Speaker 1: 0:31

My name is Maria Rafferty. I'm the owner and operator of the winery at Sunshine Ridge Farm and we are a farm winery and brewery and we also sell cider.

Speaker 2: 0:41

Wonderful and you guys are located in Gainesville, Manassas area.

Speaker 1: 0:45

Yes, so we're in Gainesville, we're right on Lake Manassas, ah yeah, and we are the only place that you can come to on Lake Manassas and enjoy the lake, unless you're part of one of the gated communities. So, wow, that is a nice feature there.

Speaker 2: 1:00

Yeah, a lot of people enjoy that, and the workers too, probably.

Speaker 1: 1:03

Yeah, yeah, it's not a bad office.

Speaker 2: 1:05

Yeah, right, before we get into the winery, I'd like to know a little bit of a background about yourself and how you got started in the winery business, sure, and how you got to this point.

Speaker 1: 1:18

So my background is as an attorney, wow yeah. So I went to school, grew up and went to school in Connecticut and then I moved down here for a job in DC. I did that for a number of years that I raised my children kind of a mix of both. At that point, when the last one was going to college, my thoughts were second half is going to be a little more fun. So that's kind of what led me into that. I'd always taken classes in winery, winery production, how to own a winery, but I'm one of those people that's a little ADHD, you know. I've taken framing classes, I've taken photography classes. I've taken, you know, anything that interests me. I'm a curious person, I like schooling, so I've always taken things that interest me. And then we had property right next to ours on the lake 10 acres and then we just grew it from there.

Speaker 2: 2:14

I love that. No, I love that. You're a person who's always like learning or wanting to learn more. Yeah.

Speaker 1: 2:18

Things that you're curious about. You know you got one life. Yes, go out there and find out about it and learn about it, and you never know where it's going to take you, and this took me to doing a winery Love that.

Speaker 2: 2:28

Would you say that any piece of being like in your background, of like an attorney, has helped you with your business right now? Oh, definitely.

Speaker 1: 2:36

Definitely there's a lot of regulation, obviously with farm wineries and breweries. You know there's a lot of things you can and can't do and we want to make sure we're doing everything right, so that has been helpful. As far as starting a business, you know there's a lot that goes into that paperwork, wise, etc. Cetera. So all of those things in my background helped me definitely get started. My husband does construction. He owns Style Roofing, which is a business that's been in business for 30 something years. So when we were building the building and the property, we did it ourselves.

Speaker 2: 3:12

So a bit of a project there.

Speaker 1: 3:14

Yeah, big project, yeah, ourselves. So, um, yeah, big project, yeah. So I did the creative aspect and he did that. You know, kind of like Chip and Joanna Gaines Um, I'm going we gotta have this, and he's going that's not really possible, yeah. So I'm like, well, let's pivot and do it like this, and so you know, so we went like that, which was fun for our family to do too.

Speaker 2: 3:37

And I'm sure it was nice to a bonding moment and getting to create what's in your head Like, yeah, bring it to life.

Speaker 1: 3:42

Yeah, like my son did construction on it, my daughter does my social media. Um, you know, my father built our big table that we have in the brewery Cause. He was a carpenter his whole life at, you know, 80 years old he's building this big table. My father-in-law did all our smaller tables in the main dining room. My mother-in-law did our big sign when you come in. I mean, it's just been a whole family affair.

Speaker 2: 4:06

Wow, that's really cool, truly family-owned business and created. Yeah, love that. I'd like to talk about the winery now and what type of, I guess ciders and wines you offer, and I guess people can also book their weddings their private events. Talk to me about all that good stuff.

Speaker 1: 4:24

Yeah, so, um. So our winemaker is um Ashton Lowe. Um, he's been doing this a long time I would say at least 20 years and I already liked his wine from having it at other wineries. Um, so I'm really pleased with what he does. Then we right now get our cider from um Cobbler Mountain. It took me a minute to recall it, but, uh, they're local and, honestly, they make cider better than I could. So, um, we buy their cider from them. Um brew brewery, we do some of our own. We also get some from a couple of different breweries locally. Um, I don't bring in anything local if we don't make it even, um, because, again, we're part of the community. So it's not, it doesn't? Every last drop doesn't have to be done by us.

