
Howard Jones will headline the festival with an intimate solo piano performance Saturday at Tally Ho Theater. Jones has been a constant presence on the international touring scene for the past four decades after bursting upon the contemporary music scene in 1983 with his very English songwriting and pioneering synthesizers with “New Song.” His first two albums, “Human’s Lib” and “Dream into Action,” were worldwide hits. “Human’s Lib” reached No. 1
in 1984 in the U.K. and featured the hits “New Song” and “What Is Love?’” Howard Jones has sold upwards of 10 million albums worldwide and continues to make new music and tour the world.
Headlining the Friday night festival kickoff in their debut performance is Every Echo. The four-person American contemporary folk band includes Emma Rowley and Todd Wright who have deep roots in the Loudoun County area. Rowley will also be performing solo as the opening act for Howard Jones on Saturday evening.
BENEFIT is a coalition of musicians and community leaders uniting people with music to raise
British music pioneer Howard Jones will headline BENEFIT’s Crossroads Music Festival in September.
LOCO FEST RETURNS
SEPT. 1
More than 20 musicians will gather at 868 Estate Vineyards on Sept. 1 for the seventh annual LoCo Fest.
Produced by Todd Brooks, the day-long event raises money to support talented musicians in Loudoun County, needed to help them purchase equipment needed help further their careers. To date, more than $50,000 in music equipment has been donated to through the campaign
The Labor Day weekend show runs from noon to 9 p.m. with more than 25 musicians rotating across the stage. Preforming this year are Ramona, The Darby Brothers, Gary Smallwood and Mike Ault. Laura Cashman, Delta Spur, Carleigh Jane, Shallow Planet Band, Savash, Jason Cyr, and more.
In addition to wine, Lost Rhino beer and food trucks will be available on site. Bring chairs and blankets. Pop-up tents are encouraged. Tickets are $25 before Aug. 31 and $30 at the gate. People under the age of 16 are free, but registration is requested. Learn more at 868estatevineyards.com
funds and awareness for nonprofit organizations serving children in Loudoun County.
On Saturday, Sept. 21, in addition to Jones’ headlining performance at Tally Ho Theater, over 40 musicians and bands will take part in the festival’s Saturday Music Showcases. The music showcases will take place at multiple venues in downtown Leesburg.
Saturday Music Showcase performers include: Annie Stokes, Big Bad Juju, Blotto Diablo, Bob Crerie, Chris Sia, Chris Timbers Band, Dave Goodrich, Dave Goodrum, Dave Mininberg, Diesel River, Domenic Cicala & Thensome, Favorite Child, Gary Smallwood, Goodtime Alibi, Honey Trap, Intellect, Joey Bauer, Juliana MacDowell, Laurie Blue, Lenny Burridge Band, Loudoun Jazz Ensemble, Lucas Mason, M4TR (Music 4 The Revolution), Max Redding and the Dogwood Gospel, Meisha Herron, Mike McCabe, Mintons Academy of Music-Purple Voyagers, Mission
Road, Mo & Mary Mac, Quentin Walston, RED SAMMY, Ryan Franko, Ryan Jewel, Summer & Eric, Swing Shift, Tavair Dominque, The Wickers, Thomas Hinds, Trevor Toms, Uncle Drew and the Scoundrels, and more.
A limited number of passes for Friday performances and Jones’ Saturday performance at Tally Ho Theater are on sale.
'Go to CrossroadsMusicFest.org for details and tickets.
No passes are required for the Saturday Music Showcase performances taking place at other venues throughout downtown Leesburg.
Festival sponsors include Greensorb, Leesburg Department of Economic Development, Loudoun Now, NDpoint Strategies, Music Planet Radio and Visit Loudoun. The presenting sponsor for the Friday night festival kickoff is Toth Financial Advisory Corporation. The presenting sponsor for Saturday’s performance is Cara Bobchek.
TUNES FROM PAGE 8
Loudoun’s Dining
FORDS FISH SHACK
Consistently voted Loudoun residents’ favorite place for seafood, Ford’s offers fresh seafood in a family-dining atmosphere at three locations, as well as a catering arm and a food truck operation.
