The Vineyards at Jockey’s Neck

The Vineyards at Jockey’s Neck is set within view of the James River in James City County Virginia and just 4 miles from the restored area of Colonial Williamsburg. The community was conceived in 1989. Homesites for just 99 homes were planned on 224 acres of tranquil land adjacent to the acclaimed Williamsburg Winery.

Among the first things people notice when driving through The Vineyards are the large lots and lovely homes; the wide streets; and the gorgeous views of lakes, marshes, and vineyards. This, alone, makes The Vineyards a special place; but it is what you do not see that makes our neighborhood a great place to call home. A quiet residential setting located just outside of Colonial Williamsburg and near both historic Jamestown and Yorktown. This Wooded community is situated adjacent to the vineyards of the Williamsburg Winery.  The  Vineyards has its own upscale clubhouse, tennis courts, swimming pool, playground, walking trails, and two picturesque lakes.

Home construction started in the Vineyards in 1991 and continues through today.  There are still a few choice lots left to build your own custom dream home. The majority of the homes in the Vineyards were built by local builder Ron Staples (R.A. Staples Contracting), one of Williamsburg’s premier builders. I would be happy to introduce you if you want to build a custom home in the Vineyards.

Larger homes are the rule with the smallest being 2800 sq. feet and the average being 4300 square feet.  Lot sizes range from .40 acre up to  3 acres with the majority having larger wooded private lots. Home owner’s fees are $425 quarterly and cover all common area maintenance, and use of the pool, clubhouse, tennis courts, playground, and lake.

The Vineyard’s At Jockey’s Neck Our Neighborhood Today

Over the centuries, the area has evolved from hunting grounds and farmland into a quiet, but vibrant, neighborhood nestled among the lush vineyards of the Williamsburg Winery.  With 98 home sites, the Vineyards is a neighborhood where one tends to know everyone if not by name, then by car, child, or pet.  The neighborhood is a true melting pot with residents from the four corners of the USA to around the globe.  We are a mix of families with children from tots to teens, empty-nesters, singles, couples, and retirees.

With the arrival of warm weather, The Vineyards awakens to a buzz of activity.  The entire neighborhood enjoys our summertime weekly cookouts at the clubhouse that we fondly refer to as “Friday Frenzy” Parents are outside with their children and sounds of laughter echo from the pool.  Dog owners are out exercising their pets while joggers, bicyclists, and walkers are doing their thing to keep fit.  Enjoying the scenery and fresh air, older couples holding hands interrupt their stroll to chat with their neighbors.  Paddle boats and rowboats on the lakes drift silently along, as fishermen on the banks cast out their lines, hoping to catch “the big one.”  Beautiful gardens and flowers abound in The Vineyards as those whose labor of love is to coax their gardens into vistas of color.  Is it any wonder that we love our neighborhood?

We hope that our predecessors would be proud of our close-knit community that they were instrumental in settling so many years ago.  We owe them a debt of gratitude fro their hard work, sacrifices, and perseverance that made it possible for us to call The Vineyards at Jockey’s Neck home.

The people in our neighborhood are true neighbors — friendly, always ready and willing to lend a helping hand. We are not a cookie-cutter neighborhood! There are families whose children range from infants to college-aged young adults. There are “empty nesters,” couples with no children, and singles. While there may be a few natural-born Virginians among us, most of our residents have made the choice to become Virginians! Here you will find people from all over our great country as well as the world. The professions of our residents are just as diverse as our population. Among your new neighbors, you are sure to find common interests. You have to look no further than the neighborhood to find someone who shares your passion.

Laurel Lane Elementary, Berkeley Middle, and Lafayette High School are the public schools that serve our neighborhood. Among the private schools are Walsingham Academy, Williamsburg Christian Academy, Hampton Roads Academy, and Providence Classical School. The Vineyards young people have many opportunities to seek out and engage in a variety of local activities, such as swimming, basketball, track and cross-country, soccer, volleyball, basketball, art, music, theater, and dancing.

While not a neighbor in the usual sense of the word, The Williamsburg Winery is a neighborly place to visit. Let them know that you are a resident of The Vineyards and you will receive a discount on purchases plus free wine tours!

We Have Fun Together!

During the summer months, the neighborhood enjoys occasional Friday night get-togethers at the Clubhouse that we call “Friday Frenzies” (or “Friendsies,” as someone suggested). One or two couples act as hosts to provide the main entrée (the cost of which is reimbursed),and everyone else brings a dish to share. It is a relaxed, casual, family-friendly evening, making our Friday Frenzy a neighborhood signature. We hope that you and your family will join us at The Clubhouse for Friday Frenzy! Event dates are posted on the Community Calendar

The Hospitality Committee has compiled a neighborhood cookbook, A Vineyards Tour: Past to Present, published in June 2009. Filled with recipes submitted by our residents, this cookbook has become a favorite gift for family members and friends! In addition to delicious recipes, the cookbook contains historical information about our neighborhood, an original pen and ink drawing of The Vineyards Gazebo by a former resident, an original poem by one of our neighbors, and some 17th and 18th century recipes enjoyed by our forefathers. Additional cookbooks are available for $15 by contacting the Hospitality Committee.

Throughout the year, the Clubhouse is a gathering place for not only neighborhood events but also private parties. The clubhouse is available for rent at a nominal charge and any resident in good standing may rent the facility for private parties. Application for rental is online; also, please contact Berkeley Realty for scheduling dates.

Of course, the pool is always a great place to spend a hot summer’s afternoon! The pool is open from Memorial Day Weekend through the Tuesday after Labor Day and is free to all residents in good standing. Our Neighborhood offers numerous opportunities to get involved and volunteers are always appreciated! If you would like to add your name to our list of volunteers, feel free to contact any committee or Board member.

