Lynne Jakobowski

New Kent Vineyards, Virginia

Ahhhh...fall days!  They are my absolute favorite and yesterday was no exception.  My husand, 14-year old daughter and I all piled into the car and off we went.  We started our afternoon in our hometown of Williamsburg, Virginia by introducing our daughter to Pierce's Pitt Bar-B-Que, truly an institution.  People come from far and wide to savour one of the best bar-b-que sandwiches in our neck of the woods. 

Sufficently sated, we were back in the car to continue our afternoon adventure.  The destination was New Kent Vineyards located in nearby New Kent County, Virginia.  For a few years, we have been hearing the buzz about the planned development, so we were anxious to see for ourselves how they were moving forward.  Wow, we were not let down!

As the name implies, the first amenity, if you will, is the vineyard and the winery.  There are 25 acres of vines and the winery itself is built with 70% reclaimed historic materials that lends it an old-world feeling.  The winery offers tastings and tours, and once you settle on the perfect glass, there is a large, open outdoor verandah and gardens, where seating is available to enjoy time with friends or some one-on-one romantic time with that special someone.  You are encouraged to bring along your favorite picnic foods.  We opted for a glass of the Meritage.

Before the wine and the warm sun zapped our energy, we ventured on to explore more of the community.  The Rees Jones Championship Golf Course has just been completed, so we dropped by the pro shop to check things out.  Eventually it will be a members only course, but currently they are giving away preview rounds.  I was told that they have approximately 40 members to date and that once they have around 250 members, they will actually begin construction on the clubhouse.

Being of course the Real Estate Broker that I am, the day would not be complete without checking out the offering of homes.  Viniterra offers estate-sized custom homes situated on 1 -2+ acre sites, with wooded, marsh or golf course views.  There will be a builder list drawing from the best builders our region has.  I met with the site agent and gleamed so much more insight into the conceptual vision of the community.

There are also two other communities within New Kent Vineyards.  Arbors at New Kent Vineyard has single family homes built by Ryan Homes.  Coming soon will be Four Seasons by K.Hovnanian, an active adult community.

The future for New Kent Vineyards includes a state of the art equestrian center, offering stalls and full board, a polo field, Mirabeau Spa, and a village built along the lines of Merchants Square in Williamburg that will have boutique shopping.  Also more homes as well...cottages with a water view.  

Just off the I-64 corridor, New Kent Vineyards offers convenience to Williamsburg, Richmond, and the Northern Neck of Virginia.  New Kent Vineyards has the potential to become a crown jewel of the area...I'll keep you posted as it develops! 

Published Monday, October 12, 2009 2:23 PM by Lynne Jakobowski