Masterclass Seminar: The Art of the Blend - A Winemaker’s Masterclass with Luca Paschina of Barboursville Vineyards

Barboursville Vineyards' Estate Director and Winemaker, Luca Paschina, Shares the Secrets of Blending, Aging and Vintage Variations in Temperature as He Crafts the Acclaimed Wines of Barboursville

With more than 34 years of experience in the vineyard, Luca Paschina has mastered the art of blending and aging Barboursville Vineyards' wines to perfection.  

In this seminar, Luca will enlighten you about how he blends the various wine components that make up Nascent, Barboursville's premier white wine blend, which recently was given a 94-point score by James Suckling AND was honored in James Suckling's Top 100 Wines in the USA 2025.  You'll taste the components of the wine as well as Nascent itself.

Luca will also offer tastings of the components which make up Octagon, Barboursville Vineyards' signature Bordeaux style red wine blend, with a special focus on how vintage variations in Merlot influence the wine's flavor profile.  You'll also taste warm and cool vintage Octagon's and learn how all these vintage factors impact winemaker decisions and the wine.

With Your Ticket, You Will:

• Taste 8+ Barboursville Vineyards' wines including Barboursville's premier blended white and red wines, Nascent and Octagon, respectively 
• Learn how temperature, sites, soils and aging influence the decisions Luca and his team make as they craft beautiful, blended wines  

About Barboursville Vineyards' Estate Director and Winemaker, Luca Paschina

Luca is a third generation winemaker from Piedmont, Italy who studied enology at Istituto Umberto Primo in Alba. Asked by Gianni Zonin to study his winery operations in a year’s consultancy at Barboursville in 1990, he returned to Zonin’s headquarters north of Venice with an irresistibly audacious suggestion — if you will systematically re-invest in ideal trellising systems and techniques for this terroir, you will have the finest wines that can be grown on the East Coast. When he arrived at Barboursville in 1990, the winery had 38 acres under vine. Since that time, it has expanded to over 180 planted acres under vines as well as an inn and five star restaurant on the property. Luca is a former member of the governor-appointed Virginia Wine Board (appointed by 4 different governors). His wines have won accolades in competitions in San Francisco, New York, Dallas, London and more. Luca enjoys cooking, hiking, fishing, and raising his three children with his wife at home in Orange, Virginia.

Important Information

• You may arrive at 4:15 pm to be checked in and seated
• Only 21 years or older are permitted to enter the event.
• Casual attire.
• All inclusive.