Last Saturday turned out to be an unseasonably warm day in Central Virginia,but the Christmas spirit was alive and flourishing at the Early Mountain Vineyards' Holiday Open House. The tree was decked with gilded angels and grapes, beautifully appointed to greet guests.

Local vendors in the grand were set up for shoppers to purchase gifts and treats while sipping on some Early Mountain wines. Richard Leahy was signing his book, Beyond Jefferson's Vines, and if you're looking for a great gift for a Virginia wine lover, this is perfect.

Hot Chili and cornbread, vegetarian bouillabaisse with crostini were available to pair with your wine selection. We had a bowl of each and the veggies in the bouillabaisse were scrumptious and the crostini was buttery and crisp, suffice it to say, I didn't share any of my soup.

Santa made an appearance for the children and music was provided by Greene County Ensemble, Antioch Baptist Church, Uno Baptist Church and Madison Bel Canto. Unfortunately, we arrived just a touch late for the music but seeing the children rolling down the hills and sitting by the outdoor fireplace made for a lovely holiday afternoon.


One of the highlights was Margaret Prior sharing her German friend, Irene's hot mulled wine recipe! There is a secret ingredient and the Cabernet France is priced so well that you could use it for this recipe :)  Thanks for sharing!