Speaker 2: 5:11

Yeah, no, that's cool. And then also, like it's a community, you're helping everybody. Yeah, yeah, exactly, love that and, um, I understand there's um an age limit there.

Speaker 1: 5:24

There is like that. Yes, so because we're on the lake, um, and as a mother, um, especially one of my kids was that kid that you opened the car door and flew into the most dangerous area possible. Yeah, everybody has that one kid. I had that kid, so that was my thought. Like, this is not good to have hundreds of people. I mean, on a Saturday we'll have five, 600 people on the property. You can't have that on a lake with a bunch of toddlers running around. You know, that's just so. We just made it 16 and up. Basically, if you can drive and you could sit in your seat and you're not running around, you're fine to be there.

Speaker 2: 6:03

Yeah, Well, that makes sense. I was thinking for other reasons. I thought it was like adults, only you know.

Speaker 1: 6:08

No, but we have embraced that because I made that 16 and up rule for safety purposes, yes. So then we've embraced our adult playground kind of vibe. I love it.

Speaker 2: 6:22

Yeah, I love it.

Speaker 1: 6:23

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 6:23

And I also noticed that you guys have events, so talk to me about that. That's pretty cool. But, like, if you're like bored, like locally, and you're like, what do I do? I want to go to DC. You can go to this brewery and, like, have a good.

Speaker 1: 6:39

On Thursday nights. All different kinds of events. So we've made that kind of our try new things out. So we have a comedy night once a month with local comedians. There's a troop of like 30 of them and about 14 to 15 come in. That's once a month. Line dancing we have once a month under the big tent outside, so you're looking at the lake, you're getting the fresh air and super fun. We have ladies night once a month on Thursday. That is a huge hit.

Speaker 1: 7:07

I mean that's 150 to 200 people in the building you guys got a crowd Shopping clothes, jewelry, soaps, you know all kinds of things. We have a DJ, so there's dancing conga line. It's super fun, it's where you can go, you don't have to get dressed up. Have fun with your girlfriends. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, really fun. So, uh, now we're having movie night on the other thursday a month so you sit outside with popcorn, a huge screen on the stage, um, like you're just watching a movie, like at an old drive-thru that you would go to when you were a kid. Yeah, so we're doing a lot of fun stuff, but every Friday, saturday, sunday, live music, food trucks, um, and on the lake. So people come tell me they're like, it's like being on vacation.

Speaker 2: 7:52

Oh my goodness, I got to head out.

Speaker 1: 7:54

Yeah, yeah, yeah you will. You'll enjoy it. It's a lot of fun.

Speaker 2: 7:57

I also um like to know if you since Halloween and it's like spooky season.

Speaker 1: 8:11

That's october 1st today. Do you guys have anything fun happening? So we, our ladies night is halloween themed um, and then actually usually halloween itself. We have like basically a costume party, um, and then we are showing um practical magic for uh halloween on our thursday movie night. So mostly everything we do around that week's time has a Halloween theme to it. I love it.

Speaker 2: 8:29

I know I love spooky things. I was just like, hmm, let me see if they got something. Yeah, love it. And now I know you said that your daughter helps with the social media. I'd like to know what you guys are doing as far as like marketing, getting the word out there about these events that you're holding the wine showcasing what you can provide as far as like marketing, getting the word out there about these events, that you're holding the wine showcasing what you can provide as far as weddings and private events, and how you're going about doing that.

Speaker 1: 8:51

So I have. So my daughter does a social media, um, and honestly, she just graduated from Syracuse last year and I would be calling her at school going. I have spent 30 minutes trying to do this, real, you know, and she's going. Mom, it's not that hard. I'm like, honey, I'm almost 60. It is that hard, you know, but uh, so obviously when she graduated I was like, please come in here and save me. Uh, so she does reels, she does all of that stuff.

