As the first rays of morning sun fall over the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Joshua Grainer is already in the vineyards at Lost Mountain. He’s walking up and down vineyard rows checking on the vines before meeting with the vineyard team to discuss the plan for the day.
He knows these vineyards well. He’s watched the vines mature and evolve over the 15 vintages he’s farmed on this land to make RdV Lost Mountain, widely considered an iconic American wine grown here in Virginia.
Growth and evolution have been a theme in Grainer’s work since he first stepped on this granite hillside. He had more curiosity and passion than experience then. Today, he’s one of the most accomplished and respected wine professionals in the world. Now, the journey continues for Grainer.
RdV Becomes Lost
In June, RdV Vineyards was acquired by brothers Martin and Olivier Bouygues, French billionaires who operate a conglomerate of telecoms, media, and construction interests. Under the deal, RdV Vineyards will be renamed Lost Mountain and become part of the Bouygues’ Eutopia Estates, a portfolio that includes the acclaimed Chateau Montrose in
Bordeaux and Clos Rougeard in the Loire Valley.
This is the Bouygues family’s first winery purchase outside of France, bringing a lot of attention to the Virginia wine industry and a brighter spotlight on Grainer and the vineyard.
Originally named for founder Rutger de Vink, a Dutch-American who served in the U.S. Marine Corps and did a stint working in high-tech before opting for a life among the vines, RdV Vineyards was established in 2006 in the town of Delaplane, about 45 minutes west of Washington, D.C. De Vink purchased the 93-acre property in 2004 following a three-year search for land with the perfect combination of climate and soil for cultivating Bordeaux grape varieties.
From the beginning, de Vink had big plans for RdV, enlisting the world’s top experts in viticulture. Grainer joined RdV for its first vintage, in 2008, and has played a key role in its rise from nascent start-up to globally respected wine brand. Situated on the southernmost knoll of the Blue Ridge, the estate is home to 18 acres of vines planted to Bordeaux varieties: cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc, and petit verdot.
Tall and thin with a friendly, unassuming demeanor, Grainer grew up in New Kent County and attended James Madison University, where he earned a degree in geography. Preparing for a career as a professor, he enrolled in the zoology and physiology masters program at the University of Wyoming.
A trip to Italy would change his career direction.
A Suitcase Full of Wine
“My mother traveled around the world while working for an art institute, and I happened to join her during spring break,” Grainer recalls. “I ended up in Tuscany and fell in love with wine there.”
He returned to the U.S. with a suitcase full of wine bottles and a desire to learn more about wine and viticulture. “While I loved the outdoors component of the program at UW, I was longing to be more creative and pivoted to pursue my passions for food and wine ultimately landing an internship with Jim Law at Linden Vineyards in 2006, where I could marry both the art of winemaking with time outside farming.”
Law, known as a pioneer in the local wine industry, reflected fondly on Grainer’s three vintages at Linden. “Joshua was great to work with and fit in so well here because everyone is laid-back,” Law says. “He was focused and introverted and very intellectual in his approach to winegrowing.”
Grainer worked harvests in Bordeaux and Tasmania to further hone his skills, blending old-world traditions with new-world techniques that would prove valuable in Virginia.
It was during his time working with Law at Linden that Grainer met de Vink. They became fast friends and bonded over their love of wine and viticulture.
“When we started working together nearly 20 years ago he knew the fundamentals, but now he’s a leading expert in the wine world,” de Vink says. “Although he has the title of winemaker, he is so much more. He is a real technical expert and belongs alongside the top people in the wine world—from Napa to Bordeaux. What makes him successful is his work ethic and attention to detail. He’s never idle, always working to push the envelope.”
The Master
In February 2023, Grainer earned the Master of Wine designation after six years of rigorous study, becoming the 58th American and first Virginian to earn the coveted designation. His MW research paper, which addresses the future impact of climate change on Virginia’s most planted varieties, won the prestigious Quinta do Noval Award in 2023 for best research paper by a new Master of Wine.
Lost Mountain marks the beginning of an important new chapter for Virginia wine and for Joshua Grainer. As a Master of Wine with two decades of hands-on experience growing and crafting fine wine, he is uniquely qualified to lead Lost Mountain.
“My goal is to move this brand from being more about an individual to being more about this special place,” Grainer says.
This article originally appeared in the October 2024 issue.
