Just South Of Lovingston
Freshwater Cove
Nelson County, Virginia
17 years ago we first visited Lovingston Winery as they were getting up to speed in rolling out some of its first wines. Ed Puckett, wife, Janet, and daughter, Stephanie were all instrumental in getting the vineyard and winery off the ground. They moved there in 2002. Here’s our March 2007 print issue with their original story, it starts on page 12.
“We came up from Georgia, we had a small vineyard outside of Atlanta. We lived there, our kids went to high school in Georgia and they both got accepted to UVA. We started seriously thinking about moving. For two reasons: we knew that the viticultural area in Virginia is better than Georgia’s, to produce a high quality grape, and then secondly, being an instate pair of tuition saves you a lot of money. We paid out of state for a couple years and then in state’s a lot less expensive. So we, I looked for about a year for a piece of property that I thought would support a high-quality vineyard and winery and found this place for sale back in 2002 and we actually moved in in July of that year,” Ed told us back in 2008.
Admittedly, I hadn’t been back to Lovingston Winery in probably at least 10 years. We were deep in the weeds back in those days buzzing all around the area covering stories across the Blue Ridge, and raising kids. So, we didn’t have a lot of time to take in some of the very interesting stories we often wrote about.
In the early days when we first moved to Nelson there were only wineries. It’s the peaceful rolling landscapes we fell in love. Those hot sultry afternoons with a map winding our way around Nelson County hunting for the next variety of locally made wines. Since then two wineries have sold (Afton Mountain Vineyard & Lovingston Winery, we’re talking about here) another one shuttered operations. And, new ones have been added. Complete list of wineries here.
Since those days numerous craft breweries, cideries and distilleries have also opened.
Wes came from a pro golf background. “I moved all over the world pursuing my passion for golf as a Club Professional at some of the top ranked golf courses in the world.”
Tessa said she and Wes were looking for an opportunity to move back home to family. “We never would have guessed it would lead us down this path! I found the property on Zillow and jokingly sent it to my family saying “let’s buy a winery”. We all laughed, but since my parents were local and had never heard of Lovingston, they decided to pay a visit. They immediately saw so much potential in the property paired with an excellent foundation in wine. After that, we began talking more seriously and began to put together a business plan.” They bought the winery from the Puckett’s in 2021.
I cannot stress enough how enjoyable this evening was. I’ve been to similar events over the years hosted by Tony and Elizabeth Smith at Afton Mountain Vineyards in the other end of the county. I walked away with the same opinion. It’s quiet, intimate, and very enjoyable. Again, reminiscent of those early days.
“We are all four invested in the property as owners. Wes serves as the GM and heads up the tasting room, wine club and advises on the winemaking and vineyard. I run the marketing and outreach, and plan events on property such as Corgi races, wine dinners, weddings, and brunch-style teas. My mom, Shelley, serves as the lodging manager and the backbone of organizational elements. My dad, Bill, tends to the grounds and more farm-oriented tasks. However, at the end of it all, we work closely as a team and complete most tasks together just like you saw at the wine dinner you attended,” Tessa continued.
We asked if anyone knew where the Puckett’s are these days. No one really knew, several years have now passed since they sold.
Seldom do I walk away from a place wanting to write about it. Especially after having done 16 years on the print side writing something every month, and daily on the web. But, I wanted to write about this experience at Lovingston Winery. It was that good. That special. I will be back soon. You should go too!
