FAQs

Virginia is an extremely special wine country, often referred to as the last great frontier of winemaking. Wine Enthusiast named Virginia as the Wine Region of the Year for a reason, the wines that are coming out of Virginia blend old world and new world styles to create something unique and magical.

Many of the varieties you are used may not grow as well in our humid environment, but many of Virginia's best thriving grapes are still relatively unknown. In addition to the humidity, Virginia has much warmer nights than California, perfect for producing bold and complex Cab Franc, Tannat, and Petit Verdot. Virginia is also well known for its Petit Manseng, which can come in the form of crisp dry white with tropical notes, or a decadent late harvest dessert wine.

Where California and European wine regions are well established, Virginia's wine regions are still very young and still exploring the possibilities in this unique climate. Over the past decade, we have seen Virginia making a name for itself by winning gold medals at esteemed international wine competitions. Now wine professionals from all over the world flock to the state every year to explore this incredible up and coming wine scene. 

All of our tour experiences are private, meaning your party will have private transportation with a dedicated tour concierge. We will sometimes provide access to closed wineries where your party will have the whole venue to themselves, but we also often visit wineries when they are open to the public. 

While we can absolutely accommodate small groups, Cork and Keg Tours really shines in curating full service experiences for large groups of 10 or more guests. Many wineries do not allow buses, or may require private space rental fees for large groups. We have over 100 partners that allow us to bring our buses, and we know all the group size policies at every one of them. Next time you want to visit wine country with a large group, let us handle all the planning and logistics for you, and see how simple and seamless a large group winery excursion can be!

We do our absolute best to accommodate our guests’ transportation needs, and will pick you up wherever you are located. Cork and Keg Tours will gladly arrange for airport transportation for our guests from all Washington DC airports, including Dulles International, Reagan International, Baltimore/Washington International, and the Leesburg Executive Airport.

Our full day tour experiences are designed to last about seven hours from pickup to drop off so your party gets the full wine country experience! We can always add time if needed depending on the pickup/drop off locations. 

Our half day tour experiences are designed to last about five hours from pickup to drop off. We have a 5 hour minimum, but you do not have to use the whole time if you do not want to. Half day experiences are not available on Saturdays. 

We are a small family business, with extremely limited capacity. Typically we only do a max of two private events on any given date. You can find out our availability by submitting an inquiry through our website, emailing info@corkandkegtours.com, or calling us at (571) 267-5910. If we don't answer immediately, it is because our whole team is out in wine country, or we are chatting with other guests. Either way, we respond to all inquiries within 24 hours.  Once two tours are booked on a given day, we are sold out, so get in touch as soon as possible to secure your date!

The more time we have to work with, the better your chances of securing reservations at all of your requested wineries and other destinations. At least a month in advance is ideal, but we have also been known to create magic with less than a weeks notice if needed due to our local partnerships. The larger your party, the more important it is to plan your trip at least one month in advance.

Sunday through Friday, groups of 13 or fewer have the option to reserve an all-inclusive tour experience (including lunch and tastings at every stop), or pay for tastings and food at each winery on their own. 

If your party is larger than 13, or if you are reserving your tour on a Saturday, we require that all parties book an all-inclusive experience.

We always keep a cooler stocked with bottled water onboard for your party, and you are also welcome to bring your own snacks and non-alcoholic beverages if desired. Many local wineries allow you to bring your own food to eat outside, and we are happy to arrange a route that includes a stop for you to bring your own lunch. Due to state and federal laws, you are not permitted to bring alcoholic beverages on most vehicles.

There are some fantastic breweries and distilleries in wine country, and we love to integrate them into our experiences! Whether you'd prefer to visit a mix of wineries and breweries, or maybe only breweries and restaurants, we've got you covered.

We suggest our guests dress in “wine country casual," which basically entails dressing in layers, as winery caves are kept at a constant 58 degrees. We also request you refrain from wearing perfume (it may interfere with your tasting experience), wear sensible shoes, and bring sun protection like a hat and sunglasses since we may be exploring the vineyards.

Our tours are 21 and up, so no kids or pets, sorry! We aim to keep it a relaxed adult vibe. If you're looking to celebrate something, it’s a great grown-up day out.

We are a small family business, with extremely limited availability. For this reason, all transactions are non-refundable. However, we also understand that sometimes life happens. If you do need to cancel, we are happy to work with you to reschedule for a later date. 

Yes, you can. Cork & Keg is more than happy to honor any pre-existing itinerary you have, and offer you our luxe transportation services on a standalone basis. We provide an experienced and professional tour concierge, and have access to a fleet of high-end vehicles suitable for any size group.

Two to four wineries seem to be the sweet spot for most of our guests. If you would prefer a shorter day it is reasonable to visit two wineries, having enough time to enjoy a tour and tasting. If you are planning for an all-day trip, you can generally visit three or four wineries. This is entirely up to you, as some guests want to visit only one winery and spend the rest of the day exploring wine country's hidden gems, while others only want to visit wineries. We strive to showcase places you'll want to linger and connect with your hosts.

As soon as we receive your deposit, our team gets to work creating your unique itinerary. How long it takes varies depending on the complexity of the request, the time of year, and how quickly we hear back from wineries and accommodations—things we unfortunately can’t control. Regardless, you’ll always receive your itinerary with enough time to check out our proposed activities, look over the relevant websites, and realize we’ve put together a fantastic visit.

We pride ourselves on being transparent about our pricing. The tour price includes all taxes and fees, and includes gratuities for all of our winery partners that we will visit. 

Your gratuity is a reflection of how you perceived the quality of the services you received. It is always our goal to exceed your expectations. Most of our guests tip about $20-30 per guest on the tour. You can offer cash, or simply add a gratuity to the credit card on file when you sign your receipt at the end of your tour. All gratuity is directly transferred back to your tour concierge.