OUR STORY
SLATER RUN VINEYARDS is an estate vineyard and winery located in Upperville, Virginia. Started in 2010 by Christopher and Kiernan (Slater) Patusky, and Kiernan's parents Bob and Alice Slater, the winery represents the continuation of a 300-year tradition of farming by Kiernan's family along Goose Creek.
Slater Run is a solar-powered winery that has 12+ acres of vines, including Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. We specialize in making premium Virginia wines in a dry French style.
We were fortunate to have the assistance of renowned viticulturalist Lucie Morton to help select the vineyard varietals, clones and root stock, and to design the close-spaced vineyard. Lucie worked with Kiernan's father, Bob Slater, to select the two vineyard sites on the farm. Kiernan's mother "Alice" designed and oversaw implementation of the winery landscaping.
We were also fortunate to hire Katell Griaud as winemaker in mid-2014, in time for her to make our inaugural vintage that year. Ms. Katell was raised working in her family's vineyards and winery in France and received her undergraduate and graduate degrees in winemaking from Bordeaux University. She brings her extensive training and skills to making every Slater Run wine.
The original winery building was built by Bill Tyler in 2014, and the new tasting room building was designed by the owners and completed in 2019. The Slater Run wine label "feather" paintings and the distinctive "Slater Run Vineyards" script were made by local Upperville artist Holly Ward Bimba.
Owners Chris and Kiernan participate in every aspect of the operation from root to glass.
The winery effort continues a long family agricultural enterprise on the farm. As recently confirmed by the Mellon Foundation's research, Kiernan's ancestor, John Glascock, acquired the current vineyard and winery land on Crenshaw Road in Upperville, Virginia in 1720. When Glascock's descendent, Tacie Glascock Fletcher, married George H. Slater (of Mount Bleak Farm, now Sky Meadows State Park) in 1905, the farm passed into the Slater name. Chris and Kiernan created Slater Run Vineyards to help sustain the agricultural use of the farm for generations to come.
Our Team
Kiernan Slater Patusky
Kiernan comes to the vineyard and winery business with a strong liberal arts background, which her grandfather always assured her: "will teach you to be a life-long learner." After a career that included teaching high school and college writing, she moved back home to the family farm with her husband and two young children to launch the vineyard, winery and tasting room. She continues to enjoy learning with and from her fabulous team every day!
Christopher Patusky
Christopher Patusky partners with his spouse Kiernan in running the vineyard and winery. Chris brings 30 years of experience working in law, academia, government and various start-up ventures. He enjoys building the family's farm winery venture from the ground up while getting to know his neighbors and guests.
Katell Griaud
Soon after her parents had the opportunity to accomplish a dream and purchase a vineyard and a winery in Monbazillac (Southwest France), Katell Griaud “fell in the barrel” and began her studies in oenology and viticulture. Graduating with a Diplôme National d’Oenologue from the faculty of oenology of Bordeaux, she went on to earn a Master degree in Oenologie et Environnement Viti-Vinicole.
After a few harvests in France and New Zealand, working as winemaker and winemaker-consultant, she moved in 2009 to Virginia to work at Kluge Estate and then Trump Winery as a winemaker. In summer 2014, she decided to go back to winemaking for small hands-on family wineries and now works with Slater Run Vineyards in Upperville and Gabriele Rausse Winery in Charlottesville. She also returns to her family’s winery, Chateau Kalian, twice a year to help make Monbazillac organic wines.
Lucie Morton
Lucie Morton is the established superstar on the team with academic credentials and accomplishments too many to mention, including being one of the world's foremost ampelographers. Lucie helped the team select the vineyard site and the clone/rootstock combinations to fit a vineyard design with one meter between vines and seven feet between rows. Lucie continues quarterly visits to the vineyard to advise on how to nurture the vines to produce the type of high-quality fruit that makes great wine.
Bob Slater
Kiernan's father, Bob, brings a lifetime of experience working the family farm, as he helps ensure that all aspects of the vineyard and winemaking effort are done right-including the selection of the best terroir for the vineyards. His specialty, however, is serving as the farm and vineyard's "tractorist," maneuvering the narrow-gauged Landini and Kubota through the close-spaced rows of the vineyards to care for the vines and by operating larger equipment, a.k.a. the "Bushhog," through the surrounding fields.
Alice Slater
Kiernan's mother, Alice, wears every hat in the family business - from harvesting grapes to labeling bottles to helping in the tasting room. She has led the landscaping effort at both the winery and tasting room as well as the design and installation of the flower and agricultural themed decorations that make the winery a special place to visit.
Nick Driskill
Nick is our assistant winemaker is hard at work working with Katell to make the amazing wine for our tasting room and for you to take home.
Michelle McDonald
Michelle is front of house tasting room manager that you'll see smiling as you enjoy your wine.
Sarah Woods
Sarah is the events and club manager who is creating events and serving you with a smile.
You know you want to
Sign Up For Our Mailing List
Keep up to date on the latest wine releases, events, and promotions.