Echelon Wine Bar

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

A Wine Bar Rooted in Loudoun County

Echelon Wine Bar sits at the corner of King and Loudoun Streets in the heart of historic downtown Leesburg, Virginia — and its origins run deeper than most. Owners Todd and Aimee Henkle came to the bar by way of the vineyard. In 2012, the couple purchased The Vineyards and Winery at Lost Creek, a boutique five-acre estate along the Blue Ridge Mountains in Bluemont, Virginia, and spent years watching Virginia's wine scene mature into something worth celebrating on a larger stage. In 2020, they brought that conviction downtown, opening Echelon Wine Bar as both a tasting room for Lost Creek wines and a destination in its own right. The name comes directly from Lost Creek's flagship label — Echelon — reserved for the best wine of each vintage.

The People Behind the Pours

Aimee Henkle serves as Owner and Wine Director, bringing a WSET Level 3 certification with distinction and years of study at the Capital Wine School to a list that now exceeds 350 wines from around the world. That list has earned Wine Spectator's Award of Excellence for four consecutive years — a consistent recognition that reflects genuine curatorial rigor rather than sheer volume. Todd Henkle, co-owner and Lost Creek's winemaker since 2015, has drawn accolades from the San Francisco Chronicle and a Double-Gold from the San Francisco International Wine Competition, and Lost Creek was named one of the "10 Names to Know in Virginia Wine" by Decanter Magazine in 2021.

Rounding out the team is Julie Siebert, Wine Education Director, a WSET Level 3-certified sommelier and Italian, American, Spanish, and French Wine Scholar whose philosophy centers on making wine enjoyable and accessible for everyone — seasoned collector or complete beginner.

What to Expect

The experience at Echelon spans several formats. Guests can settle into the bar, bistro, or lounge and explore over 280 wines from around the world, with more than 20 available by the glass or arranged into a custom flight. For something more structured, the Chef's Tasting presents four culinary courses paired with wines selected by the sommelier — menus shift daily, keeping the experience fresh.

The American wine bar's educational programming is where it genuinely distinguishes itself. Weekly themed classes — running from orange wines and skin-contact techniques to regional deep dives like Portuguese varieties or Châteauneuf-du-Pape — are led by knowledgeable instructors and priced to be approachable. A "History in a Bottle" session traces wine's origins back to 6000 BC Georgia through the tasting of six wines; a Washington vs. California comparison pits bold reds side by side. Private classes, private dining, and event space round out the offering.

For anyone curious about Virginia wine — or wine in general — Echelon is a serious address in a town that has earned it.