Daniel Vineyards

Daniel Vineyards is a family-owned estate winery in Crab Orchard, West Virginia, established in 1990 by Dr. C. Richard Daniel, a retired radiologist. The property occupies the former site of the 192-acre Twin Oaks Golf Course and is situated at more than 2,500 feet above sea level. Its elevated, cold-climate setting shaped the vineyard's choice of grape varieties, with the estate concentrating on disease-resistant cultivars and a specialized trellising approach developed by Daniel. Although the original property covered roughly 192 acres, about 20 acres are devoted to vineyards. Additional land is used for blackberry and blueberry cultivation, including approximately three acres of blueberries. During the blueberry season, visitors may be able to pick fruit themselves, adding an agritourism component to the winery's business. The site also accommodates weddings, birthdays, festivals, and other private events. Daniel Vineyards has grown a wide range of grapes over its history. Dr. Daniel cultivated 116 varieties after founding the vineyard, with 14 varieties reported as being in production in 2013. The estate's plantings include Cornell University hybrids such as Cayuga White, Chardonel, and Traminette; French-American hybrids including Seyval blanc, St. Vincent, Vidal blanc, and Vignoles; the native American Norton grape; Swenson hybrids such as Brianna, Esprit, and Sabrevois; and University of Minnesota hybrids including Frontenac, La Crescent, and Marquette. These selections reflect the practical requirements of a high-altitude, cold-climate vineyard rather than a focus on conventional warm-region vinifera. The winery produces both red and white wines, as well as fruit-based wines. Its blackberry wine is made entirely from blackberries rather than grapes and has been identified as the estate's best-selling wine. The blackberry product has received two bronze medals, two silver medals, and one gold medal according to the cited reference material. Other reported red-wine styles include Baco noir, Frontenac, Marquette, Norton, port, pink, Sabrevois, St. Croix, and St. Vincent. White-wine styles include Brianna, Cayuga, Chardonel, Esprit, La Crescent, Seyval, Traminette, Vidal Blanc, and Vignoles. By 2007, Daniel Vineyards was described as West Virginia's largest winery. It has also served as the host site for the West Virginia Spring Wine Festival since 1999, making the estate part of the state's wine-tourism and agricultural-event infrastructure. In 2008, the West Virginia Department of Conservation rated it the state's third-best conservation farm, citing measures and landscape features that included deer-training fences and surrounding plantings such as Canadian hemlock, Lombardy poplar, and roses. The combination of estate wine production, specialty fruit cultivation, conservation practices, and event hosting distinguishes Daniel Vineyards from a winery focused solely on packaged wine.

Daniel Vineyards was established in 1990 by Dr. C. Richard Daniel on the former site of Twin Oaks Golf Course in Crab Orchard, West Virginia. The original property covered approximately 192 acres. Daniel, a retired radiologist, developed the site as an estate agricultural and wine-production venture rather than converting an existing commercial winery. The vineyard's location, above 2,500 feet in elevation, presented cold-climate growing conditions that influenced the choice of grape material and vineyard-management methods. The estate was designed around cultivars capable of performing in a cooler environment and resistant to common vineyard diseases. Daniel developed and used a Vertical Shoot Positioning V-shaped trellis system, intended to support the vineyard's selected varieties and local growing conditions. Over time, he reportedly grew 116 grape varieties, while a smaller group remained in commercial production. The plantings included American, French-American, Cornell, Swenson, and University of Minnesota hybrids, together with Norton, a native American grape. This varietal strategy enabled the winery to produce wines from grapes suited to West Virginia's climate rather than relying exclusively on varieties associated with warmer wine regions. The property expanded beyond grapes into other agricultural and visitor activities. Roughly 20 acres were used for vineyards, while other acreage supported blackberries and about three acres of blueberries. Seasonal blueberry picking gave visitors a direct farm experience, and the estate also hosted weddings, birthdays, and other special events. This combination of wine production, fruit cultivation, recreation, and hospitality established Daniel Vineyards as an agritourism destination as well as a winery. Daniel Vineyards became increasingly prominent in West Virginia's wine industry. By 2007, it was described as the state's largest winery. Since 1999, the property has hosted the West Virginia Spring Wine Festival, an annual event that connects the estate with regional wine promotion and tourism. The festival is one of the clearest examples of the vineyard's role as a public-facing venue rather than solely a production facility. The estate also developed a conservation profile. In 2008, the West Virginia Department of Conservation rated Daniel Vineyards as the state's third-best conservation farm. Reported contributing features included deer-training fences and vegetation surrounding the vineyard, including Canadian hemlock, Lombardy poplar, and roses. These features reflected an approach that integrated vineyard operations with habitat, landscaping, and farm stewardship. The product range has included numerous grape wines and fruit wines. Red styles reported for the estate include Baco noir, Blackberry, Frontenac, Marquette, Norton, port, pink, Sabrevois, St. Croix, and St. Vincent. White styles include Brianna, Cayuga, Chardonel, Esprit, La Crescent, Seyval, Traminette, Vidal Blanc, and Vignoles. The blackberry wine is made exclusively from blackberries and was identified as the winery's best-selling wine. It reportedly earned two bronze medals, two silver medals, and one gold medal. Available source material documents the winery's development and product portfolio through at least the 2013 varietal account, but does not provide enough reliable information to describe later ownership, management, production volume, or current product availability.

