Virginia's Most Unexpected Wine Destination, Full Stop
Huntly · Huntly · American, French · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed May 19, 2026
Wingman Metrics
You drive forty-five minutes into Rappahannock County on a two-lane road wondering if you've made a mistake, and then you walk into Houndstooth and see a wine list that would embarrass half the fine dining rooms in DC. One seating, five courses, candlelight — this place is not messing around. The Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence on the wall is not decorative.
The list runs 150-250 bottles with a tight, intentional focus on California, Virginia, and France — and the producers they've chosen in each category are doing real work. On the California side you've got Ridge Monte Bello and Kistler Chardonnay sitting alongside Jordan Cab, which is a nice range from cult to approachable. France shows up with Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet and Louis Jadot Gevrey-Chambertin — not flashy, but correct and serious. The Virginia section is the genuine surprise: RdV Vineyards, Early Mountain, and Barboursville Octagon on a list this size in a country inn suggests someone here is paying close attention to what's happening sixty miles east in wine country.
The by-the-glass program runs 12-20 options, which is generous for a restaurant doing a single nightly seating. We'd expect the pours to rotate with the fixed tasting menu, making them a practical choice for letting the kitchen lead. No half-price program or active rotating specials to speak of, but at a fixed five-course dinner the glass list exists to complement the meal, not drive it.
Early Mountain Vineyards (Virginia) — $40s
Virginia wine at a Virginia restaurant is exactly right, and Early Mountain consistently punches above its price point. This is the bottle that makes the drive worth talking about.
Barboursville Vineyards Octagon
Virginia's most serious Bordeaux-style blend rarely gets the national attention it deserves. On a list with Ridge Monte Bello in the same room, most people look right past it — which is their loss.
Louis Jadot Gevrey-Chambertin
Jadot is reliable Burgundy, but at fine dining markups you're paying restaurant prices for a wine you could find at any decent shop. With RdV and Kistler on the same list, there are more interesting places to put your money.
Kistler Vineyards Chardonnay + Five-course seasonal tasting menu (fish or poultry course)
Kistler's richness and precision can anchor whatever the kitchen is doing with local proteins in the middle courses — and at a chef-driven tasting menu, you want a wine that can stretch across a few plates.
🎲 The Bottom Line
Houndstooth is the kind of place you'd never stumble across, which is exactly why we're telling you about it. Drive out, let someone else drive back, and let the list do the work.
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