Sweely Estate Winery in Madison, Virginia

Published on July 13, 2011July 14, 2011 by Tricia TraugottLeave a comment

One of the Wineries of Madison County!

After attending a party last weekend for our friends and cohorts in wine who are moving to Nashville, ( Yes, that would be you, Pam and Jeff!) we returned to a winery we had visited together last year, Sweely Estate Winery in Madison County, formally known as Acorn Hill.

The last time we went to , we had a relaxing afternoon on the patio sharing a bottle of wine and my compadres razzing about my “level” of wine that I like to keep in my glass. Yes, I have a “comfort level” of wine that visually I find is the correct level. Kind of like when you’re baking and have to get eye-level with the counter to make sure the measuring cup is accurate. The color of the wine is beautiful at that volume and swirls against the glass creating syrupy legs, nice. This is all part of an enjoyable wine tasting experience, plus it’s an excuse to refill the glass! Anyway, we headed to Sweely, recently rumoured to be heading in the same direction as Kluge. Definitely Not!

With hands on attention from the owners, Jess and Sharon Sweely, we found the winery active and viable. In fact, I was delighted to see Margaret Prior, a friend, smiling across the tasting bar! Margaret has recently joined the Sweely staff and her pleasant personality is an excellent addition to the tasting room staff. Leslie Weinhardt was guiding the tastings, a veteran of pouring and tasting, previously hailing from Jefferson Vineyards and following the winemaker, Frantz Ventre (not literally). Leslie offered me a tour of the winery and we headed through the immense “living room/ gift shop” complete with a magnificent fireplace and red leather chairs toward the lower level event hall and cellar level library and conference room. We passed through the slate floored art gallery featuring prized art on one side and the other side showcasing local artists. Rock, slate and brick hard surfaces combine to create a beautiful site for events and has recently been used for weddings, graduation parties and meetings.

Two towering fireplaces anchor each end of the soaring Vintners Hall and opens onto a stone patio and lawn for wedding ceremonies and parties. Additionally, the caterers have the opportunity to use the restaurant grade commercial kitchen outfitted with Vulcan Professional appliances. Sweely offers cooking classes on a regular basis so be sure to check out their website for dates and menus.

Leslie then showed me two other rooms below the main level used for dining after the cooking classes, small meetings and other smallish get-togethers. Inside the wine library is the most magnificent table credited to the fine craftsmanship of Tom (Thomas) Pastore of Madison, Virginia. Inlaid fine woods and curved book cases make this cellar room warm and cozy. Truly beautiful!

Completing the tour we returned to the tasting room and encountered Sharon Sweely, amiably chatting with visitors. I mentioned the fact that I love wine but never claim to be an expert. Sharon explained that theirs was a user friendly wine tasting room and they love getting novices to wine tasting. Every one has personal tastes as to what they enjoy drinking and they are not “wine snobs”.

Their wines are less than 13% alcohol and fruit forward, the reflection of Frantz Ventre’s attitude about wine, growing up in the world–renowned Bordeaux wine region near St. Emilion, France. Two different labels, Sweely Estate and Wolftown, from the Wolftown-Hood area of Virginia (literally an eye catching label) denote the complexity of the wines. The Wolftown label are the lighter wines and the Sweely are the heavier, more complex wines. Wolf enthusiasts love the Wolftown label with the peering eyes of the wolf staring at you. We tasted several of the wines, most of which were bottled in 2007. There are new wines being bottled (the couple of financial bumps encountered have past) and are available in several markets including Kroger stores and the Virginia Shop, and many local restaurants. We settled on two favorites, the Wolftown White Blend of Chardonnay and Vidal Blanc, not oaky and with a spicy lingering finish and the Cabernet Franc which won three Gold Medals! The Cabernet Franc was excellent! 78% Cab Franc, 14% Malbec, 5% Petit Verdot and 3% Merlot!

If for some reason you have missed out on Sweely Estate Winery, we recommend a visit and support our local wineries, you won’t be disappointed!

They also serve light appetizers and bread to pair with your selection. Pick up a bottle and head out back to the patio, Enjoy!

Cheers to Good Taste at Pippin Hill Farm & Vineyards

Published on June 23, 2011June 23, 2011 by Tricia Traugott2 Comments

In the previous post I spent much of the focus on the surroundings, but very little attention to the experience at Pippin Hill Farm & Vineyards. When we arrived, the final tear down and post wedding reception clean up was in progress. It was actually an opportunity to get a glimpse at the attention to detail offered at Pippin Hill. We passed through the Granary in the direction of the Tasting Room and spied a table of leftover floral arrangements by Pat’s Floral Designs, lovely mini garden urns of hydrangeas, berries and David Austin roses. One of the gentleman offered us some of the flowers and we selected a beautiful apricot rose and strolled out to the veranda.

