The convergence of people, culture, and the outdoors ignites Alex’s passion for involvement in land management and assisting others in realizing their land use dreams. As a third-generation landowner with a background in land management, he’s got the right combination of authenticity and curiosity to help you connect with the right people to find your right place.
A native of the Northeast, Alex spent summers on his grandparents’ ranch out West sparking his interest in the land and the cultivation of a “sense of place.” After eight years in farm and land management, he continues to advise and guide potential buyers and future and current owners with their land-holding operations.
A culinary aficionado, Alex lives with his wife, Bliss, daughter, Nellie, and son, Bo, in Charlottesville, Virginia. He’s insistent that his children also discover the thrill of downhill skiing, and they all enjoy spending time fly fishing, traveling and exploring new places, and discovering the local cuisine, whether in the Blue Ridge Mountains or wide expanses of the West.
Talk land with Alex.
Mount Pleasant spans 1,865± acres of history, agriculture, and hospitality in the rolling hills of Jefferson’s Piedmont. Land of this scale and quality rarely comes to market in central Virginia, much less within 25 minutes of Charlottesville. The fully restored, namesake manor house dates to 1820 and sits high on the banks of the Hardware River, which runs for more than two and a half miles through the farm. Around it, 1,000± acres of pasture, row crops, and open ground unfold beneath sweeping Blue Ridge views, while another 800± acres of mature hardwoods and pine gradually rise behind it to the west. Completing the landscape is a highly coveted and entirely private 22± acre lake.
Surrounding the house is a set of improvements that is unusually complete without overwhelming the property: a tasting room and a separate private event building sit apart from the residential core, while a modern center aisle stable, cattle facilities, equipment buildings, and guest and tenant houses are thoughtfully interspersed throughout the farm and connected by a paved road network. Mount Pleasant operates today as a working agricultural property with an established events and hospitality business, affording a new owner an uncommon range of ownership options, whether that’s stepping into a proven farm winery and event business, expanding the agricultural operations, transitioning the farm to recreation and private use, or any combination thereof.
Mount Pleasant is not under conservation easement, which is increasingly rare for a property of this size in Albemarle County, and it carries extensive by-right division rights. Some of the most storied grounds in central Virginia surround the farm, including Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, James Monroe’s Highland, and the Southern Albemarle Rural Historic District. The farm is itself part of the Monticello Wine Trail, counting Trump Winery, Dave Matthews’ Blenheim Vineyards, and Jefferson Vineyards among its near neighbors.
Each of Mount Pleasant’s parts is remarkable on its own, and together the sum is even greater. Highly scenic, private, improved, and unencumbered land on this scale is growing scarcer in Virginia every year.
Mount Pleasant announces itself quietly but decisively. From the gated entrance off Blenheim Road, a paved, tree-lined driveway travels for over one mile through pastures and farm fields, before crossing the Hardware River and making a short climb into the core of the farm. With the additional elevation, wide vistas open up of the Blue Ridge Mountains and Shenandoah National Park, as well as big views of the farm itself. Outside the residential core are the private event space, a stable, several farm buildings, and a tented event location.
Further east, along the edge of the main forest acreage, is the 22± acre lake, which is likely one of the most complete, private water resources in central Virginia. Big enough to accommodate almost any water-based activity, it features a beach, an expansive dock with a sitting area, a giant water slide, and a concrete boat ramp. Beyond that, it also offers outstanding fishing and waterfowl hunting opportunities.
The tasting room is located in the northern portion of the property and can be reached either through internal farm roads or a separate three-quarter-mile paved driveway, accessed through its own dedicated entrance on Blenheim Road. The tasting room was completed in 2018 and features stunning Blue Ridge views and graciously appointed indoor and outdoor spaces, including a restaurant, a commercial kitchen, a brewery, a private event room, and a generous terrace seating area.
Continuing east, the elevation gradually increases and offers some of the best views in all of southern Albemarle County. Here you’ll find the highest elevation on the property, and several outstanding potential home sites. Nearby is the Black Branch House, a comfortable two-bedroom guest house, accompanied by its own one-bedroom guest cottage. It also serves as an additional event location and has several horse paddocks.
The equipment shop is strategically located in the wooded portion of the property, central enough to efficiently service the property, but detached enough to operate out of view. It features ample equipment parking and a pair of 10,000+ square-foot equipment buildings. One of those has an indoor pickleball court that also doubles as additional storage when not in use.
The land itself is a perfect balance of pasture, farmland, open ground, and mature forest. It represents the Virginia Piedmont at its best – enough elevation and rolling topography to be dynamic and engaging, with slopes that are gentle enough to be highly productive. Tying the property together is a fully paved road network connecting all key improvements, with additional gravel roads providing access to the forested and agricultural portions of the farm.
Mount Pleasant is truly one of Virginia’s landmark properties. Farms with this scale, quality, history, and diversity of use are becoming nearly impossible to replicate, not just in this area, but throughout the wider region. Even rarer is the flexibility the next owner has in choosing whether to step into a proven working farm and winery, or to reimagine a best-in-class property to suit any number of private ownership goals.
