Christine and Dennis Vrooman were supposed to retire after they sold their veterinary practice in Virginia Beach several years ago. They had been coming to the Blue Ridge Mountains for many years and finally decided to buy a cabin, which came with a hundred or so acres of mountainous forest! In search of a better view, and not wanting to live full-time in a cabin, they hired a contractor to clear some ground up the mountain so that they could build a house. The contractor made a mighty mistake and cleared the wrong area of land and this is how Ankida Ridge came into existence!
After the house was built on the correct plot, Christine and Dennis had to decide what to do with the cleared land. They wanted to plant something…Christmas trees? No. An apple orchard? Maybe. Vines? Yes! After meeting their friends at Veritas, they were inspired and wanted to see if they, too, could produce top quality Virginian wine. Ankida Ridge Vineyards in Virginia was born!
They decided Pinot Noir could work here due to the higher, cooler temperatures and soil conditions, and Ankida Ridge is believed to have the first Virginian Pinot! To marry the Pinot, they also planted Chardonnay, and more recently, they have expanded into other varieties that you might not expect to find in Virginia, such as Gamay. It’s starting to sound like mini Burgundy in Virginia!
When you ask Christine how she learned about winemaking, she says she has five steps: consultants, books, conferences, colleagues and most importantly, doing it. Their son, Nathan, is their wine maker, and he in turn is married to the winemaker of Stinson (another Virginian winery). The beauty of Ankida Ridge is that it is a small family business and it has that unique, rustic and natural feel. This approach is also taken in their winemaking with minimal intervention. Even their animals have their jobs – the sheep clean up the vines after harvest and their manure is put to good use. The dogs are there for company, but also to protect the vines from animals and to protect the sheep from coyotes!
Ankida means ‘where Heaven and Earth join’ and that is a pretty apt description. Ankida Ridge Vineyards in Virginia is a hidden gem (quite literally hidden up the mountains), with spectacular views and wonderful wines which you may not normally associate with Virginia. Christine and Dennis are fantastic hosts. Enjoy a drink in their tasting room or by the fire pit on their balcony. Better yet, take the 4×4 up further to the grassy bank, where you can sit, drink and relax looking south over the forests (and vineyards) of Virginia.
If you’re lucky enough, you might even hear Christine’s bear story!
Interested in Virginian wineries? Why not read articled on Veritas & Barboursville.
