Otium Cellars - Goose Creek Farms

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  Oh, Otium.  Akin to finding that last loaf of bread stuffed deep at the back of a grocery shelf, somehow visible only to your eye, harried shoppers rushing frantically around you in the hours before a snowstorm.  Having spent so many years being treated like a naughty child at some of the larger wineries in the area (namely a few that have expanded greatly in recent years- their customer service unable to keep up with the number of grandeur tasting rooms and wedding venue buildings being built), Otium is a very refreshing find.  If you expect gracious service and a delectable selection of wines, then give Otium a try.  I promise you, you won't leave disappointed.
  
  I am not a white drinker.  Don't get me wrong, I enjoy punishing myself on occasion, but the holy Mary hangover day after a night of partaking in white wine is not high on my list of must-haves.  I will make an exception for Otium.  Their whites are light, crisp, and sans the gallon of syrupy high-fructose corn assaulted mess that comprises many of the Virginia whites I've tasted.  To my palate, they are well-balanced and refreshing.  If you let me near a bottle of Dornfelder (a red, German varietal of wine exclusive to Otium), it will be gone within an hour.  I shed a little tear when they told me they'd run out of it this season.  Thankfully, they will be bottling the 2011 soon, so I have begun planning my leave from work in advance so that I might spend eight straight wine-besotted days and nights enjoying the new release.
  
  You'll usually find us there on a sunny weekend afternoon, or sometimes on a Friday evening as they awesomely stay open until 8pm to oblige their legions of local fans (read: fun drunken Purcellvillians).  They're super canine-friendly, so bring along Fido if he's cool with getting poked and prodded and ogled by several dozen tipsy locals.  The experience will make him a better guy, trust me, our two Jim Henson goldendoodles love it.  They're in the midst of building a pretty outdoor gazebo/tasting bar, should be completed in time to enjoy the Fall tasting season.

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  Posted on 07.19.13 Ashley A.

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  I have to say, I feel as though I've been duped. My fellow Yelpers have never led me as far astray as they have with Otium Cellars. I'm still rubbing my eyes in disbelief re-reading the reviews after our visit over the July 4th holiday weekend. Before you get all hot and bothered about my one star rating (which you'll see by looking at my Yelp contributions, I rarely ever give), let me explain our experience to you.
  
  My husband and I love the fact that we live in a state with many fine wineries and feel that Virginia wines are often underrated and underrepresented. Over the holiday weekend we decided to visit Bluemont Vineyards down the road, and then wrap up our afternoon taking in a tasting and perhaps relaxing with a glass at Otium Cellars (again, given the reviews on Yelp we had no reason not to give them a try.) We were accompanied by two friends who were in town from Florida for a visit (they're well-versed in wine and we were excited to share our VA varietals with them!)
  
  Ambience: When we pulled up we were excited to see the tasting room had a unique farmhouse look to it. We pulled around the horse barn (where we saw *a* horse), parked and wandered inside. Our first clue should have been that there were only two other people inside (sitting at a table playing a game) and the tasting bar was e-m-p-t-y. There were several tables, a small fireplace, cooler was some snacks, and an upstairs which we did not venture up to see.
  
  Wine: We tasted six wines that afternoon. Never before have I been as unimpressed with the selection as I was at Otium. To put it simply, the wine was weak. To explain a bit further, the first pour (a pinot gris) tasted as if it had been left uncorked overnight. Bad, bad, bad. It was the first pour, so I snacked on an oyster cracker to cleanse my palate a bit and eagerly awaited the next, convinced it would be better than the last. Well, the next pour, and the next pour, and the next (you get the idea) pour were equally as unimpressive. I always put little marks next to each wine on a tasting paper (plus, check plus, minus, etc) and it was almost solid x's all the way down the list. We didn't order a single glass between the four of us and walked out empty handed (but $40 lighter).
  
  Tasting experience: The tasting was $10 per person for the six pours (which were on the small side at that). Having just completed a tasting at another winery, we feel that this was a lot of buck and no bang. Completely underwhelmed.
  
  Bottom line: I am still completely befuddled as to how this place has 4.5 stars. There are so many other wineries to visit in the area that we will not make the same mistake twice in visiting again. The wine was weak and expensive at that. Take your hard earned dollars to any of the other wineries nearby before venturing to Otium.

