Chrysalis Vineyards

What Chrysalis Vineyards does

Chrysalis Vineyards is a privately held Virginia winery founded in 1997 by proprietor Jennifer McCloud, headquartered in Middleburg, VA. The company specializes in Norton (Vitis aestivalis), Virginia's native grape variety, and is among the largest producers of Norton grapes and wine in the industry, while also operating one of the few commercial nurseries that successfully propagates this notoriously difficult vine. Beyond the signature Norton varietal, the winery produces an extensive portfolio of still wines (Tannat, Petit Verdot, Albariño, Viognier, Nebbiolo, Mariposa rosé, blends including Papillon and Rubiana), specialty wines (the Pét Nat sparkling Norton Buttorfleoge, port-style Borboleta), and exclusive VIP Club wines. Core technical methods include whole-cluster pressing of Norton for Sarah's Patio Red and pétillant-naturel fermentation for sparkling production.

The business operates through a direct-to-consumer model centered on two physical locations — the Ag District Center & Tasting Room (39025 Little River Turnpike) and the Champe Ford Events Center (23876 Champe Ford Road) — supplemented by event-driven revenue (paint & sip with Creative Mankind at $40/person, wine & wood workshops with Square & Chamfer at $30-35/person), a monthly VIP Club subscription with exclusive wines and member benefits, and FedEx Ground shipping to many U.S. states. The company has deliberately expanded into a diversified agricultural operation branded The Ag District, encompassing Locksley Estate Farmstead Cheese Co. (a 2017 spin-off in the regulatory approval phase), heritage grass-fed beef, free-range eggs, and a commercial kitchen (Little River Bakehouse) producing artisan breads, charcuterie, and prepared foods. Customer segments are persona-driven (wine enthusiasts, local visitors, tourists) and include a long-tenured VIP Club membership base dating to 2001. Technology and operations are conventional agricultural/ecommerce (WineDirect platform); there is no AI/ML capability evidenced. Ownership is concentrated with founder Jennifer McCloud; no institutional investors, parent company, or funding rounds are disclosed.

Name

Chrysalis Vineyards

Legal name

Chrysalis Vineyards

Website

https://chrysaliswine.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Chrysalis Vineyards is a privately held Virginia winery and diversified Ag District operator in Middleburg, VA, specializing in Norton grape wines, with two tasting rooms, a VIP Club subscription, event partnerships, and farm products including cheese, beef, and eggs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Winery

NAICS

Wineries (312130), Grape Vineyards (111332), Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers (445320)

SIC

Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

Wine Production & Winemaking (AFAFAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wineries & Vineyards (Tasting Rooms) (THAFALAE), Wine Tastings & Vineyard/Winery Tours (THAJAGAD), Wine Grape Vineyard Operations (Varietal/AVA Practices, Yield & Quality Targets) (AFAGAJAJ), Vineyard Establishment & Development (Site Prep, Trellising, Planting) (AFAGAJAA)

Keywords

• Virginia wine production
• Norton grape wines
• Wine club memberships
• Farm-to-table products
• Agritourism experiences

Headquarters

HQ city

Middleburg

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Wine Sales: Direct sales of wines including Norton, Tannat, Petit Verdot, Albariño, Viognier, Mariposa, and specialty wines through the tasting room and online. Wines are sold by the glass, bottle, and case.
2. VIP Club Membership: Monthly wine club providing recurring shipments of exclusive wines to members. Members receive 15% discount on all purchases, 4 free tastings per visit, and access to VIP-only events.
3. Tasting Room and Events: Revenue from tastings, event fees (paint & sip $40, wine & wood $30-35), and food service including cheese plates, charcuterie, and baked goods.
4. Farm Products: Sale of farm products including eggs from free-range chickens, grass-fed beef from Locksley Estate, and eventually farmstead cheese from the creamery.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Chrysalis Vineyards is a Middleburg, Virginia winery founded in 1997 that produces wines led by Norton (Virginia's official native grape) alongside other varietals. The estate operates two tasting room locations, a VIP wine club, an integrated Ag District producing farm products (cheese, beef, eggs, prepared foods), and an on-site propagation program for Norton grapevines.

