The proximity of the Shenandoah River, orientation of numerous canyons and valleys, and varying elevations produce many different distinct microclimates in the Shenandoah Valley AVA. The area benefits from the largest swing between high daytime and low nighttime temperatures of any region in Virginia as a result of the cool air that flows east through the Blue Ridge Mountains near Mount Weather and south through the Shenandoah Valley.

The region’s summer is characterized by warm, clear days, generally unencumbered by clouds, fog or severe winds. Daytime high temperatures in the summer typically fall between 85 and 105 degrees Fahrenheit, but nighttime low temperatures usually can drop to 73 degrees, cooled by a our thermal belt and the proximity to the river. This diurnal fluctuation is considered a key by winemakers and wine grape growers to attain the intense varietal character displayed in wine grapes from the area.

Situated on a small ridge in the watershed of Upper Opequon Creek in Frederick County, the estate at James Charles continues the centuries-long tradition of fruit agriculture in the Winchester area.

Rocky, loamy and sometimes gravely soil is common here, which means the ground is always well-drained, even during the spring rainy season. Limestone bedrock sits about 1.5 meters below the surface, with fragments of limestone pushing up to one meter deep.