Sweet Briar College Farm Releases Meritage 125 in Honor of 125th Anniversary

Sweet Briar College Farm debuts Meritage 125, a commemorative wine honoring the College’s 125th Anniversary and agricultural roots.

SWEET BRIAR, VA, UNITED STATES, May 23, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- In honor of the College’s 125th Anniversary, Sweet Briar College Farm has released its first meritage wine. This wine celebrates Sweet Briar’s quasquicentennial and is a special way to recognize 125 years of commitment to educating women leaders.

Sweet Briar’s wines are crafted from grapes planted in 2019 on nearly 18 acres of vineyard tracts in two separate locations on campus. The vineyards include merlot, chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon, and cabernet franc grapes.

Meritage 125 artfully blends all of the red grape varieties grown at Sweet Briar. The result is a smooth, earthy wine that truly reflects the richness of the land on which the College campus sits and represents its commitment to the stewardship of our natural and built environment. To be considered a meritage blend, a wine must include at least two of the traditional classic Bordeaux grape varieties. Sweet Briar’s Meritage 125 includes merlot, cabernet sauvignon, and cabernet franc.

Sweet Briar College Farm and its vineyard, 20-hive apiary, and 26,000 square-foot greenhouse demonstrate a commitment to agricultural sustainability and stewardship of the College’s 2,847 acres. These initiatives and facilities enhance Sweet Briar’s curriculum, the annual Willits Food Systems Fellows program, the Leadership in Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems Certificate, and student research opportunities. Courses in environmental science and other academic programs engage with the vineyard, and the vineyard has inspired several honors research projects. Students help care for the vineyard by scouting for pests and collecting representative grape samples for testing.

Meritage 125 is just one of many ways Sweet Briar is celebrating its 125th Anniversary. The College launched a special series of events at its 2025 Founders’ Day, beginning with the dedication of a land acknowledgment plaque and a speech by Chief Diane Shields of the Monacan Indian Nation. Other events have included visits by speakers such as the Honorable Anita McBride, former chief of staff to several First Ladies, and the Honorable David Beasley, former Governor of South Carolina and executive director of the World Food Program. The College also hosted a performance by the Richmond Symphony Orchestra; a talk by Nicole Brand Turner ’06; a Charter Day celebration with Justice Verda Colvin ’87, chair of the Board of Directors; a reception for the exhibition Visualizing the Sacred Feminine, featuring Katie Hoffner ’84; and more. In June, the Virginia Museum of History and Culture will display the College’s copy of the Declaration of Independence, which will be available for viewing through July 4, 2026. To see upcoming events and recordings of past events, visit sbc.edu/125.

Sweet Briar College Farm, LLC is the agricultural entity of Sweet Briar College responsible for wholesale produce, honey production, and wine making. It is led by Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Administration Belinda Burke; Vice President of Academic Affairs; Dean of the College; Chief Sustainability Officer Dr. Lisa Powell; and Director of Physical Plant & Project Management John Thomas. Sweet Briar College Farm’s wines are made in collaboration with Michael Shaps Wineworks and bottled in Charlottesville, Va.

To stay up to date on all of Sweet Briar College Farm’s agricultural products and projects and to find information about purchasing wines, visit sbc.edu/farm.

Sweet Briar College combines academic innovation with experiential learning opportunities rooted in sustainability, leadership, and entrepreneurship. Through programs connected to the College Farm, vineyard, greenhouse, and apiary, students gain hands-on experience in agriculture, environmental science, business, and sustainability practices that prepare them for meaningful careers and graduate study. As Sweet Briar celebrates 125 years of educating bold women leaders, students continue to learn by doing on one of the nation’s most distinctive campuses. Discover more at sbc.edu/admissions or contact admissions@sbc.edu.

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