Mount Pleasant occupies an enviable section of southern Albemarle County, roughly 16 miles and 25 minutes south of downtown Charlottesville, Virginia. The approach from town follows the historic Carter’s Mountain Road corridor before turning onto Blenheim Road, a paved country route that accesses the farm. The main driveway is reached through automated wrought iron gates off Blenheim Road, with an additional entrance further south on Blenheim Road, and a standalone farm entrance on Jefferson Mill Road.
While the appeal of the farm from afar is readily apparent, it’s best understood in person. The land climbs gently from the Hardware River and is low enough for the Blue Ridge Mountains to fill the western horizon, but high enough to screen out Mount Pleasant’s few neighbors. The wooded acreage to the west has a similar effect, affording the property complete privacy on a scale rarely experienced in Albemarle County. Standing along the river bottom, it is possible to look in any direction without seeing another house or neighbor.
Charlottesville–Albemarle Airport is roughly 40 minutes to the north and offers daily commercial service to many eastern and midwestern hubs. Its 6,800-foot asphalt runway can accommodate most private aircraft and is supported by a full-service Signature FBO. Richmond International Airport is about an hour and a half east, and Washington Dulles International Airport can be reached in approximately two and a half hours, adding direct long-haul and international flight options.
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The farm sits in the middle of one of Virginia’s most historic and scenic rural landscapes. Its immediate neighbors are other farms, woodland tracts, and vineyards. Much of the surrounding land lies within the Southern Albemarle Rural Historic District, where large landholdings and conservation easements help maintain the area's rural character. Blenheim Vineyards, owned by Dave Matthews, lies just over two miles away, and Trump Winery is under three miles. Jefferson Vineyards and Pippin Hill Farm and Vineyards are a short drive to the north and west. Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello stands roughly nine miles to the north, and Jefferson’s influence is seen and felt in the architecture and history throughout the surrounding area.
Charlottesville is the service hub for the region and an unusually rich city for its size. The University of Virginia anchors the community and, together with Monticello, is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The University is accompanied by a nationally regarded academic medical center, a vibrant restaurant scene, and a full calendar of music and live arts. Practical needs are equally well covered, with a full array of amenities and business services.
South of the farm, the small town of Scottsville is under 10 minutes away and sits on the historic James River, offering restaurants, basic amenities, and access to some of the best smallmouth bass fishing in central Virginia. The Blue Ridge Parkway, Shenandoah National Park, and Wintergreen Resort are all within an hour and a half drive, and the Monticello Wine Trail, with more than 40 wineries, runs through the immediate area.
Central Virginia enjoys a temperate four-season climate. Summers can be warm and humid, with July and August temperatures reaching the upper 80s and low 90s during the day, before cooling off meaningfully in the evenings. Winters are generally mild, with daytime highs in the 40s and overnight lows in the 20s and 30s, with occasional colder spells in January and February. Spring and fall are the region’s finest seasons, with daytime temperatures in the 60s and 70s and a backdrop of bright green springs and long, colorful autumns.
The region receives approximately 43 inches of rainfall annually and averages 19 inches of snowfall, providing ample moisture for pasture growth and crop production.
As previously mentioned, the farm takes its name from Mount Pleasant, the Federal-style brick dwelling standing at its center. The house is an exceptionally intact survivor of its period. Physical evidence throughout the building — early machine-cut nails, sash-sawn lumber in the attic and basement, square-rule framing, and marriage marks on the rafters — places the original brick block in the early nineteenth century. Charles Hudson, Jr. is attributed as the likely builder, and the home is a classic I-house, meaning it has a central passage flanked by two rooms on each floor, laid up in Flemish bond with brick jack arches over the windows. K. Edward Lay references the house in his architectural history of the county, “The Architecture of Jefferson Country.”
Following the death of Charles Hudson in 1838, his daughter and son-in-law, Isaac and Isaetta Barksdale, are believed to have added the two-story Tuscan portico that stands on the western gable end. It is a rare feature that takes its cue from the Pavilions at the University of Virginia, and its suspended, cantilevered balcony echoes examples on the Lawn. The portico survives more or less intact, including the original balcony railing.
Charles Hudson’s descendants later sold the farm in 1890 amidst a wider economic downturn in the region, and sometime after that, the substantial ell addition at the rear of the house was built. The farm changed hands multiple times in the 20th century and was at one point owned by renowned businessman Bernard Arnault. Later, the acreage was substantially added to by the current ownership, and extensive improvements and additions were made, creating the farm you see today.
Mount Pleasant Farm consists of 1,865± deeded acres, an approximate breakdown is as follows:
Farming and Open: 780± acres
Forested: 1,000± acres
Ponds, Structures, and Other: 65± acres
Vineyard: 20± acres (Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Petit Manseng, Cabernet Sauvignon, Viognier)
The improvements at Mount Pleasant are exceptional in both quality and condition, and they are thoughtfully distributed across the farm. Residences, guest quarters, and farm staff housing sit apart from one another, each with its own setting and views, while the agricultural buildings are grouped for efficiency and the hospitality buildings are sited to minimize intrusion on the private side of the farm. Notable improvements include:
Mount Pleasant Manor House: Built circa 1820 and renovated in 2024, the manor house is a 4,500±-square-foot Federal-style brick residence with four bedrooms and five baths. The house is perched high on the banks of the Hardware River, and a sturdily built staircase descends to a viewing deck on the river. Near the house, there is also a tennis court and swimming pool, as well as a convenient two-bedroom guest cottage. The house is equally well-suited to serve as a primary residence or a guest house.