• 2013

  Fourteen grape varieties reported in production

  [1]Daniel Vineyardsen.wikipedia.org

  A varietal account reported that Dr. Daniel had grown 116 grape varieties since the vineyard's founding, with 14 in production at that time.

• 2008

  Receives conservation-farm recognition

  [1]Daniel Vineyardsen.wikipedia.org

  The West Virginia Department of Conservation rated Daniel Vineyards the state's third-best conservation farm.

• 2007

  Recognized as West Virginia's largest winery

  [1]Daniel Vineyardsen.wikipedia.org

  The winery was described as West Virginia's largest winery.

• 1999

  West Virginia Spring Wine Festival begins at the estate

  [1]Daniel Vineyardsen.wikipedia.org

  Daniel Vineyards began hosting the West Virginia Spring Wine Festival, an annual event associated with the property.

• 1990

  Vineyard established

  [1]Daniel Vineyardsen.wikipedia.org

  Dr. C. Richard Daniel created Daniel Vineyards at the former Twin Oaks Golf Course site in Crab Orchard, West Virginia.

A family-owned West Virginia estate winery positioned around cold-climate viticulture, fruit wines, local agriculture, wine tourism, conservation, and hosted events.

• Fruit wine

  Blackberry wine

  A fruit wine made entirely from blackberries rather than grapes. It has been identified as Daniel Vineyards' best-selling wine and is reported to have received two bronze medals, two silver medals, and one gold medal.

• Wine

  Red wines

  The estate's reported red-wine styles include Baco noir, Frontenac, Marquette, Norton, port, pink, Sabrevois, St. Croix, and St. Vincent. The portfolio reflects the use of cold-climate and hybrid grapes suited to the high-elevation West Virginia site.

• Wine

  White wines

  Reported white-wine styles include Brianna, Cayuga White, Chardonel, Esprit, La Crescent, Seyval blanc, Traminette, Vidal Blanc, and Vignoles. These varieties include Cornell, French-American, Swenson, and University of Minnesota hybrids selected for cooler conditions.

• Agritourism and farm products

  Blueberries and seasonal picking

  The property includes approximately three acres of blueberries. Visitors have been allowed to pick their own blueberries when the fruit is in season, extending the estate's visitor offering beyond wine.

• 1999West Virginia Spring Wine Festival

  West Virginia · United States

  Daniel Vineyards has hosted the West Virginia Spring Wine Festival annually since 1999. The event promotes regional wine culture and brings a recurring public festival program to the estate.

  Outcome. The festival became a long-running recurring event associated with Daniel Vineyards.

  Source

1. 1Daniel Vineyardsen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Daniel Vineyards official websitedanielvineyards.com