Fairfax County’s first winery, Paradise Springs Winery, became part of an exclusive contingent from the Commonwealth of Virginia as it was one of just six state wineries to be showcased on the global stage at the 5th Wine Paris Vinexpo Paris in February 2024, bringing Fairfax County’s wine scene into the spotlight.
The winery, already the first bi-coastal wine brand in the United States after opening a second location in Santa Barbara, CA, will showcase several of its key blends, including last year’s Virginia Governor’s Cup Case Winner, the 2021 Petit Verdot, at the Wine Paris Vinexpo event. The renowned international wine and spirits exhibition, one of the largest wine shows in the world, took place from February 12 – 14 in Paris, France.
In addition to the Petit Verdot, the winery also poured the Cabernet Franc Petit Manseng and the specialty PVT (50% Petit Verdot/50% Tannat), which was also served at the U.S. Ambassador’s home during the U.S. Ambassador Dinner.
Paradise Springs, nestled in Fairfax County’s bucolic town of Clifton, Virginia, has been family-owned and operated for 18 years. The historic property where the winery is located was part of the original land grant from Lord Fairfax in 1716 to the family’s direct ancestors and has been passed down through the generations since.
Paradise Springs Winery CEO & Founder Kirk Wiles says, “To think of the journey we’ve been on since opening the winery over 18 years ago, to now have our wine being well received globally by audiences in different regions that are known the world over for producing excellent wines, is a really satisfying feeling."
He continued, “Having served as the chairman of the Virginia Wine Board for 8 years now, we’ve always had a vision for where Virginia wine can go, and to be here in this moment is validating for the Commonwealth - being recognized as producing some of the best wine in the United States. The goal is to reach new audiences that don’t know the quality of Virginia wine, and the more people that know about our exceptional product, the higher the demand will be.”