In 1996, John and Eleni (Helen) Zissios always had a dream to buy country property. Every Sunday, they would drive out from the city in search for their ideal estate. They knew they wanted easy access to I66, water on the land, and scenic mountain views. One Sunday afternoon while on one of these expeditions, John saw an old real estate sign on the ground covered in leaves. Helen called the realtor and was told the 363 acre estate had previously belonged to John Marshall, who was the fourth Chief Justice of the United States. After much negotiating, they purchased 63 acres of the available property, specifically selecting the spot on which they planned to build their family home. Helen designed the guest house, and once it was built, the family and their friends spent every weekend enjoying the land they have come to love. However; they knew in their heart that it could be more.

As they were preparing to start construction on the main house, their oldest son, Stergio said, “Mom, I think we should build a winery.” Before they knew it, the family came together to design the building. Then finally, after years of literal blood, sweat, and tears, Blue Valley Vineyard and Winery opened its doors in April 2015. The Zissios family is very close. They believe that good family values, friends, and of course good wine are very important in life.