Duffeler Nature Trail
The natural setting of the Vineyards community doesn’t end with acres of pastoral grape orchards – our proximity to College Creek affords a connection with nature few neighborhoods in the area offer. For the fitness enthusiast the Duffeler Nature Trail offers 5,300 steps over 2.55 miles which in 48 minutes can burn 425 calories in a breath-taking setting. For those who seek the simpler beauty of nature sightings of Deer, Turkey, Barred Owls, Eagles, Osprey and Herons among majestic stands of Pine and mature hardwoods there is little disappointment. Access to the Duffeler Nature Trail has been opened off of Jockey’s Neck Trail just to the left of 2674 Jockey’s Neck Trail. The trail has been cut through the natural terrain which borders College Creek and offers many views of the Creek which show off its natural, unspoiled beauty.

The Vineyards at Jockeys Neck is not affiliated with the Williamsburg Winery, but we are bonded in their success. Our HOA owns a 19-acre tract of land which it has leased on a long-term basis to The Williamsburg Winery for a significant portion of their grape production. Our entrance is flanked by vines of both red and white grape varieties that go into their award-winning wines.

The presence of the vineyards establishes a calm upon entering our community which is reinforced as you pass the mature wooded lots, numerous common areas and lakes. The vines are nurtured the entire growing season resulting in a harvest and “crush” in the October timeframe.

As part of the development of The Vineyards at Jockeys Neck in the late 1980’s two manmade lakes were formed to help mitigate erosion which can have long term negative consequences for the Chesapeake Bay. A small seasonal stream and ravines were dammed in 2 places forming our two lakes – Lake Joachim (upper lake) and Lake Ajacan (lower lake).

For all intents and purposes all of the water in our lakes comes from rainfall and then surface water runoff from the watershed. In the past 30+ years the lakes have become significant features of our community bringing nature and beauty into focus for the residents of the neighborhood. Because the lakes are dependent on rainfall for their water, lake levels can and do vary considerably depending on rainfall. It is forbidden to use lake water as a source for lawn or garden irrigation in our neighborhood – this to help ensure the lake levels can remain at their design levels year-round.

The lakes are the property of the HOA and their management of them is their responsibility. Through the use of an outside lake management company, the HOA works to ensure that their health can be sustained for the long run. Routine maintenance includes the control of invasive aquatic vegetation as well as algae control through thoughtful and minimal use of industry standard, EPA-approved treatments. Both dams are inspected periodically and are in compliance with State and Federal dam safety guidelines and reporting requirements.

Our lakes are not to be used for powersports recreation (motorized craft are prohibited), nor is swimming allowed. Fishing is allowed and encouraged for homeowners in good standing. Our lakes are home for many species of fish, minnows, freshwater muscles, turtles and frogs.

The Vineyards at Jockeys Neck has two regulation hard surface tennis courts for the use of homeowners in good standing. Located adjacent to the Clubhouse parking lot, they are available on a first-come, first-served basis and available 365 days a year.

In May of 2021 we officially opened our newly resurfaced tennis courts which expanded their utility to encompass additional sports of Pickleball, Tetherball, Basketball and 4-Square. This has greatly enhanced the utility of the area and widened the appeal to our residents.

The center of the social activities at the Vineyards at Jockeys Neck, our Clubhouse provides a warm and comfortable place for gatherings. With it’s rustic charm and great stone fireplace, the Clubhouse is home to our “Friday Frenzys”, Seasonal get togethers and is also available for rental for Homeowners functions. It is in close proximity of the pool as well as the tennis courts making it convenient for multiple activities.

Inside, the Clubhouse has a full kitchen and bathroom facilities with two entertaining spaces as well as a loft. The outdoor areas include an expansive back deck which provides a panoramic view of Lake Ajacan. There is also an outdoor grilling area to maximize the Summertime utility of the space. Maximum occupancy of our clubhouse is 70 people.

Directions

From Interstate 64, take exit 242-A (toward Jamestown) on Route 199 West. After crossing the Colonial Parkway and South Henry Street, take a left at the next traffic light (the third traffic light after exiting I-64), at Brookwood Drive (look for Airport signs – also the Virginia Wineries, Grape Cluster Tour signs). Go one short block, and then turn left onto Lake Powell Road. From Colonial Williamsburg or the College of William and Mary, take Jamestown Road (Route 31) to a left at Route 199 East, and a right at Brookwood Drive. Go down Lake Powell Road for one mile, just past the Williamsburg Winery entrance, to a left on Jockey’s Neck Road in to The Vineyards.

Location map of The Vineyards in Williamsburg, VA

Nearby Attractions:
Residents of The Vineyards can walk to Williamsburg Winery which is open daily for tours, tastings & lunch, and offers exclusive discounts to residents of The Vineyards.

The extensive wine list includes a large Virginia wine section as well as award-winning wines from around the world. With views of the pool terrace and surrounding gardens, the European antiques and ambiance will have guests feeling like they are in another world, making Café Provençal a truly unique experience.

The Gabriel Archer Tavern, as been featured in The New York Times nestled among the vineyards with a beautiful countryside view. Savor a French Country Platter with assorted patés, meats, cheeses, and freshly baked bread or one of their sandwiches.

Seating is available, weather permitting, on the outside terrace where you can dine under a canopy of wisteria, enjoy a glass of wine and take in the beautiful vineyard view.

Homes for sale in The Vineyards at Jockeys Neck

Recent home sales in The Vineyards

Below, you will find the most recent sales in the The Vineyards community. With inventory at an all-time low, it’s helpful for prospective homebuyers to view past listings. This can provide valuable insights into what might be available in the future, including features, finishes, sizes, floor plans, and potential sale prices. Take a look at the recent sales below to get a better perspective on the market in The Vineyards.