Ashburn-44260 Ice Rink Plaza, Ashburn, VA 20147 (571) 918-4092 • fords shshack.com
Lansdowne-19308 Promenade Dr., Leesburg, VA 20176 (571) 333-1301 • fords shshack.com
South Riding 25031 Riding Plaza, Chantilly, VA 20152 (703) 542-7520 • fords shshack.com
SPANKY’S SHENANIGANS
Known as one of the Loudoun’s favorite bars, Spanky’s Shenanigans is a popular destination from its morning breakfast menu to its ample roster of live music performers.
538 E Market St, Leesburg, VA 20176 (703) 777-2454 • spankyspub.com
LIGHTFOOT RESTAURANT
Inside an historic bank building in downtown Leesburg, the Zagat-rated Lightfoot provides both a ne-dining experience and a gathering place for locals. Executive Chef Ingrid Gustavson serves up American cuisine with southern and ethnic accents.
11 North King Street Leesburg, VA 20176 703-771-2233 • lightfootrestaurant.com
TUSCARORA MILL
Known by locals as Tuskies, the restaurant is located inside a restored 19th century grain mill in Leesburg’s historic district. Offering everything from locally sourced ne dining to a casual bar experience, it’s been a dining destination for more than three decades.
203 Harrison St SE, Leesburg, VA 20175 (703) 771-9300 • tuskies.com
1 50 West Vineyards 39060 Little River Turnpike, Middleburg 50westvineyards.com
2 8 Chains North Winery 38593 Daymont Ln., Waterford, VA 8chainsnorth.com
3 868 Estate Vineyards 14001 Harpers Ferry Rd., Purcellville 868estatevineyards.com
4 The Barns at Hamilton Station 16804 Hamilton Station Rd., Hamilton thebarnsathamiltonstation.com
5 Bleu Frog Vineyards 16413 James Monroe Hwy, Leesburg bleufrogvineyards.com
6 Bluemont Vineyard 18755 Foggy Bottom Rd., Bluemont bluemontvineyard.com
7 Bogati Winery 35246 Harry Byrd Hwy., Round Hill bogatiwinery.com
8 Boxwood Estate Winery 2042 Burrland Rd., Middleburg boxwoodwinery.com
9 Breaux Vineyards
36888 Breaux Vineyards Ln., Hillsboro breauxvineyards.com
10 Bozzo Family Vineyards 35226 Charles Town Pike, Hillsboro bozwines.com
11 Cana Vineyards of Middleburg 38600 Little River Turnpike, Middleburg canavineyards.com
12 Carriage House Wineworks 40817 Brown Lane, Waterford chwwinery.com
13 Casanel Vineyards 17952 Canby Rd., Leesburg casanelvineyards.com
14 Chrysalis Vineyards 39025 Little River Turnpike, Aldie chrysaliswine.com
15 Corcoran Vineyards & Cider 14635 Corkys Farm Ln., Waterford corcoranvineyards.com
16 Creek’s Edge Winery 41255 Annas Ln., Lovettsville creeksedgewinery.com
17 Crushed Cellars 37938 Charles Town Pike, Purcellville crushedcellars.com
18 Domaine Portier Vineyards 13235 Miltown Road domainefortier.com
19 Doukenie Winery 14727 Mountain Rd., Hillsboro doukeniewinery.com
20 Droumavalla Farm Winery 14980 Limestone School Rd., Lucketts droumavalla.com
21 Eagletree Farm & Vineyards 15100 Harrison Hill Lane, Leesburg eagletreevineyards.com
22 Endhardt Vineyards 19600 Lincoln Road, Purcellville endhardtvineyards.com
Fabbioli Cellars 15669 Limestone School Rd., Leesburg fabbioliwines.com
Fire y Cellars 40325 Charles Town Pike, Hamilton fireflycellars.com
Fleetwood Farm Winery 23075 Evergreen Mills Rd., Leesburg fleetwoodfarmwinery.com
Forever Farm & Vineyards 15779 Woodgrove Road, Purcellville foreverfarmandvineyard.com
Greenhill Winery & Vineyards 23595 Winery Ln., Middleburg greenhillvineyards.com
Lost Creek Winery
Spinks Ferry Rd., Leesburg lostcreekwinery.com
31 October One Vineyard
7 Loudoun St., SW, Leesburg Octoberonevineyard.com
32 Old Farm Winery
23583 Fleetwood Road, Aldie oldfarmwineryhartland.com
33 Otium Cellars
18050 Tranquility Rd., Purcellville otiumcellars.com
