What's Old Is New at Twin Oaks

​A little local history from our sponsor (and friend), Twin Oaks Tavern Winery:

Twin Oaks Tavern, in the Bear’s Den Historic District, is one of many stone houses built on the mountain between 1890 and 1920. At that time, there were several inns around Bluemont, including a large hotel at Bear’s Den on Blue Ridge Mountain Road.

Bluemont was an attractive area for city dwellers looking to escape DC’s sweltering summer, as temperatures on the mountain sat 5-10 degrees lower. Residents from Washington would take the train to Bluemont and be driven by horse and buggy to the inn or hotel of their choice before exploring the mountain. Twin Oaks was one of these inns, and it operated as a tavern/inn until the 1950s.

A fire burned down much of Twin Oaks Inn in the 1980s, and the property was largely left to poison ivy and scattered chain link fencing. That changed when the Evers family bought the property in 1999. Inspired by her travels through France, Italy, Germany and Croatia, Twin Oaks Tavern Winery’s original owner Donna Evers sought to transform the land into a thriving winery.

Clearing out the land and rebuilding the houses on the property from their singed, stone bones, Donna got to work bringing that vision to life. She planted Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc grapes on the land, and spent the next few years perfecting her craft. In 2008, she debuted her first two wines: the Chardonnay and Raven Rocks Red. After owning and operating Twin Oaks Tavern Winery for 26 years, Donna passed her craft to the Spear Family in 2025.

Michelle Spear took the reins, passionate about continuing a legacy from one woman to another. With a new set of ideas and a refreshed vision for Twin Oaks, Michelle and the Spear family invite you to become part of the story and celebrate the rich heritage of Twin Oaks Winery. 

--Twin Oaks Tavern Winery

A.T. note:
​As the crow flies, Twin Oaks is about .5 miles from the Appalachian Trail. For now, access is from the Raven Rocks A.T. trailhead. Hikers walk .4 miles west along Rte 7 and then walk .4 miles up Ravens Rock Road (1.6 miles round trip). The Twin Oaks team hopes to look into having shorter, more direct access to the winery and all its amenities for hikers on the trail. Stay tuned....

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