Wines of Tasty Delight and Times of Fun Fright

 

Leaves in bright hues of orange, yellow and red twirling in a fall wind, pumpkins standing proud on porch fronts, skeletons and graves covering lawns and driveways, a scary movie just a click of the remote away… It’s the most magical time of the year.

               For as long as I can remember, I have always been a fan of anything and everything spooky. Every year, I eagerly await October and all of the happiness it brings. This year, as my husband began hanging the dripping blood from our house eaves, as I pulled out the creepy labeled wines I would be drinking this month, and my mom and I booked a dream Scotland and Ireland vacation for this summer, I couldn’t help but reflect back on a past October trip. An October adventure that combined two of my favorite things, ghosts and wines.

               A couple of years ago, for my mom’s birthday, the two of us headed to Boonsboro, MD in early October to stay in the inn owned by one of our favorite authors, Nora Roberts. Located near both Maryland and Virginia wine regions, we knew our trip had to include at least one winery a day. During our time in the area, we discovered some incredible wines from some incredible places, but two will always stand out in my memory, Stone House Urban Winery in Hagerstown, MD and Valerie Hill Vineyard and Winery in Stephens City, VA. Why? Because both of these wineries are reportedly haunted.

               As my mom and I began discussing what we wanted to do and where we wanted to go, we were both in agreement that we would like to see the town of Hagerstown. Trying to see as many of the places mentioned in the Inn BoonsBoro books by Nora Roberts as possible, we knew the 25-minute drive up the road was a must. Imagine my delight when my research of things to do in the town led me to Stone House Urban Winery, a winery housed in a building built in the 1700s. Getting to drink wine in a building that old, that had that much history, was too magical to pass up.

               The impressive and beautiful building was situated right outside of a strip mall, not at all where I expected to find such a piece of history. Lovely in its grey and white stones, we entered the tasting room and were greeted by a friendly staff, the smell of popcorn, an abundance of Halloween decorations and a place that was an obvious mix of old and new.

               Selecting our wines for our flights and picking a table near the bar, we started talking to the servers and the winemaker. One way or another, the conversation turned to Halloween and the Halloween party they host every year, and with the spooky season discussion in full swing, I just had to ask the million-dollar question, “Is this building haunted?” I mean, come on. We were talking about an over three-hundred-year-old building with a slightly disquieting feel to it.

               All three of the staff members got a twinkle in their eyes and laughed. Between things they had personally witnessed, and stories told by other employees and customers, there did seem to be something at unrest in the building. They told us that the main visual hauntings included people seeing an image of a man standing at the edge of the upper balcony that overlooked the bar and tasting room, watching wine enthusiasts partake in their drinks, as well as people would turn a corner in various places throughout the winery and would see a shadowy figure dart out of view. They also reported that something there did not like to be ignored, so if he was not acknowledged he would get a person’s attention by speaking in their ear, dropping something nearby, or creating another noise to let it be known he was there and wanted to be noticed. Another claim was that on occasion, when employees stepped outside for a moment, the doors would lock behind them leaving the person to find another way in. Mischief was apparently the ghostly theme here.

               As we finished up our flight and our complimentary popcorn from their carnival like popper, we snapped some pictures in hopes of catching a figure watching us enjoy our vino, and carefully listened for a whispered hello, but their ghostly friend wasn’t feeling spirited that day. We wandered around for a bit, and felt the perfect way to cap off our adventure at this wonderful winery was with a glass of wine at one of their outside tables. As this blog is supposed to be about wine, not spooks, during my time there I thoroughly enjoyed my glass of Chardonnay, which went perfectly with the popcorn, and brought home bottles of the delicious Meledi, their Pinot Noir bottling, and their Valiant Rosso. This was the perfect October stop, and I will always remember the amazing old building, kind staff, tasty wines, and fun ghost stories.

               The second ghostly winery that trip was by no accident. My mom, who is diligent at keeping up on her Ghost Hunters episodes, unlike me who stockpiles and then binges, excitedly texted me one evening with the best news. She had just watched the new Ghost Hunters episode where they caught a lot of activity, and it was in a winery in Virginia, a mere hour’s drive from Inn BoonsBoro. There wasn’t even an ounce of discussion of whether or not we would be going, we both instantly knew we were. A haunted winery, featured on our favorite show? Yeah, it was happening.