34 Stone Tower Winery
19925 Hogback Mountain Rd., Leesburg stonetowerwinery.com
35 Stonehouse Meadery
36580 Shoemaker School Rd., Purcellville stonehousemeadery.com
1 Adroit Theory Brewing 404 Browning Ct., Purcellville adroit-theory.com
2 Barnhouse Brewery 43271 Spinks Ferry Rd., Leesburg barnhousebrewery.com
3 Bear Chase Brewing 33665 Bear Chase Ln., Bluemont bearchasebrew.com
4 Belly Love Brewing Company 725 E. Main St., Purcellville bellylovebrewing.com
5 Black Hoof Brewing Company 11 South King St., Leesburg blackhoofbrewing.com
6 Black Walnut Brewery 210 S. King St., Leesburg blackwalnutbrewery.com
7 Crooked Run Fermentations Central 22455 Davis Dr., Sterling crookedrunbrewing.com
8 Crooked Run Fermentations Market Station, Leesburg crookedrunbrewing.com
9 Dirt Farm Brewing 18701 Foggy Bottom Rd., Bluemont dirtfarmbrewing.com
BREWERIES & WINERIES
1 Bluemont Station Brewery and Winery 18301 Whitehall Estate Lane, Bluemont bluemontstation.com
2 Hillsborough Brewery & Vineyards 36716 Charles Town Pike, Hillsboro hillsboroughwine.com
3 Notaviva Brewery and Winery 13274 Sagle Rd., Hillsboro notavivavineyards.com
4 Quattro Goomba’s Brewery & Winery 22860 James Monroe Hwy., Aldie goombawine.com
36 Sunset Hills Vineyard
38295 Fremont Overlook Ln, Purcellville sunsethillsvineyard.com
37 Terra Nebulo 39892 Old Wheatland Rd., Waterford terranebulo.com
38 Three Creeks Winery
18548 Harmony Church Road, Hamilton 3creekswinery.com
39 Two Twisted Posts Winery 12944 Harpers Ferry Rd., Hillsboro twotwistedposts.com
40 Village Winery
40405 Browns Lane, Waterford villagewineryandvineyards.com
BREWERIES
10 Dynasty Brewing Company 21140 Ashburn Crossing Drive, Ashburn 101 Loudoun St, SE, Leesburg dynastybrewing.com
11 Flying Ace Farm 40950 Flying Ace Ln, Lovettsville flyingacefarm.com
12 Harper’s Ferry Brewing 37412 Adventure Ctr. Lane, Hillsboro harpersferrybrewing.com
13 Harvest Gap Brewery 15485 Purcellville Road, Hillsboro facebook.com/HarvestGap
14 Honor Brewing Company 42604 Trade West Dr., Sterling honorbrewing.com
15 Lark Brewing Co. 24205 James Monroe Hwy., Aldie larkbrewingco.com
16 Lost Barrel Brewing 36138 Little River Turnpike, Middleburg lostbarrel.com
17 Lost Rhino Brewing Company 21730 Red Rum Rd. #142, Ashburn lostrhino.com
18 Loudoun Brewing Company 310 E. Market St., Leesburg loudounbrewing.com
1 Henway Hard Cider Company 18780 Foggy Bottom Road, Bluemont henwayhardcider.com
2 Loudoun Cider House 43376 Spinks Ferry Rd., Leesburg loudounciderhouse.com
3 Mt. De ance Cider Barn 495 E. Washington St., Middleburg mtdefiance.com
4 Wild Hare Hard Cider Cabin 106 South St., Leesburg wildharecider.com
41 Willowcroft Farm Vineyards 38906 Mount Gilead Rd., Leesburg willowcroftwine.com
42 The Wine Reserve at Waterford 38516 Charles Town Pike, Waterford waterfordwinereserve.com
43 Walsh Family Wine 16031 Hillsboro Rd., Purcellville northgatevineyard.com
44 Williams Gap Vineyards 35785 Sexton Farm Lane, Round Hill williamsgavineyard.com
45 Zephaniah Farm Vineyard 19381 Dunlop Mill Rd., Leesburg zephwine.com
19 Ocelot Brewing Company 23600 Overland Dr., #180, Dulles ocelotbrewing.com
20 Old 690 Brewing Company 15670 Ashbury Church Rd., Hillsboro old690.com
21 Old Ox Brewery 44652 Guilford Dr., Ste 114, Ashburn oldoxbrewery.com
22 Solace Brewing Company 42615 Trade West Dr., Sterling solacebrewing.com
23 Sweetwater Tavern 45980 Waterview Plaza, Sterling greatamericanrestaurants.com
24 The Craft of Brewing 21140 Ashburn Crossing Dr., Ashburn thecraftob.com
25 Vanish Farmwoods Brewery 42245 Black Hops Ln., Lucketts vanishbeer.com
