Upper Shirley Vineyards is located 20 miles southeast from the Capital in Richmond and 31 miles from Jamestown on the banks of the James River in Charles City County. Our waterfront view overlooks Turkey Island, home to the Presquile National Wildlife Refuge.
Established in 2013, our estate grown grapes enjoy river breezes and the deep Pamunkey soil of the Tidewater region. Today we have 16 acres under vine and plans to expand. Our European varieties, vitis vinifera, were diligently selected to match our terroir and include:
Petit Verdot, a Bordeaux red grape valued for its spice and tannin in a blending role, has now become a successful single varietal here in Virginia.
Viognier, a Rhone Valley white grape, the official Virginia grape, has wonderful aromas of peach and pear.
Merlot, another of the 5 Bordeaux red grapes, ripens early and is softer in tannin than its blending partners.
Tannat, a lesser known Basque red grape, is now making some of the most impressive wines in Virginia.
