The beautiful rolling green hills, lovely views and sweetly grazing sheep in residence among the grapevines at Veritas Vineyards & Winery evoke the beauty of the English countryside. When Andrew and Patricia Hodson moved to Virginia in 1999 to pursue their passion for wine, Saddleback Farm in Albemarle County west of Charlottesville, Virginia was simply pastures. However, the couple shared a vision; and with a little care and attention, they believed the land could be as beautiful as England, where their romance first began. After a childhood spent in Bideford in North Devon, near the famous “Moors,” it is little wonder that Andrew was drawn to wine. The bucolic region boasts around 500 vineyards covering some 4,500 acres that produce sparkling and still wines. Together, the Hodsons started Veritas with Andrew planting five acres of grapes that were ready for production by 2001, marking its first vintage.