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  Posted on 07.09.13 Traci C.

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  Awesome service. Nice wine except malbec. Not good deck, but excellent sofas in second floor.

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  Posted on 07.02.13 Adan M.

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  Dropped in yesterday when all the other area wineries were either closed Mondays or open a bit later.  Was pleasantly surprised by the whole experience.  I was with my mom and my 2 small kids.  The tasting room was beautiful and the gentleman who gave us our tasting was super nice.  I believe he was the son of the owner.  The wines were all good - they don't do any blends which is a nice change from other area wineries.  We did a tasting, bought a bottle to taste and a bottle each to take home.  He waived our tasting fee which was a nice touch.  I also liked that they used riedel glasses for the tastings too.
  
  We were the only ones there since it was a rainy monday, so the staffer offered to take us into the stable to see the horses since we had kids with us.  My boys loved it and it was great customer service to go that extra mile for us.  I will definitely be returning some time in the future with my husband and a group of friends.  Thanks for a great experience and lovely wine!

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  Posted on 07.02.13 Debby W.

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  My daughter and I stopped recently for a tasting.  The wines were fantastic, the cheese plate was also wonderful and the tasting room and surrounding areas were spectacular.  I only bought three bottles, but that is because my wine cabinet is stuffed to overflowing.  But we will be back.  I'd highly recommend visiting this place in the fall to take advantage of what must be overwhelmingly beautifully vistas and color.

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  Posted on 06.30.13 Susan P.

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  I have never been treated with as much disrespect as I was during my visit to Otium Cellars yesterday.  I had called the winery earlier in the week to last them know I was coming with a group of 10 ladies.  I said that we would be there around 3:00 and wanted to know if we needed a reservation since we had a larger group.  The lady on the phone said no, they would have plenty of room for us but thanks for the heads up.
  When we arrived at the tasting room the lady behind the bar immediately yelled "NO GROUPS!!!" and we all looked at her like she was speaking another language.  No groups?  She immediately ran out from the bar and told us all to get outside and that she wanted to speak with our limo driver immediately.  She slammed the glass door to the tasting room and the very few patrons she had all exchanged looks that clearly said "this lady is off her rocker ."  In the parking lot she began verbally embarrassing our limo driver about why he thought it was ok for him to bring us here.  I very politely and calmly tried to explain to her that I had planned the entire day and had spent a lot of time researching the wineries we were visiting and calling each one personally to verify that we didn't need a reservation and making one if we did.  She screamed at me that she ran this place and none of her employees would ever have said we were able to bring a group of 10 people in.  She kept repeating over and over that she was the ABC manager and to get off her property.  
  
  We were being nothing but cordial and polite and all we wanted was to sample some of their wines and sit outside in the sunshine, but this lady completely ruined that for us.  There are some amazing wineries so close to this one- give your business to one of those instead.
  
  If anyone from Otium is reading this you need to get your ABC manager some tranquilizers.  She had a fire in her eyes that closely resembled a bull ready to attack its prey, and you shouldn't have her interacting with customers.  She is clearly a loose canon.

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  Posted on 05.05.13 Carolyn S.

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  I went to Otium Cellars with my girlfriend for the first time last Sunday.  Yes, we finally got to go to a winery I have never been to.  They were somewhat busy, but we were offered either a tasting at the bar or a sit down tasting.  We opted for the sit down tasting.  
  
  The experience was very nice and the people were nice,  I wasn't sold on the whites, but I really loved the reds.  The Blaufrankisch and Dornfeller you can't get anywhere in Virginia.  They are both very good and I loved the Cab Sav that they offered, although I preferred the 2010 over the 2011.  
  
  Yes, they do a lot right here.  One minor thing is that they need to put a sign up at their stable that customers are not allowed in there and that they need to keep it closed off.  My girlfriend and I walked around the grounds which we thought were beautiful.  We then proceeded into the stable until a woman on a horse barked that customers weren't allowed in the stable.  She did say "sorry," which cushioned the blow.  
  
  I will say that I agree with David and the place deserved only 4.5 stars, but I gave it 5 for the simple fact that the grounds and facility were beautiful, the staff was nice, and I walked away with three bottles.  It's rare for me to buy three bottles from a winery I visited for the first time, not to mention I got a free wine tote bag with my order.   We will definitely go back and maybe I will be able to say that they have earned the five stars.

