Come Grow With Us
May 18 - Noon-5PM
Join us in the vineyard at First Colony to launch our Adopt-A-Vine program. We are expanding our vineyard and you can see our 4.5 acres of newly-planted Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, in addition to our 7.5 acres of Chardonnay, Petit Verdot, Traminette, and Cab Franc. Adopt a row of vines while you are visiting the winery and your admission to the event is waived. $10 ticket includes: Live entertainment, wine tasting, a vineyard souvenir, guided tours and tractor hayrides. Food available for additional fee from MWO food truck.

About Us

Rolling fields, shaded patios, a spacious tasting room, award winning wines and a friendly staff are just a few of the offerings awaiting visitors to First Colony Winery. Located in southern Albemarle County, just 10 miles from Charlottesville, First Colony's winemaking facilities and classically rustic event space have hosted wine novices and connoisseurs, as well as groups for weddings and parties of most any size. Take a tour and see wine-making in action, or relax with a glass of your favorite wine and a picnic. First Colony Winery is open every day for tastings, and offers winery tours on Saturdays and Sundays at 1:00 and 3:00.

Staff

Heather A. Spiess   Owner	Heather is the Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Ruggles Service Corporation, a multi-association management company in Richmond, VA, established in 1974 by her father who passed away in 2006. She has been employed at Ruggles since 1999 and has owned the company with her brother since 2002. A dance major at Hollins College, she has lived in the Richmond area since she was 8 and has roots that run deep in Virginia. Heather’s son, Austin Hamilton (Certified Wine Specialist) is the Vineyard Manager at First Colony; and it is Austin’s interest in viticulture, enology and specifically the Virginia wine industry which piqued Heather and Bruce’s interest in taking on a new venture: owning a Virginia winery. Heather and Bruce, along with their partner, Jeff Miller, are very excited about this adventure and look forward to becoming a part of the fast-growing Virginia wine industry.
Bruce D. Spiess, MD   Owner	Bruce is a Professor of Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology and Emergency Medicine at Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center in Richmond, VA. Bruce is responsible for patients undergoing heart surgery as well as other critically ill and trauma patients at the medical center. He is acting director of Virginia Commonwealth University Reanimation Engineering Shock Institute (VCURES), a consortium of researchers. He was trained in Chicago at Rush Medical College and did his anesthesia training at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota. Since training he has been in active practice for over 30 years, much of the time in Washington state where he enjoyed the fabulous wines of the Pacific Northwest. Although a scientist at heart, Bruce is eager to begin work on turning First Colony into a first-rate Virginia winery.
Jeffrey W. Miller   Owner	Jeffrey W. Miller joined Northwestern Mutual in 1987 after receiving his B.S. in Business, Economics and Sociology from the University of Richmond. Since joining, he has received his Accredited Estate Planner, Chartered Financial Consultant, and Chartered Life Underwriter designations. Jeff’s specialties include holistic financial planning around insurance, education planning, retirement planning, business and estate planning, and investments. He sits on the St. Catherine’s School Foundation Board and is a member of the University of Richmond Estate Advisory Council, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Charitable Advisors Committee, and the Richmond Estate Planning Council. Jeff has two teenage daughters, Taylor and Maddie, with whom he enjoys water-skiing, both recreationally and competitively. In addition, he enjoys wakeboarding, billiards, and ping pong, and is very excited to pursue this new adventure with his dear friends and partners, Bruce and Heather.
Martha Hayman   General Manager	While growing up in Indiana, a high school field trip to Monticello inspired Martha to apply to colleges in Virginia. Her love of cooking and customer service led her to pursue a degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management at James Madison University. After graduating in 2005, she went on to become a manager in the award-winning dining services program at Virginia Tech, where she met her now husband, winemaker Jason Hayman. Martha’s passion for food quickly developed into a passion for wine, and she began to search for a job in the rapidly growing Virginia wine industry. She moved to Charlottesville to join the First Colony team as Tasting Room Manager in April of 2007, and was promoted to General Manager in August of 2008.
Jason Hayman   Winemaker	Jason moved to Virginia from his home state of Louisiana in 2003 to attend Virginia Tech for Mechanical Engineering. While on break in 2008, Jason’s lifelong love of plants and the outdoors led him to seize an opportunity as vineyard manager at First Colony. From there, he took great interest in the vine to wine concept and furthered his knowledge by studying under First Colony winemaker Benoit Pineau and consultant Brad McCarthy. Upon Benoit’s departure to pursue new opportunities in 2009, Jason assumed the additional role of winemaker. The 2009 vintage started the beginning of a promising career, winning multiple medals including golds for his Zephyr and Petit Verdot Estate Reserve. In April of 2012, Jason married Martha, general manager of First Colony, and he is looking forward to an exciting and rewarding year in 2013.
Austin Hamilton, CSW   Vineyard Manager	Austin was born and raised in Richmond, VA and is a 2008 graduate from Randolph Macon College where he received his BA in Sociology. During college and after graduation, Austin spent much time in Europe, especially Italy where he developed his love of red wines. Once back in Richmond, Austin decided to pursue a career in the wine business working retail at Barrel Thief. He quickly learned that his skills were much better utilized in a hands-on environment. He was hired at First Colony in 2009 as a field hand where he has honed his skills tending the vines and learning much about vineyard management. He has earned his certificates in Enology and Viticulture from Piedmont Virginia Community College and recently passed the exam to become a Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW).
Fritz   The Winery Cat	Fritz joined the First Colony family in 2006 when he appeared on the property as a stray kitten with two broken legs. Since that time, he has made a full recovery and adjusted well to the domesticated life. He is employed as the official Tasting Room greeter and does his job with great enthusiasm when he is not eating or sleeping. Fritz enjoys supervising wine tastings and sharing picnics with generous guests. He has aspirations of one day owning the winery.