26 Water’s End Brewing 1602 Village Market Blvd SE #120, Leesburg watersendbrewery.com
27 Wheatland Spring Farm + Brewery 38506 John Wolford Rd., Waterford wheatlandspring.com
1 Stonehouse Meadery 36580 Shoemaker School Rd., Purcellville stonehousemeadery.com
A new walking tour of Leesburg’s Union Cemetery highlights the final resting place of Ida Lee Rust, very near the community park named in her memory.
Eagle Scout Builds Union Cemetery Tour for Town App
Visitors to downtown Leesburg often are attracted to its history or architecture or artwork. And the town’s self-guided walking tour app, helps them explore those topics in more detail.
Now a new route has been added, designed to bring visitors to an often overlooked section of town: Union Cemetery.
The tour of the 17-acre cemetery that dates back to 1855 features 12 stops including Union Chapel, the Confederate War Memorial, and a 30-foot-high granite column allegedly cut for the Lincoln Memorial before being rejected that
marks the grave of J. Forrest Manning.
The app also helps visitors find the final resting places for notable area residents, including pioneering radio and TV star Arthur Godfrey, U.S. Congressman Charles Fenton Mercer, and Major League Baseball player Fred Talbot Jr. The tour ends at the Potter’s Field memorial where visitors may pay their respects to the poorest members of the Leesburg community who were buried in a free, common burial ground that was later taken over by development.
The tour was developed by Nathaniel Helwig for his Eagle Scout project. It includes text and audio summaries of each stop on the tour.
The town’s Tour Leesburg app launched in 2017 with two historical tours of downtown. Now there are seven tours, with more under development.
The free app is available in the App Store and Google Play. A website version is available at townleesburg.stqry.app.
Photo by Norman K. Styer
TASTE
Rais Rendezvous:
Building an Entertainment Hub in Ashburn
BY ALEXIS GUSTIN
Basil and Jenna Kuhn are no strangers to the restaurant business in Northern Virginia. They own and operate four restaurants between Loudoun and Fairfax— Sully’s Pour House in Herndon, Rai’s Pizza, and Rai’s Pour House in Sterling and their newest restaurant that opened in October, Rai’s Rendezvous in Ashburn. The Ashburn project started out as just a restaurant, but has transformed over the past two months.
“We opened up more as a restaurant focus and what we realized is people want more of an entertainment venue,” Basil Kuhn said. “So, our goal is to be somewhere for people to come and be entertained. Literally every day of the week there is something different going on and to have great food and drinks while you are doing it.”
Rai’s Rendezvous offers something for everyone with karaoke nights, line dancing, live music on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, beer pong, cigars and bourbon nights, car shows, boxing matches, micro wrestling and themed party nights and coming soon, a members-only speakeasy with a hidden entrance. Kuhn said the goal is to get the speakeasy up and
running in time for football season.
Kuhn said they started offering line dancing at Sully’s a few months ago and it took off, so they decided to bring it to Ashburn. He said the Rai’s Rendezvous space was much bigger and invited the teacher to do a class June 3. He said it was a hit and they plan to do it more.
He said their most popular event so far has been the themed nights. Their most recent one, held July 19, was a foam night that included neon lights, a large foam machine and a DJ.
