Corry Craighill

The Climb

Corry Craighill trained at University of Virginia, then built her early winemaking work on the tasting floor and in the cellar. She started as tasting room staff at Jefferson Vineyards and then as an intern at Blenheim Vineyards from 2011. Those years gave a working education in the daily pace of wine country: direct contact with visitors, repetition in the cellar, and the slow accrual of hands-on knowledge. From there, Craighill moved into assistant winemaker roles at Blenheim Vineyards and King Family Vineyards, where the responsibilities shifted from learning the process to helping shape it. In 2016, Craighill became head winemaker at Sunset Hills Vineyard in Loudoun County, a clear step up in scale and responsibility. Since 2020, she has been winemaker and vineyard manager of Septenary Winery, where vineyard and cellar sit under the same remit.

Today

With the vineyard and cellar joined in one job, Craighill works from the same facts that define the fruit itself, which gives the finished wines a plain, disciplined character. Her specialty is making estate-driven wines while also producing wine for several other small Virginia operations, a split that shows both range and a tight focus on site. Craighill puts curiosity at the center of her practice: "Traveling reminds me to stay curious." It reads like a working note rather than a slogan. She extends that same approach to the cellar in her own words: "I try to bring that curiosity to my own winemaking." The result is a method built on attention and adjustment, not routine. It points to a field shaped by access, precedent, and the people who make room for the next line of work.

Signature

Corry's signature wines include 2023 Cabernet Franc Reserve, 2024 Sauvignon Blanc, and Wound Tight.

In Their Words “I try to bring that curiosity to my own winemaking.”

Recognition

Corry's honors include Virginia Governor's Cup and Loudoun County Winemaker of the Year (2019).