How do I choose a cidery in Virginia?

Key facts

• Live count. Cider Radar lists 45 cider makers in Virginia and 6 other cider places such as bars and shops (as of 2026-10-02).
• Orchards. Virginia Tourism describes "orchards covering thousands of acres from the Shenandoah Valley to the rural plains of Central Virginia". [1] The state harvested 148.8 million pounds of commercial apples in 2025. [2]
• Cider is wine here. Virginia law says cider "shall be treated as wine". [3]

Which Virginia cider regions should I know?

The state tourism board groups its cider tasting rooms into three areas: Northern Virginia, the Shenandoah Valley and Virginia Mountains, and Central and Coastal Virginia. [1]

• Northern Virginia. The closest area to Washington, DC, with tasting rooms in towns and on farms.
• Shenandoah Valley and Virginia Mountains. The valley is orchard country, and many cideries there press local fruit. [1]
• Central Virginia. Charlottesville and Albemarle County sit in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, where heritage apples such as Albemarle Pippin are grown. [1]
• Coastal Virginia. A smaller group of cideries around Hampton Roads.

Which cider makers are listed in Virginia?

These eight come from the Cider Radar catalogue, at least one per region and alphabetical within each region; all eight also appear in Virginia Tourism's cider guide. [1] They are a starting point, not a ranking.

• Northern Virginia: Lost Boy Cider (Alexandria)
• Shenandoah Valley and mountains: Old Hill Cider (Timberville), Troddenvale (Warm Springs), Winchester Ciderworks (Winchester)
• Central Virginia: Albemarle CiderWorks (North Garden), Bold Rock Hard Cider (Nellysford), Potter's Craft Cider (Charlottesville)
• Coastal Virginia: Sly Clyde Ciderworks (Hampton)

What counts as cider in Virginia?

Under Virginia law, cider is made from the natural sugar of apples or pears and holds no more than 10% alcohol without chaptalization, or 7% regardless of it. [3] Many cideries operate as farm wineries, and the licence class says something about the fruit: a Class I farm winery may use only fruit grown on its own premises, while a Class IV farm winery must use 75% Virginia-grown fruit. [4] If local apples matter to you, ask which class a cidery holds, and see do cideries use local apples.

How do I plan a cidery visit in Virginia?

1. Pick a region from the list above; farm cideries are often a drive from the nearest town.
2. Choose orchard or town. Orchard cideries tend to pour ciders from their own apples, town tasting rooms a wider range of styles.
3. Look for a style. Heritage and single-varietal ciders suit traditional tastes; fruited ciders are the modern end.
4. Check before you go. Opening days change with the season, and the ratings on Cider Radar show what other drinkers thought. For the basics of a cidery, see what a cidery is; for other states, see where cider is made in the US.

Related answers: where cider is made in the US · do cideries use local apples

Find it on Cider Radar

• Cider makers in Virginia: 45 makers and 6 other places listed (as of 2026-10-02).
• Guide: browse by place · Glossary: single-varietal
• You can order directly from the maker in Cider Radar (iOS, Android and web).
• Open the map: app.ciderradar.com · iPhone · Android

Cider, perry, calvados and pommeau are alcoholic drinks. Enjoy responsibly and follow the legal drinking age where you live.