               Valerie Hill Vineyard and Winery located in Stephens City, VA was featured on the popular TV show Ghost Hunters in February of 2022. During the show, the TAPS (The Atlantic Paranormal Society) crew interviewed the owners at that time and their family members, the staff, and a local historian to get the story of the property and the claims of activity that had been experienced there. They learned the building that currently housed the tasting room was built in the 1800s. Throughout its history, interesting things of note included a child who was considered insane was locked away in a tiny attic room, the building was used as a place to bring the wounded during the Civil War, and there were known deaths on the property including a woman falling down the stairs and one of the owners passing away in what is now known as the green room. It is also speculated that with the lack of tombstones from the original family in the local cemetery, members of the family are buried somewhere on the grounds. Another interesting structure at the location is a chimney that still stands from the first building that had been built in the mid-1700s. Though not confirmed, it is believed that when it was dismantled, some of the stone was used to build what is now the tasting room.

               As for paranormal claims, there are many. While the first winery owners (it was sold in 2023) were doing renovations on the building, they had opted to just spend the night instead of heading to their perspective homes. In what is known as the green room, one of them woke up to find a dark, shadowy figure standing over his business partner who was asleep on the opposite couch across the room. The business partner woke up to see the shadowy figure leaning over him, and then it sped away through a wall. Both owners and staff have reportedly looked up at the windows as they are heading out for the evening, everything locked and closed up tight, to see a woman staring out of one of the windows. A civil war soldier has also been seen at the top of the stairs, staff members don’t like going into the attic due to the footsteps and screams they here in there, disembodied voices have told people to get out, and many customers have reported getting their hair pulled. There’s also a cabinet door on an antique piece of furniture that will not stay closed. During the investigation the TAPS members conducted, they captured audio of humming and footsteps in the attic, heard footsteps above them in the attic and on the stairs, and the cabinet door was caught on film opening after they had used a heavy-duty Velcro on it, making the door impossible to open unless someone really pulled on it. For a couple of wine loving ghost enthusiasts, this place was a dream come true.

               We started our day at Valerie Hill with a guided tasting of all the wines they were currently serving, as, after all, it is a winery first and foremost. Unfortunately, the woman who was pouring for us had not been a member of the staff during the filming and hadn’t personally experienced anything during her few weeks of working there, so she couldn’t tell us anything new and exciting. But, that was okay, as their wines were enough excitement with their excellent taste sensations.  My favorites at the time were the 2018 1807 Blend, the 2018 John Baron Petit Verdot and the 2018 Cabernet Franc, and as a current wine club member, I now fully recommend their 2021 Reserve Merlot. Anyways, when we finished our tasting, we each selected a glass and ordered a charcuterie, and immediately headed upstairs to find a table and soak in the ghostly ambience. We were lucky enough to score the table situated between the sitting rooms, one being the green room, and right by the stairs that led up to the attic where so much activity takes place. This was the table where members of TAPS were sitting and heard footsteps and a voice. We were sitting and sipping wine at the exact same spot where the Ghost Hunters team sat. It was surreal.

               After a lovely light lunch of cheeses, crackers and wine, we took the time to explore the building and land surrounding it, snapping pictures in the green room, peering up the stairs towards the attic, trying to find the cabinet that doesn’t stay shut – sadly it had been stored away at that time, and in general just relishing in the fact that we were in such an old building. Though we had no ghostly encounters, it was just amazing to walk through this piece of history, and to stand and see the places that had been on the show. A highlight for me was taking a picture on the steps standing where my favorite Ghost Hunter did when he heard a voice. I will say the most spectacular part, however, besides the wine, was seeing the old chimney remnants overlooking the vines. The day we visited it was overcast, giving a perfect gothic view and creepy vibe. We left happy, with a half case of wine being shipped to us, filled with the fondest memories. My mom and I still constantly talk about this day and hope for a future visit. It was the most unique wine experience of my life.

               For me, any vacation that includes a winery is a win, as there is nothing quite like getting to experience the wines of the area firsthand. This trip, however, will always hold a special place in my heart. Historic old buildings that have withstood the tests of time, delicious wine, and ghost stories… I now crave to one day visit another winery known for more than their drinkable spirits. Until that day, I have these spooky tales to keep me happy, and I hope they have given you a little bit of a chill during this most spooktacular of months. Cheers and Happy Halloween!