Speaker 1: 9:19

Um, we're also getting our website redone so it is a little more user-friendly than our initial one. And then I have somebody who does small events and somebody who does our weddings, and the weddings have just been fabulous. We built a new area in the woods, so it's kind of like twilight, wow, yeah. So you're in a little circle of trees and then in the back of that is an open area where you can see the lake, like like 15 feet away, and then we have wood chairs. You sit in the wood chairs. We've got a little, um, I don't know whatever you call it that they decorate that the bride and groom stands under, um, yeah, yeah, like a trellis kind of thing. Um, so we have that, and then it's um kind of thing, um, so we have that, and then it's um grassed in the middle and then big stones that you walk across toward your spouse.

Speaker 1: 10:11

Yeah, it's gorgeous, it's unique and, um, we were inspired by a bride who wanted a twilight themed wedding and she's like you have the woods. I was like, okay, now we've got to build this tw, this Twilight. Now I'm seeing the vision too Did you watch the movie now?

Speaker 2: 10:26

Yeah, I have.

Speaker 1: 10:26

And as soon as she started saying it, I was like, oh, this spot over here would be perfect for this. It's just on a peninsula at the water's edge. I was like, oh, okay.

Speaker 2: 10:35

Love it. Yeah, that's great. What have been some of the challenges? Like starting this winery, like I starting this winery and like I know you guys like built it and everything.

Speaker 1: 10:48

What were some of the challenges you went through and could you talk to me about how you got through them and, like what you learned? Uh, the hardest part has probably been dealing with regulation with regard to farm wineries, um, when a lot of people locally, um are may not be as familiar with the state requirements. So you're trying to balance this is what the state says I can do, and the locality saying you're not allowed to do that because you're a business and I'm like we're actually agricultural, farm-based business which have slightly different rules. So just kind of learning it better myself and then talking with the locality and making sure they understand what we're doing, because you know, in Prince William County we don't do much of that and people more and more are trying to bring those breweries and those different things not just in like a commercial warehouse setting but in a farm setting which has different requirements.

Speaker 1: 11:40

And then we started this at the beginning of COVID. We started this and that literally we're pouring concrete and we're in COVID, you know. So it was yes, yes, so a lot of meetings with masks on all of us standing 10 feet apart and talking during the construction process. But you know, like everybody else. We got through it so.

Speaker 2: 12:01

No, I'm glad you did. Now we've got like an amazing place where people can go to and have a good time yes. And I understand that it you do take some walk-ins, but it's mostly through reservation. Is that correct?

Speaker 1: 12:13

It's a balance of each. In the summer it's not as much of an issue because we have that huge outdoor area, so people are like it's sunny. I want to sit outside more challenging in the winter because as we come into the colder time of year, the seating is limited. Nobody wants to sit outside, so, um, that's when it becomes more of a challenge. Um but um, usually there's still plenty of seating between the upstairs and down.

Speaker 2: 12:37

Okay, very nice, and you guys also have fireplaces.

Speaker 1: 12:41

We do. We have big stone fireplaces inside um, which just give it a beautiful ambiance, and we have fire pits outside. Uh, yeah, yeah roast those marshmallows?

Speaker 2: 12:53

yeah, exactly, I really need to go you do.

Speaker 1: 12:57

You need to come, it's a lot of fun yeah, maybe I'll try to get the team guys.

Speaker 1: 13:16

we should get out of it or something fun. Ladies night, only 11 to five, and does you know? Um, very, uh, seated formal tastings. I wanted us to be more like you show up on the farm, um, you know, there's live music playing, a much more casual environment. Um, again bringing in the beer, bringing in the cider, for maybe people who don't enjoy wine, who want to do something else. I definitely wanted it to be a more casual vibe. So I think everything we do, including our new website, will show that that's who we are.

Speaker 1: 13:54

There's a place for every different type, you know.

Speaker 2: 13:57

No, that sounds like my I. Sometimes I'm like I don't want to dress up. Are people going to judge me and be like Whoa, she rolled out of bed or something. It's not literally me rolling out of bed, but I don't want to put in that much effort. I just came home from work. I just want to be comfortable, exactly.

Speaker 1: 14:09

Like we have the fun tables where people are dressed in the dress and they've got the hat and it's super cute, we take pictures and you know and all that. But then they're good too.

