Alexandria Living Magazine
You may have heard of the term “microbrewery,” but coming this summer is Alexandria’s very first “microwinery.”
The venue is hosting its grand opening on July 26 at its first location in the 8700 block of Richmond Highway (see map below) in the Mount Vernon area.
Woodlawn Press Winery (intially named the Dominion Press Winery), owned and operated by husband-and-wife duo Andrew Rosado and Bonnie Evangelista, will offer a selection of red, white and sweet fruit wines. The microwinery will also hold free wine tastings and sell a variety of wine paraphernalia such as wine magnets, purses and signs.
But what exactly is a microwinery?
“We are calling ourselves a microwinery because the micro breweries are the closest craft beverage production businesses/category that we think our business falls under,” Evangelista explained. Most wineries in Virginia are what the state legally refers to as “farm wineries” where at least half of the fruit is grown in Virginia. Dominion Press Winery, however, will source their fruit from the West Coast, make the wine on site and sell locally, similar to how a microbrewery operates, Evangelista said.
Winemaking is not a foreign trade for Rosado and Evangelista. For the couple, Dominion Press Winery is the fruit of a long history of family winemaking. Their family’s love and appreciation for winemaking took root when Bonnie’s great grandparents came to America from Italy in the early 20th century. Following the passing of her great grandfather, her great grandmother turned to wine-making.
“My great-grandmother didn't speak any English, and she made and sold wine to earn money for the family,” Evangelista said. “This was right after Prohibition, and she did not have a license to sell alcohol. Someone turned her in and she was arrested for illegally selling wine (the family always suspected it was her competition who didn't make wine as good as hers). The judge ended up letting her go on probation after he realized why she was selling wine. My grandfather made wine his whole life, and my dad still has his wine press and barrel, which I hope we can display in the store in their memory.”
The tradition of winemaking in the couple’s family has kept growing. Seven years ago, Rosado took up the hobby of wine-making for personal consumption, buying supplies from Evangelista’s cousin who owned a wine supply store in Washington, Pennsylvania. Later, her cousin opened a winery, brewery, and brewpub which implemented many of the methods and wines the couple plans on using and selling in Alexandria.
Evangelista’s sister opened her own winery in Virginia Beach. “Using her innovations, we hope to bring a more accessible and affordable wine experience to Northern Virginia.”
The couple’s mission is much greater than just selling delicious wine. They seek to give back to their community, through a vision they refer to as “neighbors helping neighbors,” by creating a jovial space for people to “celebrate and connect through a shared wine experience.”
Details about their opening date and more will be available on the Dominion Press Winery Facebook page.