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  Posted on 04.21.13 Ken W.

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  Another case where a half star option would be nice - as good as this winery is, it's not quite five stars; more like four and a half.  But I don't want to wreck their perfect score, so I'll give 'em five.  
  
  Perhaps my criteria are too high, but really after five stars, where can a winery go from there?  6?  11?   Five stars means the winery does everything right - wine, service, prices, indoor set up, outdoor set up.  They do a lot right here, but since they're another winery obsessed with having live music in their tasting room, and their tasting fee is sort of high ($10), I'll give them four and a half behind the scenes.
  
  The wine, setting, service and tasting bar experience should be enough to draw crowds - I don't know why so many wineries in Northern Virginia have to assault customers with loud music by cover bands.  And the wine here is outstanding, featuring varietels you don't see many places in Virginia:  Blaufrankisch and Dornfelder.  The former is a bold spicy red and the latter is a bold oaky red.  They don't have a cab franc (the owner/winemaker is not a fan), but they did offer two Cab Sauvs, one deeper than the other due to a better growing year (2010 vs. 2011).  And they also had a Pinot Noir, but they won't have another one - if you want to try it, get there soon.  It's delicious.  
  
  As for the whites, they offered a slightly sweet (but not too sweet) pinot gris and a buttery chardonnay, a bit too oaky for my taste but pretty good.  
  
  As others have said, the owner's wife runs the farm, so expect some beautiful horses (and a pony), chickens (including a loud rooster) and a few pigs.  Their spread lies on an incline with a great view of western Loudoun - it's amazing how so many wineries in the state have terrific views, yet none are alike.

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  Posted on 04.02.13 David R.

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  We had the opportunity to visit this winery today and had such an amazing and fun time.  While the wine and food was fun to taste, it was also the amazing service that our host, Rocky, provided.  We would - and will recommend this location to as many people as possible.  You can't go wrong here and we have already planned our next trip back.  Rocky makes the experience and we enjoyed her service, attitude, and energy!

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  Posted on 01.10.13 Giannina F.

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  We went to this vineyard yesterday based on Yelp reviews and they did not lead us astray. Max was super helpful and friendly and the wine was really wonderful. You could tell it was made with much thought and care and the fact that they had no blends made the tasting experience different than most. The reds are truly outstanding. We quickly signed up to be members and look forward to many more visits in the future! Thanks for a great time!

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  Posted on 12.30.12 Jennifer C.

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  Review #400 goes to a winery that has quickly become one of our favorites, if not all time favorite, winery in Virginia.
  
  Otium Cellars is absolutely incredible in every way.  The location (note that Otium is on the left, don't be deceived by the winery-looking farm on the right) is set in a thoroughbred horse farm where they raise and train Olympic dressage horses.  The horses are absolutely stunning, and oftentimes the owners will be walking one by between pens, and are happy to stop and chat about them.
  
  The service is incredible.  Everyone here is supremely friendly, and you feel like you're hanging out with friends rather than sitting at a wine tasting.  The tasting pours are *very* healthy.
  
  To top off the location and the service, this is the kind of winery where you end up starring (or using high numbers, or happy faces, or lightning bolts, whatever your preferred wine notation is) on almost all of their wines.  It's the kind of winery where one after another you say to your fellow tasters "mmm, that was really good!".  And the wines are unique.  They have a number of German varietals that actually grow very well in Virginia, you've probably never tasted before, and are about to fall in love with.  Our favorites have included the '09 Dornfelder, the '10 Dornfelder, the '10 Cab Sauv, the '11 Cab Sauv, and the '10 Malbec.  Which brings up another great point: sometimes it can be hard to find delicious, big reds in Virginia outside of Cab Francs.  Not so at Otium.  One after another, and you're going to have a hard time deciding what to have a couple bottles of.
  
  Once you've had your healthy tasting and are friends with everyone, the tasting room and outside picnic tables are a great spot to set up shop for a picnic.  We've now been here about 4 times, and every time make Otium last on the itinerary of 2-4 wineries so that we can have a picnic and enjoy a few bottles. There's a warm fireplace on the bottom floor, and the loft has three big couches and an old cart table for a group to have a great time.
  
  Otium Cellars has quickly worked its way into our hearts.  I hope it doesn't get too crowded, but it honestly deserves the business.  Otium is well worth the milestone of my review #400.