“We want to be essentially the Mecca of entertainment. No matter what it is there is always something to do,” he said.
They revamped the outdoor patio space to include a bar, seating for over 100, three cabanas, multiple televisions, tables with built in fire pits, and a colorful stage area painted by Chilean-born DC artist and muralist Rodrigo Pradel.
Pradel has done the artwork in all of the Rai’s restaurants and includes nods to the lives of Basil and Jenna and their children.
Katelyn Koback and Logan Bonjour—district managers of WTF (Where’s the Food) Restaurant Group, which is the parent company to the Rai’s restaurant chain—said they completely made over the outdoor space from a “very bland patio” into a colorful and functional one. They said they plan to use it year round with fans and misters during the summer and portable heating units in the winter. Bonjour said they are also looking to bring in a table with a built-in fire pit for the chilly months and said eventually the patio will be fully covered by a roof.
Kuhn said their goal is to have something entertaining going on simultaneously inside and on the patio.
“It’s something different for everyone. For example, on Saturday we have a beer pong tournament inside and outside we have a live band, so its two different things for different people,” he said.
They also plan to bring in comedians, a Magic Mike live show, dueling pianos, and, hopefully, some bigger named artists.
Menu items include some pub items, like smashburgers and trash can nachos, but they also have more elevated offerings like pork belly and grilled chicken, according to Bonjour.
“We could be classified as a sports bar, but we do a lot more than that. Whenever you have so many TVs, people are going to automatically say sports bar. But our menu is definitely elevated,” he said.
Both Bonjour and Koback said their favorite menu
Photo by Alexis Gustin
Rai’s Rendezvous owner Basil Kuhn, left, stands on the patio of his restaurant with two of his district managers, Logan Bonjour and Katelyn Koback.
Loudoun’s Attractions
LOUDOUN HERITAGE FARM MUSEUM
Travel through time to meet the 10 generations of Loudoun County residents who built this county and left their mark on the land. Exhibits include a schoolhouse, general store, Native American artifact display and the American Workhorse Museum Collection.
21668 Heritage Farm Lane, Sterling, VA 20164 (571) 258-3800 • heritagefarmmuseum.org
LOUDOUN MUSEUM
With a collection of more than 8,000 artifacts, the Museum tells Loudoun’s story from pre-1600 up until today, with a selection of special exhibits featuring the history of Virginia Wine, the Early Republic era, and the County’s role in the US Civil War, along with a timeline of Loudoun County history. Follow us on Facebook or Instagram for upcoming events and public programs!
16 Loudoun Street SW Leesburg, Virginia 20175 (703) 777-7427 • loudounmuseum.org
MORVEN PARK
Morven Park is a 1,000-acre historic estate on the edge of Leesburg that was home to Virginia governor and agricultural pioneer Westmoreland Davis. Tours of the Greek Revival mansion include 16th century Belgian tapestries, Spanish cassones, hundreds of silver pieces, Hudson River Valley paintings, and Asian treasures. The estate also features the Winmill Carriage Museum, the Museum of Hounds and Hunting of North America, formal boxwood gardens, miles of hiking and riding trails, and athletic elds.
17195 Southern Planter Lane Leesburg, VA 20176 703-777-2414 • morvenpark.org
OATLANDS HISTORIC HOUSE & GARDENS
The 415-acre Oatlands estate, owned by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, offers tours of the historic mansion, extensive gardens and outbuildings that include the oldest standing greenhouse in the South. Exhibits focus on the lives of the Carter and Eustis families who building the estate, as well as the lives of enslaved people who lived and worked there.
20850 Oatlands Plantation Lane, Leesburg, VA 20175 703.777.3174 • oatlands.org
A look inside the French Provincial-themed open air tasting room at
The temporary structure will be in place until the end of October and seats up to 60 people.
Domaine Fortier Brings a French Flair to Lovettsville Countryside
BY ALEXIS GUSTIN
Stephen and Jennifer Fortier had a dream to move to the country and raise their three daughters in the great wide open while working alongside them in a vineyard.
They wanted to move to western Loudoun and open a winery as part of that dream.
