Virginia Wine Collective — Attraction in Charlottesville

Eastwood is my favorite winery in Charlottesville and has been for years. When my 50th birthday was on the horizon, and I decided to have a party, Eastwood was the first place that entered my mind. Given the time of year and the day of my birthday, Eastwood was already busy with many events and could not accommodate my request. But I learned that Eastwood had recently bought the former Michael Shapps building on Avon Street. It is now the Virginia Wine Collective (VWC), and the floor above the tasting room is a lovely event space with the ability to serve delicious Eastwood wine and offer amazing food. Once I visited the space, I knew that I had found the perfect place to have my party. I began working with Mary on the menu and food timeline and throughout the process she was available to answer my questions and offer suggestions.

The space comfortably held around 35 guests, snack table, bar, food buffet and dance floor. Mary and Gaby handled the bar, while Corey worked his magic in the kitchen. The food options were fantastic. The feedback was great. And for me, I was thrilled that Mary and Corey made sure there were vegan options – more than I had expected. The pasta dish, roasted veggies and warm chickpeas were all vegan. (And my carnivore friends/family did not notice.) The warm chickpeas were a huge hit – I’ve been asked to get the recipe.

A huge THANK YOU to Mary, Gaby and Corey for helping me make my party at VWC a memorable one for me...

The Virginia Wine Collective has just opened. It is a great place for many independent winemakers makers to gather, process their grapes, make their wines and have them available for tasting. When you walk in, it is a very comfortable feeling. It feels like your neighborhood gathering place where there are no strangers. Food is available and I ordered the Frenchman sandwich. My friend ordered the burrata. Both were delicious. Keep an eye on this place...