Product overview

Chrysalis Vineyards is a Virginia winery and diversified agricultural operation (The Ag District) specializing in Norton, their signature native American grape, along with other European varieties that thrive in Virginia's climate. Their product portfolio includes an extensive range of still wines (reds including Norton, Petit Verdot, Tannat, Nebbiolo, blends like Papillon and Rubiana; whites including Albariño, Viognier, Petit Manseng; rosés including Mariposa), specialty wines (sparkling Buttorfleoge, port-style Borboleta), and Norton propagation vines for commercial sale. Beyond wine, the Ag District encompasses Locksley Farmstead Cheese (artisanal dairy), heritage beef cattle, free-range eggs, and an on-site commercial kitchen producing artisan breads, prepared foods, and farm-to-table offerings for the tasting room.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Locksley Estate: The farm/estate name where vineyards and cheese production are located
• Chrysalis Vineyards at The Ag District

Products and services

• Estate-Bottled Wines
• VIP Wine Club
• Tasting Room Experiences
• Artisan Farm Products
• Event Programming (Paint & Sip, Wine & Wood)
• Norton Grapevines (Propagation)

Quantifiable outcome

• North America's largest source for Norton grapevines with nearly a decade of experience
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Creative MankindminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2017Art company offering paint and sip events at Chrysalis Vineyards. Events are $40 per person and include all art supplies, 3 hours of instruction, and fun atmosphere. Creative Mankind brings art education and culture in a fun, accessible way for all ages.
• Square & ChamferminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2017DIY workshop company hosting Wine & Wood events at Chrysalis Vineyards. Participants build wine racks and home decor items. Events cost $30-35 per person including materials, tools, and a glass of wine.
• Locksley Estate Farmstead Cheese Co.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Affiliate farmstead cheese company under the same ownership, planning to produce artisan cheeses from the dairy herd at Locksley Estate. Kelly Harding serves as consulting cheesemaker. Products will pair with Chrysalis wines.
• Denton Baldwin (Farmer)minorOthers · 1 January 2017Farmer providing greenhouse-grown seedlings for herbs, greens, and vegetables to supply the Ag District commercial kitchen with fresh farm ingredients.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• King Family Vineyards: Virginia family-owned estate winery with tasting room and large event hosting capability. Highly comparable in private ownership, DTC focus, and event-driven revenue mix.
• RdV Vineyards: Boutique Virginia winery producing ultra-premium estate wines with appointment-only hospitality. Comparable in small-scale estate production, premium positioning, and DTC-first distribution.
• Breaux Vineyards: Loudoun County, Virginia winery with extensive tasting room, event spaces, and wine club. Direct geographic and operational peer given shared Loudoun/Middleburg tourism market.
• Glen Manor Vineyards: Small Virginia estate winery in the Blue Ridge foothills with tasting room. Comparable in private ownership, estate-grown wine focus, and limited DTC distribution.
• Trump Winery: Large-scale Virginia winery in Charlottesville with tasting room, event venue, and broad portfolio. Comparable in DTC tasting room model, though significantly larger in production scale.
• Barboursville Vineyards: One of Virginia's most established estate wineries with tasting room, restaurant, and event venue. Comparable to Chrysalis in producing premium estate wines with a strong on-premise hospitality component.
• Boxwood Winery: Boutique Virginia winery located in the Middleburg, VA area, focused on estate-grown Bordeaux-style wines with a tasting room. Directly comparable to Chrysalis in geography, scale, and DTC-driven business model.
• Early Mountain Vineyards: Virginia estate winery with tasting room, food pairings, and event programming. Comparable in DTC focus, estate-grown positioning, and emphasis on culinary experiences alongside wine.
• Blenheim Vineyards: Virginia estate winery with tasting room focused on single-vineyard wines. Comparable in estate-grown viticulture, hospitality-driven DTC model, and family/private ownership.

Broad incumbents

• Wente Vineyards: Multi-generation California family winery with tasting room, wine club, and event programming. Comparable in family-owned estate winemaking with DTC and event-driven revenue, though at substantially larger scale and broader distribution.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ChrysalisVineyards
• Xx.com/ChrysalisWine
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chrysalis-vineyards

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Chrysalis Vineyards