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(Photo by: Stephanie Breijo)
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Shrimp and Grits served with andouille, wild mushrooms and blistered tomatoes. (Photo by: Stephanie Breijo)
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(Photo by: Stephanie Breijo)
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Owner Tayloe Dameron pours through a tasting at the new winery's bar. (Photo by: Stephanie Breijo)
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Deviled eggs with andouille, crispy shallots, pickled mustard seeds and chervil. (Photo by: Stephanie Breijo)
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(Photo by: Stephanie Breijo)
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An enormous front porch greets guests at the new winery. (Photo by: Stephanie Breijo)
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Chef Carlisle Bannister presents his crispy pork belly lettuce cups. (Photo by: Stephanie Breijo)
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Eastern Shore oyster stew topped with crispy parsnips. (Photo by: Stephanie Breijo)
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(Photo by: Stephanie Breijo)
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Coca-Cola-braised pork belly with pickled vegetables and Virginia peanuts. (Photo by: Stephanie Breijo)
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The restaurant's current cheese board includes a local selection including Meadow Creek Dairy's Appalachian, Caromont Farm's Bloomsbury, and Firefly Farms' Black & Blue, with localhoney, fruit, nuts and crackers. (Photo by: Stephanie Breijo)
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(Photo by: Stephanie Breijo)
Quietly, this past weekend, Richmond’s newest winery opened its doors. Charles City's Upper Shirley Vineyards, off Route 5 and 20 minutes from Downtown, boasts 16 acres of Bordeaux and Basque grapevines, and is planning more. Owned by Tayloe Dameron with wine-making partner Michael Shaps (winner of five gold medals at this year's Governor’s Cup), the romantic space also offers a full-service restaurant with a rotating menu orchestrated by Carlisle Bannister from Culinary Connection. There are two stone patios, a fireplace, and spectacular views of the James River to pair with the 11 wines available to taste by the glass or by the bottle. On the locally focused menu is oyster stew and shrimp with Anson Mill grits, among others, and for the lighter nosh, local cheese and charcuterie.
“We wanted to create a high-end experience,” Dameron says, “and I think we did that here.”
Upper Shirley Vineyards' tasting room and restaurant is open weekly at 600 Shirley Plantation Road, from Tuesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