Speaker 2: 14:25

I love that. I love the different kinds of wineries that there are that can cater for different people, yes, exactly. Yes, yes, exactly, yeah, Love it. I'd like to know what the you talked to me about the website and that's kind of like look you're going for, but could you maybe for listeners who haven't been there or haven't checked out the website, talk to me about what the decor is inside and what the style is, is core is inside and what the style?

Speaker 1: 14:50

is. Is it rustic? Is it modern? Is it sheet, tell me, very rustic. So we milled a lot of the wood from the property as we were. We took down trees and we milled and we've created the beams and everything from the wood actually on the property.

Speaker 1: 15:02

Yeah, so a lot of pieces that we found. Too. Like in the brewery we have a metal shingle wall that was leftover shingles from a husband's roofing business, um, and but even down to you'll see our playful side, um, our menus, where it says you know your red wines, your white wines, and it goes through you know a little description of them the white wine, the Riesling, it's sweeter, it's you know, blah, blah, blah. Then you get to the end and it says pairs well with. Well, we know, you know white wines pair well with chicken and fish, red wines pair well with your steak or your spaghetti. So I was kind of like I don't need to repeat this.

Speaker 1: 15:39

Um, so we decided to make fun pairings. So my girlfriends and I, we get some wine and we're sitting around and we made like our Riesling pairs well with Matthew McConaughey at midnight playing the bongo drums. Okay, you know cause years ago he did that. He sat in his house and the neighbor called the police and and there he was, sitting around in his underwear playing the bongo drums, you know, with a couple of drinks in it. I mean, you know, and that to me sounds like a good time. So I was like this pairs well with the Riesling.

Speaker 1: 16:05

As far as I'm concerned, I'm getting the hall pass from my husband if Matthew shows up. That's all I'm saying. But yeah, so all of our pairings are like that. They're all, you know, one of the other red wines we put. Pairs well with Quart of Ben and Jerry's, amazon Prime and your PJs. You know what I mean, because you picture that night too. You're tired, you're exhausted, you came home from work, you just want a bottle of wine, some ice cream and your favorite show on Netflix, and you're on Amazon Prime ordering all kinds of stuff you're never going to need the next day. You know what I mean? I'm guilty of that. Yeah, we all are.

Speaker 2: 16:45

So we made I love it and very like personal touch to it. I think that's great. Sometimes people are like just make a menu and just please.

Speaker 1: 16:52

Yeah, no, we want every touch, even some of the pictures. I can't describe those. You have to see them in person. You'll have to see them, okay, but they're again. You just look at it and you go oh my gosh, these people have a Love it no good.

Speaker 2: 17:06

What about food? Do you guys offer any food?

Speaker 1: 17:08

We do so. There's food trucks every weekend, again because of the volume of people. Yes, we also order all different types of charcuterie boards, just cheese or cheese and meat. We have a beer board which is more like sausage and stuff like that, and then we also do flatbreads. So all different types of flatbread. You guys have that covered.

Speaker 2: 17:28

Yeah, love it. Yeah, yeah, yeah, just wanted to hear it and confirm. Thank you, you're welcome. For when I go I'm like, okay, I'm looking forward to this now. Cool, and now I would like to know where you envision yourself with your family in the next five years, with your business, or maybe even just personally. Like expansion growth, talk to me about that.

Speaker 1: 17:47

Um, really, the main thing I want to do is grow the wedding area. Right now, it's tented, um, and we have two cool ceremony spots the wooded one that I talked about and then on the main lawn just out in front of the big view expansive views of the lake. Um, I'd like to get out of the tent and into a building and again, it's just a matter of going through all the steps, um, with the county and everything, to make sure we do it the right way. But I would like to put a big, beautiful building so that we could do it year round instead of just limited to the warm weather months. Other than that, I am not trying to be. I'm not trying to get to the point where we lose the personal touch. So I think that's where I'm interested in stopping. And again, when you get so big, you lose that time with your family and stuff like that. I don't want to lose that either.

Speaker 2: 18:34

So, yeah, Cool, and how many employees do you have that are helping you?