Guest Barn: A 5,000± square foot, six-bedroom, six-bath residence renovated in 2024. Originally a bank barn, this residence was converted with flexibility in mind and can easily accommodate private guests or support events on the farm.
Farm Manager’s House: A 2,000± square foot, three-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bath home renovated in 2019.
Black Branch Residence: A 2,000± square foot, two-bedroom, two-bath home renovated in 2025, with an adjoining barn and a separate 1,500± square foot guest house.
The Lodge: A 12,000± square foot event and gathering building constructed in 2015. Originally a century-old horse stable, the converted structure retains its original character while providing modern capacity and services.
Tasting Room: A 10,000± square-foot cedar- and stone-clad building completed in 2018 with seating for approximately 250, a commercial kitchen, and full facilities for tastings, dinners, and large gatherings.
Tent Site: Dedicated outdoor event site with a concrete tent pad, full utilities, and Blue Ridge Views over the lake.
Indoor Pickleball and Storage Building: A 12,000± square-foot building providing covered recreation and additional storage.
Cattle and Hay Facilities: A metal cattle barn, open hay barns, and various accessory agricultural structures support the farming and cattle operation.
Water is one of Mount Pleasant’s standout assets. The Hardware River flows through the center of the property for approximately 2.6 miles, a substantial and very private stretch of a river due to ownership of both banks. The river bottom also supports some of the farm’s most productive ground.
The private 22± acre lake sits on the eastern edge of the open ground along the woodland line, with numerous additional ponds spread across the farm. Springs and small creeks rise in the wooded ground and run year-round, feeding the ponds and providing the opportunity to further develop water resources on the property. Domestic and agricultural water is supplied by a thorough network of wells, and automatic waterers support the grazing.
Approximately 780 acres of the farm are wooded, principally in mature oak and mixed hardwood with stands of pine. The timber contributes significantly to the privacy, wildlife habitat, and scenic quality of the property, and could also be actively managed and harvested if desired.
The annual estimated taxes are $79,025.
The mix of mature hardwood, pine, open pasture, cropland, river bottom, and standing water on a property of this scale produces excellent and varied habitat, and wildlife is abundant throughout the year. Whitetail deer and eastern wild turkey are present in strong numbers, and black bears are periodically seen. Waterfowl frequent the ponds and lake, and dove are found in strong numbers in the fall.
Hunting has been pursued on a limited basis. With deliberate habitat management and habitat enhancement, a best-in-class hunting program could be developed for any of the species referenced above and could also support the introduction of upland birds.
The farm is set up for a remarkable range of pursuits. Miles of paved and improved internal roads, supplemented by farm tracks and trails, make the entire property available for riding, hiking, mountain biking, and utility vehicle use, and the horse stable and open ground could support virtually any equestrian discipline. The 22± acre lake is one of the larger private bodies of water in the county and is large enough to support boats and jet skis, in addition to swimming, fishing, paddleboarding, and general water-based recreation. For those preferring to keep their feet dry, there is a sandy beach and expansive dock adjacent to a concrete boat ramp. Above the pond, a newly developed event site for tents can accommodate large-scale private events and family gatherings. For racquet sport enthusiasts, there is a tennis court and an indoor pickleball court.
Regionally, the Shenandoah National Park, the James River, Wintergreen Ski & Golf Resort, and the wider Virginia countryside are all on the farm’s doorstep, providing endless recreation and off-farm activities. Central Virginia has a well-deserved reputation as horse country, and is home to virtually all equestrian pursuits, from show jumping to three-day eventing to steeplechase to foxhunting.
Mount Pleasant runs today as two complementary operations. The agricultural side produces hay and row crops on 250± acres and runs approximately 130 mother cows. These numbers fit well within the overall management plan for the farm, although they could be expanded if a future owner desired. Agriculture activities are supported by extensive fencing, automatic waterers, and a farm shop and headquarters.
The hospitality side draws on the farm winery and events infrastructure, and the event space and tasting room host weddings, corporate gatherings, and tastings throughout the year, while the residences provide on-site accommodation. Bridging agriculture and hospitality are the 20-acre vineyard and eight acres of barley, which are grown to support the farm’s winery and brewery.
An experienced management and farm staff are in place, providing comprehensive on-site operations oversight. The farm operations can be continued as they stand, expanded or scaled back, or wound down entirely in favor of private use.
Highly recommend them for folks considering buying a farm or recreational property.
We had a great experience working with Alex Leamon at Hall and Hall to finance the purchase of our property. From the first phone call, he was very prompt to respond and provided great service throughout the process. It was my first experience buying a large tract of land, and he made the process...
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