by Lisa Hinton-Valdrighi –
A normal Friday night at Good Luck Cellars in Kilmarnock looks like a porch party, 30 to 50 folks listening to music, chatting, picnicking and sipping wine. These days it looks a lot different.
Tasting room manager James Garnett says business is steady, however. Now his Friday ends at 6 p.m. instead of 8-ish and he spends his days delivering bottles to masked customers in the parking lot. Garnett is also in a mask and gloves.
It’s become the new norm at wineries and breweries across the Commonwealth and country as COVID-19 has closed tasting rooms in lieu of takeout and curbside deliveries. That’s right, folks can now get alcohol to go just like fast food. And that option is keeping the winemakers and brewmasters in business.
At Good Luck, customers are invited to order by phone or online and get curbside service. Customers can even drive up and honk, said Garnett. He’ll take your order and rush it right back.
The winery was recently featured on Richmond-based NBC 12 TV for its adoption of another rescue dog to add to its Grape Vine Patrol Squad. Jughead is a rescue from the dog patrol at Dog and Oyster Vineyard in Irvington.
The winery also has spent the last couple of weeks planting 2,000 replacement vines, according to marketing manager Monique MacEachin.
In Westmoreland County, one of Virginia’s oldest and largest wineries is now offering virtual tastings. Ingleside Vineyards, which opened in 1980 in Oak Grove, offers Wednesday night virtual tastings with winemaker Mark Misch on Facebook Live. The winery is doing a six-week series of tastings and a list of wines for tasting is available on its website. Although the tasting room there is closed for tastings, it is open daily for takeout sales only. The winery also offers curbside and local delivery services.
Curbside has been a successful option for Specials Wine Seller in Kilmarnock, where Amy Britt says business has been good.
“I’ve noticed a lot more people in town than there normally are this time of year so that’s helped,” said Britt. “And you know, people drink when they are sad, depressed, happy, stressed, whenever.”
Britt says the process for purchasing at Specials is easy and touch-free. Customers call to place their order and again when they arrive curbside. “They pop the trunk and off they go,” she said. Specials is accepting phone orders only.
Nearby, at Kilmarnock Brewhaus, owner Don Lee is also offering curbside growler pickup. He’s open daily and asks customers to call 15 minutes before they arrive. He’ll “meet you at the curb and you don’t even have to get out of your car,” said Lee.
He has 14 different craft beers to choose from and they are listed on his Facebook page.
“I’m not selling enough to pay the bills,” said Lee, “but I’m trying to keep my customers happy. And I’ve got plenty of beer. It’s well-aged and it’s good.”
Locally-brewed beer is also available in White Stone, where Miss Mary Seafood has partnered with That Damn Mary Brewing Company of Gloucester as a pickup spot for six packs to go. That Damn Mary’s brews will be available at Miss Mary Seafood on Saturdays only from noon to 4 p.m.
That Damn Mary owner MJ Anderson and partners also offer curbside pickup at the brewhouse in Gloucester Thursdays through Saturdays. Customers are asked to buy online for pickup at both the brewery and at Miss Mary Seafood.
Open for business
Here is a sampling of establishments open for takeout, curbside and special delivery options in the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula as of Tuesday, April 28. Changes may occur at any time. Check individual websites and call before going.
Lancaster:
- Kilmarnock Brewhaus, Kilmarnock. Filling growlers daily. Curbside service. Call 15 minutes prior to arriving.
- Good Luck Cellars, Kilmarnock. Curbside service. Mondays and Thursdays, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sundays, noon-5 p.m.
- Specials Wine Seller, Kilmarnock. Curbside service. Mondays through Fridays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturdays, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
- Vine, Irvington. Curbside service only for wine and drink specials. Takeaway food service suspended. Wednesdays through Mondays, noon-7 p.m.
- Dog and Oyster Vineyard, Irvington. Curbside bottle sales. Daily, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Westmoreland:
- Ingleside Vineyards, Oak Grove. Carryout, curbside, local delivery. Open daily, noon-5 p.m.
- General’s Ridge Vineyard, Hague. Carryout sales only. Fridays, 4-6 p.m.; Saturdays, noon-4 p.m.
- Montross Brewery, Montross. 32 and 64 ounce growlers to go. Sundays through Friday, 4-7 p.m.; Saturdays, 2-7 p.m.
Gloucester:
- Gloucester Brewing Company, Gloucester. Order 16 ounce cans online by Wednesdays for weekend pickup. Or fill 32 ounce growlers on demand during the weekend.
- That Damn Mary Brewing Company, Hayes. Order online for curbside pickup. Thursdays through Saturdays, 4-7 p.m. Six packs also available for pickup at Miss Mary Seafood, White Stone. Saturdays only, noon-4 p.m.