That dream started turning into a reality in 2016 as they visited with several owners of the nearly 50 wineries in western Loudoun. They were told they needed to plant at least five acres if they wanted to do it commercially. That led them to buy the property at 13235 Milltown Road near Lovettsville in 2018.
“When you plant, you order these vines 18 months in advance,” Jennifer said. They created a plan that involved building a tasting room on the property starting in 2021, then a production facility two years later. Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit and halted those building plans. Undeterred, they planted their first
vines in 2020 and have been buying fruit from area growers and making wine at Walsh Family Wines near Hillsboro under the guidance of Nate Walsh, who they hired as their consultant before they broke ground.
“[Nate] has been with us the whole way. He’s been great and his crew has been great,” Stephen said.
In 2020, they bought some barrels of cabernet franc from Walsh that had been barreled two years prior. They decided to blend it with Tannat and let it sit until last year when they submitted it to the San Francisco Chronical Wine Competition where they won a gold medal.
“I think everything happens for a reason and because of these little hiccups we are able to let our wine sit and if we had opened up earlier, I don’t think our wine would be as good,” Jennifer said, adding they were tasting some of their 2020 wines recently and decided some still needed a
Photo by Alexis Gustin
Domaine Fortier Vineyards.
few more years.
Between buying the land, planting vines, building their home, and the soft opening of their boutique winery in June the Fortier’s have been working their day jobs. Stephen has degrees in engineering management systems and owns a small engineering consulting firm and teaches part time at George Washington University. Jennifer is a patent attorney and busy mother to their three girls.
The Fortiers said their girls help out where they can and said they hope one of their daughters goes to college for enology and viticulture, so they take over the vineyard one day.
For their opening in June, they had a temporary, open air tasting room installed on the property that will be in place until late October. It offers seating for about 60 people, with 360 degree views of the Catoctin valley with a French provincial theme.
“As soon as you get on our property, we really want to have like an escapism feel to it all. So, you just feel like you’re in the mountains of France,” Jennifer said.
They are pouring six wines—their gold winner 2017 Cabernet Franc, 2020 Le Pivot, Chardonnay and Petit Manseng, 2021 White Merlot and 2023 Albarino.
They also offer local Chevre cheese from George’s Mill Farm near Lovettsville and crackers. The Fortiers said guests are welcome to bring small picnics, however no outside alcohol is allowed per Virginia ABC laws.
Their boutique winery focuses on small lot, hand-crafted high-quality wines.
“It’s boutique in that we’re not a gala winery where we own a million acres of vines. We sit on 34 acres, and we planted 10 acres of vines mainly vinifera which is the classic French or Spanish or Italian style wines,” Stephen said, adding he also planted an acre of Norton.
Stephen said they take care of the vines, pick the grapes and then process them at Walsh Family Wines until they can build a production facility on site.
“It’s done with a lot of love and care. We are here to do quality, not quantity. The best wine
the grapes will give us. A great wine starts in the vineyard, so if you take care of the vines, then the grapes would be good and then when we go to produce the wine we can make good wine,” Stephen said.
2023 marked their first harvest and they expect to double their production this year.
They hope to start building a permanent tasting room this winter that can also serve as a venue for weddings and other events.
“This is going to be short lived, and you know this is just kind of a taste of who we’re going to be,” Jennifer said of their temporary tasting room.
The plan is to have a big open space building for events with some rooms upstairs and a big deck on the back to allow for the 360 views of the Short Hill, Catoctin and Furnace Mountain ranges.
But the Fortier’s said it won’t be a barn. “We want to be a little bit different,” Stephen said.
Jennifer said they invited wedding planners out to the site to ask them what they would want to see in a venue to get ideas for theirs.
She said they are honored to be part of Loudoun’s collaborative wine community.
“This is just such a wonderful community, and that is also why we got into this because we’re like all in this together,” she said.
Domaine Fortier Vineyards is open Fridays from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. through Oct 27. Reservations are requested for parties larger than six.
They offer a wine club with three tiers, named after their daughters. Makya, is a four bottle membership, Makena is a six bottle membership and Mila is a 12 bottle membership each offering additional perks like a 20% lifetime discount on all wine and merchandise, 15% off all after hour and holiday event bookings in their tasting room, free advance reserve seating in the tasting room and free access to new and limited bottle releases among others.