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  Posted on 12.29.12 Ryan M.

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  Fantastic wine, friendly staff, beautiful setting.  My boyfriend and I went here for the first time a few weeks ago and fell in love with the wine!
  
  We arrived right before they were closing, but the staff was super friendly and let us stick around for an hour after they closed.  We got there right when the sun was setting so we sat outside and enjoyed the view.  I found Otium Cellars to be a more relaxing setting then the other wineries, probably because it was not super crowded and the staff was very laid back and friendly.
  
  My boyfriend and I plan to make this a regular stop on future visits to the wineries.
  
  If you are looking for a place with great wine, and friendly staff, visit soon before the word gets out!

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  Posted on 11.12.12 Amy W.

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  I took my girlfriend for her birthday... Neither of us had been to a wine tasting in the area, and this was fantastic. Rocky was very friendly and gave me a few maps and recommendations about others to try out in the area. She helped a couple of out-of-towners have a great birthday celebration. I liked the wine a lot also, the Cabernet 2010 was full bodied but smooth.
  
  The horse stables added a nice touch to the landscape, much different than the typical experience. When it is only an hour outside of Arlington, VA it is a great getaway.

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  Posted on 10.01.12 Ryan A.

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  Otium Cellars is a revelation.  Frankly, I wasn't sure what to expect from this German-owned, two-week-old winery outside of Purcellville; what we found was a viticultural gem.
  
  We arrived late afternoon to find the winery fairly empty which afforded our taster, Rocky, the opportunity to provide us with one of the most personalized and entertaining tastings in recent memory.  Turns out Rocky is a recent Houston transplant -- "I followed a boy," she explained -- who spent two decades as a magician-cum-flying-aerialist in the Tito Montoya Circus.  Girl knows her *stuff*, spins a mean yarn, and exceeds at her job.  She also introduced us to Max, son of Otium owner Gerhard Bauer, who was equally gracious and interested in providing us with an informative, enjoyable experience.  Between the two of them we felt fantastically welcomed and appreciated.
  
  The tasting options include a $5 Regular Tasting (pick two of three whites, three of seven reds), or the $10 Premium (all 10 wines).  Naturally I wanted to sample all the wines, which are produced entirely from grapes planted and grown on the property or land leased across the road.  For five-year-old vines, Otium is producing some truly exceptional, straightforward wines (no blends here).  Honestly, my tasting sheet was so peppered with stars and check marks after our tasting it was hard to find a wine I *hadn't* liked.
  
  ~ 2009 Pinot Gris and 2010 Pinot Gris.  The difference in rainfall between the two years makes all the difference in the two wines, with the rainier 2009 producing a drier wine.  I preferred this one over the 2010 vintage.  
  ~ 2010 Chardonnay, aged in French oak.  A taster at another winery likened Otium's Chardonnay to buttered popcorn which I would say is dead-on.  Historically I've not enjoyed Chards, but this one was so luscious and buttery and indulgent I wanted to float away on it.
  ~ 2010 Pinot Noir had hints of cherry and and a pleasant, lingering spiciness on the palate.
  ~ 2010 Blaufränkisch, a garnet red wine with rich tannins and a velvety mouth-feel, was one of my favorite reds in the lineup.  It's always nice to sample a new-to-me variety, and Otium is growing two types of German grapes I've not tried before.
  ~ 2009 Dornfelder was my least favorite wine of the tasting (which isn't even to say it was bad).  But the 2010 was good, and the 2009 Dornfelder Reserve was fabulously toasty and developed, one of the best wines in the entire array.  
  ~ 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon had a nicely tannic, chocolate and berry flavor to it.
  ~ 2010 Malbec was up there with the Dornfelder Reserve as one of the more perfect wines we sampled.  
  
  After our optimally paced and entertaining tasting, the four of us purchased glasses of our favorite wines to enjoy in the open, woodsy tasting room (I went with that Dornfelder Reserve).  We also bought several bottles between us to bring home in order to perpetuate the lovely Otium experience.  While the setting may not rival Bluemont or Barboursville, it's the service and the wines that set Otium apart from -- and on top of -- the ever-burgeoning Virginia wine culture.  Welcome to the party, kid.

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  Posted on 05.26.12 MacRae O.

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