Maybe Mable will be the star of these wine tours

Virginia’s Tipsy Wagen Tours uses a vintage vehicle to carry oenophiles — and those who may not be quite as knowledgeable about wine — in search of a great vintage.

The Palmyra, Virginia-based company uses a 1972 Volkswagen bus for its winery tours, a vehicle lovingly dubbed with a moniker that the company’s Katie Galan says reflects the affection she and her husband and fellow staffer have for it.

“My husband and I love to travel and are always looking for fun and unique experiences wherever we go. Through our travels we had fallen in love with Virginia, specifically the Charlottesville/Shenandoah area, and knew it was where we wanted to call home. After we experienced a unique wine tour in California, the business idea started to fall into place and we knew we wanted to bring a unique and memorable experience to Virginia wine country,” Galan says. “We researched lots of different vehicle options, but when we found our 1972 Volkswagen Bus, lovingly named Mable, we knew that was the right vehicle for us. She is beautiful and brings a nostalgic factor that everyone seems to relate to. She was originally built to be a taxicab in Brazil and is unique as she has six doors so it is easy for guests to get in and out of the vehicle. We love names that were popular in the early 1900s and once we came across Mable, we felt like it just fit! Mable also has a Latin origin, derived from the names Amabilis and Amabel, Mable means lovable.”

The vehicle can accommodate eight people plus the driver, has typical bench seats and is comfortable. It does not have heating or air conditioning but does have numerous windows and “we can create a nice breeze in the summer months and we have blankets for the chillier days,” Galan continues.

Galan adds Mable is mechanically sound, has regular check-ups and so is in “top condition” for tours. “We typically visit three wineries on public and private tours, but if someone requests a custom tour and wants to visit more, we can work with them on a tour that works for their group,” she says of itineraries that last around 3.5 hours.

Website Virginia Wine says Central Virginia has a “thriving” wine scene, as indeed is the case with other parts of Virginia. The website reports that America’s oldest wine grape was created in Virginia and there has been an “explosion in both the quantity and quality of Virginia wine. What began as a scattered handful of wineries would approach 50 by the mid-1990s. In less than a decade that number would double. Today, with nearly 300 wineries and counting, Virginia winemakers and wine lovers alike are reaping the fruits of those early experiments.”

“The wine in our area is amazing and was just recognized as Wine Region of the Year in Wine Enthusiast’s 20223 Wine Star Awards,” Galan reports of Central Virginia.

Galan adds that her company’s name shouldn’t be interpreted as an invitation to overindulge. “We used Tipsy as a fun, playful way to communicate that our tours involve alcohol,” Galan continues. “We typically visit three wineries and our public and private tours include a flight at each winery that is included in the price of the tour. We want our guests to have fun, get a chance to sample some of the region’s wines, but also be responsible and safe.” Drivers can’t have any alcohol while on the tours.

Meanwhile, Galan would be hard-pressed to choose whether the vehicle used on the tours or the tours themselves leave the longest lasting memories for clients.

“We think it is the combination of the two that makes the experience memorable,” she adds. “Tipsy Wagen Tours offers a unique and all inclusive experience on our public and private tours. The price includes transportation to three wineries where you get a flight at each stop so you can sample a few of the region’s best wines and you get to do it all in a unique vintage vehicle.”

Those wanting further information can access www.tipsywagentours.com.