“We are biased, but I think we make great wine. And it’s the product that will bring people out. The bonus is, look at this beautiful view in the middle of the vineyard and you get a taste of a French bistro while you are sipping excellent wine in Loudoun County,” Stephen said.
Domaine Fortier Vineyards is located at 13235 Milltown Road. Learn more at domainefortier.com.
HAPPENINGS
LEESBURG CELEBRATES LOCAL TASTES WITH DOWNTOWN FESTIVAL
TASTE Leesburg returns to downtown Leesburg on Saturday, Aug. 10.
From 5 to 10 p.m., more than five dozen food vendors, breweries, wineries, businesses and artisans will fill the downtown historic district for the annual celebration of local culinary creativity.
The event also features music on two stages beginning at 5 p.m. On the Center Stage, located on the corner of Market and King streets, there will be sets by J C Squared, Pebbles to Pearl and Billy T Wilde. The Sip & Savor Stage, on King Street between Cornwall and North streets, will feature an interactive DJ and tasting opportunities from area wineries.
New for 2024 is the Retro Arcade Lounge sponsored by Leesburg Economic Development with games like air hockey, basketball shoot, and skeet ball.
Admission is free, with food available for purchase from individual vendors. For wine and beer tastings, drink tickets are required. Tickets may be purchased in advance for $45, increasing to $55 on Aug. 10. A limited number of beverage tickets may be available the day of the event through online purchase only. All ticket purchases include a souvenir sampling glass and unlimited drink tastings.
Parking will be available downtown at the Town
Hall Parking Garage, the Pennington Parking Garage, and the Loudoun County Parking Garage. Street closures will begin at 9 a.m.
The event is sponsored by Pella Mid-Atlantic, Country Buick GMC, Kaiser Permanente, Loudoun Credit Union, Patient First, Power Home Remodeling, Prince William Home Improvement, Sterling Appliance, Virginia Lottery, Wegmans Food Markets Inc., and ZenBusiness.
For more information and tickets, go to tasteleesburg.com.
SHARING THE NEWS OF INDEPENDENCE
The Sgt. Maj. John Champe Chapter of the Virginia Sons of the American Revolution will recreate the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence in Loudoun County—248 years later—on Aug. 11.
At 2 p.m. on the courthouse grounds in Leesburg, community
Barry Schwoerer, of the Sgt. John Champe Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution, will lead the Aug. 11 public reading of the Declaration of Independence on the courthouse grounds in Leesburg.
The crew from King Street Oyster Bar assemble crabcakes during the 2023 Taste Leesburg Festival.
Photo by Norman K. Styer
Photo by Norman K. Styer
HAPPENINGS FROM PAGE 20
members will gather at the Spirit of Loudoun memorial where reenactors and dignitaries will take turns reading the 1,337 words that changed the course of history.
After adoption by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, the declaration was announced in Virginia’s capital in Williamsburg on July 26. The House of burgesses ordered county sheriffs throughout the colony share the proclamations on the steps of their courthouses. In Loudoun, Sheriff Philip Noland read the declaration to the gathered public on Aug. 12, 1776.
AMERICA’S 9/11 RIDE RETURNS
A loud rumble will fill downtown Leesburg on Aug. 16 as hundreds of motorcycles participating in the annual America’s 9/11 Ride will pass through.
The annual event, organized by the Loudounbased America’s 911 Foundation, raises money to support EMS, fire and police personnel, including offering college scholarships for first responder families.
Over four days, the bikers ride from the site of the Flight 93 crash in Pennsylvania to the Pentagon to Ground Zero in New York City. The procession is expected to cross Loudoun County in the early afternoon Aug. 16, entering on Rt. 15 at Point of Rocks, passing through Leesburg around 1:45 p.m. and taking the Dulles Greenway east toward Arlington.
Learn more at americans911foundation.org
GO FLY A KITE
Hopefully sunny skies and strong breeze will be on tap for the annual Leesburg Kites and Crafts Festival on Aug. 17 at Ida Lee Park.