Speaker 1: 18:40

Part time. I probably have five full time and then part time, 30-ish Okay yeah, and a lot of it, honestly teachers. And then in the summer we have students, um that come home from college and stuff. Um, some of them we've had since high school that, yeah, started with us in high school and now are in college and come home in the summer and we get to see how they're doing and, um, it's great.

Speaker 2: 19:04

That is so wonderful. I love that it's so friendly, like community-based and family-based. Oh, definitely, I love that. Definitely, yeah, cool. And now talk to me a little bit about when people come in. What kind of environment do you hope or experience that you hope that they have when they come onto your farm? Yeah, or winery.

Speaker 1: 19:28

I'm sorry, why did I say farm? Oh yeah, it was the same Farm winery, farm brewery. Yeah for sure. Fun. I want them to have fun. At this point in my life I'm not doing anything. That's not fun, I'm just not. I've done the work, I've made the money and so now this point in my life is going to be fun from now on and I want people to come in and get that and have that too. So when they leave, I want them to be like laughing, getting into their car, like wow, that was a great time. We're coming back. We're coming back and people say that to me. I mean, they come up to me, they're like I had so much fun today. I am definitely going to be here. I'm like great.

Speaker 2: 20:06

That literally is word for word, but I'd love to hear somebody saying, walking out the door Okay, I really I know I keep saying this, but literally I want to go over there and I love like a good view with with lakes and like all that good stuff and just relax.

Speaker 1: 20:20

And, honestly, it's gorgeous. That's. That's the first thing people say when they come in. They go. This is gorgeous and I didn't even know this was here.

Speaker 2: 20:26

Yeah, it's a secret gem in the community.

Speaker 1: 20:31

Yeah, but hopefully more people can find out and we'll hear it on the podcast.

Speaker 2: 20:34

Yeah, no, that's great. I'm excited. Yeah, me too. Is there anything that maybe I have not touched on, that you would like to share with us in regards to maybe yourself or your winery or anything? Want to make sure we get everything.

Speaker 1: 20:43

I don't think so. I think that about covers everything.

Speaker 2: 20:45

Yeah, okay, cool, I just want to make sure I'm like making good use of your time, you know? Yeah, all right. So, as we wrap things up here, my final question is one that I like to ask all of our business owners and entrepreneurs that come here, because I'm always like being curious. Yeah, yeah, have you had maybe a mantra, a saying, a quote, maybe a line of a song that has inspired you in any way in your life that maybe you still just like? Ah, I'm feeling cruddy. Let me read this quote again.

Speaker 1: 21:16

Um, no, I, I would say, um, kind of what I live by is like uh, authenticity, you know, truthfulness, um, even if you have to say something that hurts somebody, present the best truth. Don't lie to somebody, but maybe say it in the nicest way possible or the gentlest way possible, but say it, um, lying doesn't help anybody. Um, honestly, my kids know people that are a liar. I just have no tolerance or time for they just need to go. Um, so I, you know my husband laughs Some of my very best friends are probably insanely honest. Uh, they'll say things. You go, what in the world? That girl just say but, uh, you know, but it's fun and I respect it. So, um, yeah, the times in life actually that I've fallen down or done things, I look back and go oh, I regret that was because I wasn't doing what really, deep down, I knew was more authentic and I should have been doing.

Speaker 2: 22:15

Yeah, and I'm all done with that. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, no, I love that, that's. That's a good word of advice, I think. I think sometimes I am a little bit honest too, and people are just like but it's better off.

Speaker 1: 22:26

You know I mean you waste, even like dating. You think about the people in your past maybe that you've dated, um, and you've made allowances for or you've changed yourself for, and you think you know. If I wasted a whole lot of time doing that, you know what I mean. If I just spend myself, take it or leave it, you like me, then we're good. Yeah, we just waited through a whole lot of stuff.

Speaker 2: 22:47

Yes, yeah, amen to that. I love it. Thank you so much for being on the podcast.

Speaker 1: 22:52

Oh, absolutely, thank you for having me. I appreciate it.

Speaker 2: 22:54

I hope it was fun for you, cause it was yeah, yeah, yeah. No, that's great.