Row upon row of sun-kissed vines bend, intertwine, and cling to trellises. They stand like soldiers at attention in the fields of the Good Luck Cellars in the Lancaster County, Virginia. Their nearly 25 acres of vines produce the grape clusters which become the basis for their award-winning, hand-crafted wines. To date, Good Luck Cellars has won 95 award medals for best wines in various prestigious wine competitions. The vineyard grows 12 grape varieties.
Creating fine wines is not an easy task. It combines skill, science, experience, well-nurtured vines, dedication, good weather, long hours of hard work, and at Good Luck Cellars some wonderful hounds, lovingly known as the Grape Vine Patrol Squad (GVPS). Their job is to protect the grapes from grape lovers like deer, opossum, raccoons, wild turkeys, and an assortment of other wildlife that like to munch on grapes.
The process of building a vineyard and creating fine wines is extremely complicated. Paul and Katie consider farming and wine making a labor of love. Their passion for the chemistry of winemaking originates from both of their careers in medicine. They started making wines at home in Virginia Beach (one wine was made using figs from a tree in their yard!). Encouraged by the wines they created, they purchased a 100-acre tract of land in Kilmarnock, Virginia that was once used for mining sand, gravel, and topsoil. The project of building a vineyard and tasting room for the community was a dream come true for both.
Katie said, “The Squad all began when my husband and I started this vineyard in 2005 and realized we were competing with a lot of animals and birds that like grapes as much as we do. We tried a number of different plans and none of them worked, but we heard about an orchard in New England that was using dogs to guard their apples. So, we looked into it, and since then our grape loss has been reduced by at least 80 percent.”
The GVPS is a team of hounds adopted from local animal shelters. Many are abandoned hunting dogs or dogs that preferred a social life over hunting. Each hound was carefully vetted, fully vaccinated, free of heartworms/ other diseases, and were neutered/spayed before their arrival to the winery. Each new resident goes through about a two-week training program where they are introduced to their vineyard mate(s) and house as well as leash-walked around their perimeter regularly before running solo through their section of the vineyard.
Marianne Krop, Katie’s sister-in-law, manages the Squad’s care and is often referred to as the Mistress of the Hounds. Her role is to make sure the animals are fed, given fresh water daily, and well taken care of. Marianne has a special relationship with the hounds which she attributes to the fact that she is in charge of giving them (and dogs visiting the winery with their humans) treats. The hounds are kept in vineyard areas that are cordoned off by invisible fences. There are generally between two to four hounds in each area. Hounds are pack animals and prefer to be with other hounds rather than alone. They live in insulated shelters, all of which have thick flap doors that keep the shelters warm and cozy in winter. In summer, the flap doors are kept open to keep the interiors cool. The shelters are built with ample open space underneath to make it easy for hounds to rest in the shade. The hounds have free run of their section of the vineyard fields and are free to patrol the trellises day and night. The hounds are trained to stay within the boundaries created by the invisible fences.
Marianne says each of the hounds has a unique personality. They are all friendly and are allowed to mingle with visitors. Over the years, a following of dog lovers come on a regular basis just to visit the hounds. Like people, some hounds are shy and quiet while others are truly happy to visit with the guests. A wonderful example is a hound named Davy. Like most of the patrol hounds, Davy is a full-bred Walker hound who came to the vineyard from the Northumberland County Animal Shelter. Davy is friendly and loves to be pampered by visitors. His tail beats a rhythm of joy the moment he spots a friend. Davy will often lie down and roll over, begging for a belly rub.
Bella is a Bluetick Coonhound and is the senior member of the Squad. She is sweet and very calm. Bella will obey commands to sit and stay. When treats are offered, she will politely sit and wait her turn.
Marianne has many fond memories with the hounds. One is she and her late brother Paul watching the hounds frolic in the snow on a cold winter morning. Oblivious to the cold, they enjoyed the blanket of white that covered the ground.
The vineyard is broken down into sections: Field 1-Davy and Conway in approximately four acres; Field 2,3,4,5-Bella and Denver in approximately nine acres; Field 6,7-Ronnie, Countess and AJ in approximately two acres; and Field 8- Inez and Nubbie in approximately nine acres. Each section of the 25-acre vineyard has its own dog feeders which are kept clean and supplied with food so that the hounds may eat whenever they are hungry. Water bowls are kept clean and filled with fresh water regularly. Marianne is also the guardian of the hound’s health. Hounds are seen by a veterinarian frequently and are kept up-to-date regarding shots and medical issues including fleas, heartworms, wounds, etc.
While hounds are trained to chase any unwelcome critters, they are not vicious. Marianne recalls seeing one of the hounds chase a raccoon that climbed to the top of a trellis post to escape, while the hound stayed on the ground baying his warning.
A hound will make a sound called “baying”. Baying is the deep, booming bark howl characteristic of scent hounds like beagles and bloodhounds. Hounds will often bay early in the morning when they pick up the scent of an unwelcome animal visitor. The diligence of the GVPS is essential to protecting the grapevines and grape clusters during the growing season.
Good Luck Cellars is far more than a place to taste and buy wines in the historic Northern Neck of Virginia. It is a social hub and cultural hub; a place where community gathers. When visitors arrive, they are usually seen settling in on the covered, wraparound porch (or near the indoor/outdoor fireplace) and taking in the serene views of the vineyard before they come inside to select their wines. Many look out into the vineyards, hoping to catch a glimpse of a Squad member at work.
In addition to wine tastings/sales, the winery hosts events. Every Friday, all year long, there is music and dancing on Friday nights. There is even a free dance class offered on select Fridays! On some Saturdays and Sundays, there is music on the porch. There are so many other events hosted at Good Luck Cellars; too many to be included here, but you can view them online at www.goodluckcellars.com and/or follow them on Facebook/Instagram to stay informed.
After the unexpected passing of Paul Krop in late 2020, his wife Katie decided to continue running the winery. She actively helps nurtures the vines with the vineyard crew led by Danny Peña and partners with winemaker Dennis Sulick who once worked alongside Paul in the cellar.
Visitor dogs are welcome as long as they are friendly/social, leashed, and remain on the porch or adjacent greenspace. They are not allowed indoors or in the vineyard.
Visitors are encouraged to support local food trucks when on site, however, are allowed to bring outside food to be enjoyed with a glass of wine on the porch, in their tasting room or to an event.
Good Luck Cellars is a must for visitors and local residents alike. They are open year-round (open January, Friday-Sunday and open February through December, Thursday-Monday). 1025 Good Luck Road, Kilmarnock, Virginia 22482, (804-435-1416),
www.goodluckcellars.com.