From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. the park will feature arts and craft vendors, food trucks, music and dancing, moon bounces and other kids’ activities—and lots of space to get kites high in the air. Bring your own kite or grab one at the festival.
Learn more at chiceventsdc.com.
Now Showing
Murder on the British Express - Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre
Aug 2 at StageCoach Theatre Studio (no dinner)
August 3 at Casanel Winery in Leesburg│August 9 at Creek’s Edge Winery in Lovettsville
August 17 at C’est Bon by Savoir Fare in Round Hill│August 23 at Effingham Manor in Nokesville
Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical - Summer Camp Musical Theatre August 2, 3, 9 & 10 at 7:00pm and August 3, 4, 10 & 11 at 2:00pm
Disco is Dead - Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre
August 25 at 5:30pm at Ambiance in Ashburn
Death Comes to Dinner - NEW! Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre
September 14 at Kalero Winery│September 21 at Oatlands More dates and venues through November
Magic and Mischief with the Professor and the Con Man
September 13, October 11, November 8, & December 13
▪ Silly Friends Magic for Kids ▪ Improv ▪ And More!
All performances at StageCoach Theatre in Ashburn unless noted. Registration is open for Fall After School Classes for ages 5 - 19.
GETOUT Best Bets
08.10
Hard Swimmin’ Fish
Saturday, Aug. 10, 5-8 p.m.
Vanish Farmwoods Brewery vanishbeer.com
The final show of a longtime Loudoun favorite band before founding member Demian Lewis moves to Hawaii.
Chapel Hart
Saturday, Aug. 10, 6 p.m.
Tarara Winery tararaconcerts.com
Chapel Hart brings a unique sound and powerful vocals for a night filled with soul, blues, and country music.
08.16
Disciple of the Garden
Friday, Aug. 16, 7 p.m.
Tally Ho Theater tallyhotheater.com
Disciples of the Garden (D.O.G.) pays homage to the talents and legacy of Chris Cornell and his bandmates in Soundgarden, Temple of the Dog, and Audioslave.
08.17
Starship Featuring Mickey Thomas
Saturday, Aug. 17, 8 p.m. Ion Arena ionarena.com
The iconic band, known for timeless hits like “We Built This City” and “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now,” promises an unforgettable night of music and memories.
BEST BETS FROM PAGE 22
08.17
Justin Trawick and the Common Good
Saturday, Aug. 17, 7 p.m.
Leesburg Town Hall idalee.org
Enjoy an intimate night of Americana music on the Town Green.
08.23
The Pop Chicks
Friday, Aug. 23, 7 p.m.
The Barns at Hamilton Station Vineyards thebarnsathamitonstation.com
The Pop Chicks bring girl power and fun vibes performing female pop tunes from the ’60s, ’70s, ’80s.
8.24
The Coozies
Saturday, Aug. 24, 6-9 p.m. 868 Estate Vineyards 868estatevineyards.com
The beach bar band puts you in a vacation state of mind during the special Music Under the Stars performance.
TASTE FROM PAGE 16
item is the smashburger.
“It’s two three-ounce patties smashed. It has grilled white onions and American cheese and then you can customize it from there,” Bonjour said, including the special sauce. “It’s our Big Mac sauce, our secret sauce,” he said.
Bonjour also said their popular Philly cheesesteak, which is frequently sold out at their other restaurants, will soon be on the menu at Rai’s Rendezvous.
“Most of our beers are local,” Koback said.
Rai’s Rendezvous is located at 44042 Pipeline Plaza in Ashburn, its open seven days a week starting at 11 a.m. Happy hour is every day and runs from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. inside and 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. outside on the patio. Advanced reservations aren’t required, even to use the cabana space but Kuhn said for big ticket items like comedy shows, the Magic Mike show and micro wrestling, advanced tickets will be required. Learn more at raisrendezvous.com.
GREAT EATS
Restaurants & Food Trucks
BEER & WINE
Local B reweries & Wineries (D rink Ticket Needed)
RETRO ARCADE LOUNGE Featuring Skee Ball, Air Hockey, Photo Booth, Yard Games, & MORE.
STREET PERFORMERS
Main Stage: DJ C Squared Pebble to Pearl Billy T Wilde Sip ‘n Savor Stage: DJ Memory Lane