Pulling up the meandering gravel drive, one gets the sense of history, surrounded by acres of agriculture on all sides. You stop at the top of a rise, in front of the Winery and Tasting Room, a stucco building with a wrap-around arbor, reminiscent of a historic building from Italy, although the building dates from 2004. Stepping inside, visitors are flanked by tanks and barrels on one side, and a large, granite topped, cherry wood tasting bar. Most importantly, members of the Cooper family and winery team greet you. When not tending to the vines, father Dick Cooper stops by to share some of the long history of the family and generations of farming in the Shenandoah Valley.

Wanting to continue the process of taking the grapes into the bottle themselves was the natural next step. Commercial winemaking began by Cooper Vineyards in 2000, and the talents of winemakers Rich Gilpin and Michael Roser produce a wide variety of wines, specializing in Barbera and Zinfandel, as well as Rhone and other Italian varietals.

The tasting room, which opened last December, shows a great deal of eagerness to share their award-winning wines with an ever-expanding throng of wine enthusiasts. Cooper's youngest daughter Chrissy is in charge of winery operations and marketing for the winery and is frequently joined by sister Jeri Swift in the tasting room.

The 160-acre family estate is most known for their Barbera varietal. Chrissy, explained to me, that early in the 1970’s Dick's father was prompted to plant the variety by Darryl Corti, making it the first significant new block of Barbera planted at the time. Along with Zinfandel, these two varieties anchor the estate, which also includes Rousanne, Viognier, Mourvedre, Syrah, Sangiovese, Petite Syrah, Alicante Bouschet, Pinot Gris, and Carignane all made into wines for Cooper Vineyards portfolio. The wines are full of ripe fruit flavors and great structure, making them enjoyable now and for years to come. Critical praise has been coming in as well, including a Gold Medals for the 2001 Zinfandel ‘due cugini’, 2002 Sangiovese, and 2002 Syrah as well as numerous silver and bronze awards. "Our production numbers of certain varietals allows us to sell out of a vintage in the year of it's release. When that happens, we'll bring something new onto the bar, giving our guests who visit 3-4 times a year a new experience each time. We are committed to providing our customers with award-winning wines in a fun and friendly atmosphere" says Chrissy.

The future is a bigger part of the picture, since Dick is aware he is not just tending the vines as a starting point for his award-winning wines, but he is making a legacy to pass on to the next generation. With this philosophy, visitors will be able to enjoy the Coopers passion now and for many years to come.