Virginia's boutique
winery of the year
Nestled among 32 acres in rural Leesburg, Virginia, Casanel Vineyards & Winery is one of the most quietly accomplished wineries in the DC region — a family-owned estate focused entirely on small-lot, estate-grown Virginia wines. Founded in 2008 by Nelson and Casey DeSouza, now run by their daughters Anna and Katie, Casanel has built a reputation on precision and restraint rather than volume or spectacle.
Located in the Middleburg American Viticultural Area, the estate sits on the Catoctin Ridge with a combination of shale, clay, loam, greenstone, and quartz soils — a terroir that produces wines with genuine minerality and distinctly Virginian character. Seven grape varieties are grown across two estate vineyards, hand-harvested and small-batch bottled. The result is a lineup of wines that reward attention.
For DC-area residents and visitors, Casanel offers something increasingly rare in Virginia wine country — a genuinely intimate, adult-focused tasting experience at an estate that takes its winemaking seriously. The two tasting rooms (the historic 1800s stone barn and the Yellow Barn overlooking the pond) provide very different atmospheres, both worth experiencing.
- Address: 17952 & 17956 Canby Road, Leesburg, VA 20175
- Hours: Friday–Sunday 12pm–6pm · Closed Mon–Thu · Some holiday Mondays open
- Tasting rooms: Historic Stone Barn (1800s) · Yellow Barn (overlooks the pond)
- Estate: 32 acres · Middleburg AVA · Two estate vineyards
- Founded: 2008 · DeSouza family · Now run by daughters Anna & Katie
- Award: 2025 Mid-Atlantic Winery of the Year · Governor's Cup Silver 2025
- Distance from DC: ~40 miles · approximately 55 minutes via Route 7 West
- Limos/hired cars: Must contact Casanel in advance to reserve parking
Casanel is approximately 40 miles from central Washington DC — about 55 minutes west via Route 7 through Tysons and Great Falls into Leesburg. The drive through Loudoun County's countryside is genuinely scenic — but it does present the familiar wine trip dilemma of who drives home.
Important Casanel-specific note: Unlike some wineries that allow walk-up hired car arrivals, Casanel requires all limos, buses, and hired vehicles to contact them in advance to reserve parking — even for groups of two. When booking DC ExecuCar for a Casanel trip, contact the winery directly to arrange parking for your vehicle before your visit.
DC ExecuCar's hourly as-directed service is the cleanest solution — your driver takes you out, waits on-site while you taste, and returns you home safely. The Mercedes Sprinter van works well for groups of 6–14, though note Casanel's policy that groups of 8 or more require reservations directly with the winery.