Our visit was at a leisurely pace, encouraged to linger and savour the experience. Mariah, one of the excellent tasting hostesses, greeted us and took the initiative to set up outdoor seating for us, pulling a low table to the center and arranging chairs for conversation. She obliged us with a wine tasting outside and brought each wine out in adorable hand crafted carafes! I wanted to take one home and wondered if they would be available for guests to purchase in the future.

I’m afraid we enjoyed the wine and food pairings so much that we weren’t quite attentive to the description of each wine. The tastings are separated into whites and reds, each flight 5 dollars per person. The chardonnay was really nice, not too oaky, fermented partially in steel and new french oak barrels. We chose two different tapas style pairings, one of roasted garlic and lemon hummus, crusty bread and marinated olives. The other appetizers paired well with the red wines, a charcuterie platter of dry cured salami, Kite’s country ham, La Quercia prosciutto picante with bread from the wood burning oven sweet spiced pecans and marinated olives.

Later, we were treated to a surprise from the chef, a plate of Oysters Rockefeller. I can really get used to this lifestyle! Of the red wines we tasted, the Winemakers Select Red was my favorite, a blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Chambourcin. Some liked the 2008 Shaps Petit Verdot with spicy and bold, with deep crimson color.

Happy Father’s Day to my sweet husband of 29 years! He is very indulgent taking me to yet another winery on Father’s Day and so is Brian, our youngest son, by hanging out with us! Needless to say, they are my usual partners in crime along with Carolina, bride- to-be!

During our tasting the afternoon humidity became a touch sweltering and we moved indoors,… ahh, nice and cool inside. The vantage point here was just as well thought out, with windows framing the patio and the wood burning fireplace centering the room. Tables, sofas, and seating were comfortable and I believe Architectural Digest would do well to write about this place! Can you tell I liked it?

Promises and Celebrations at Pippin Hill Farm & Vineyards

Published on June 21, 2011 by Tricia Traugott4 Comments

Promises and Contrasts. Pippin Hill Farm and Vineyards is the newest addition to the Monticello Trail AVA but has the aura of generations of history. Set in a valley in the southern end of Albemarle County, this boutique winery promises to be one of the most coveted locations for wedding celebrations in Virginia. I was struck by the contrasts of old and new, soft and coarse, refined and rustic; the promise of a new venture developing like a fine Bordeaux into an exquisite wedding destination.

Upon first approach from the road, the hillside divide into two vineyards, both are in first year growth. Very new! On the crest of the hill, the Granary and Tasting Room are visible, designed in the style of a classic farmstead house with the barn blending into the rolling countryside. The structure appears old but the newly sown grass and plantings give it away. The panoramic views are Old World and I can’t help but anticipate the views after the vines mature, anchoring the vista of the Blue Ridge Mountains and surrounding hills ! Definitely add this to your Autumn leaf peeping, wine tasting outings!

Owners, Dean Andrews and Lynn Easton Andrews, have assembled the best team, from the architects and landscape designer to the interior design team of JohnSarahJohn! Dean has an extensive 30 year background in the hospitality industry specificically, international hotel operations and development including properties in the US, Caribbean, French Polynesia and Mexico. Lynn’s professional career includes producing large events for Fortune 500 corporations, non-profit organizations, and top-level social clients. Lynn’s expertise is described as orchestrating “high-touch” events that require maximum attention to detail. It appears that between them, they have the recipe for success!

Chris Hill is the vineyard consultant with decades of experience in vineyard establishment and management. Michael Shaps of Virginia Wineworks is partnering with Pippin Hill to produce wines and supplement with his label to get things rolling.

The Structure

The Pippin Hill facility offers five different arenas for entertaining: the main event building, The Granary; the Winery Tasting Room; the Veranda & Courtyard; the Wine Cellar and Alfresco Dining in the Vineyard.

The elements of design were artistically placed with photo opportunities in mind ( at least that was my impression) and permit countless locations for keepsake snapshots! Little niches placed here and there are priceless for stolen kisses and intimate moments! Perfect for exchanging wedding promises! Already, the wedding photographers and planners are blogging about this hot location! While I was visiting, three different groups were contemplating scheduling their big event here and judging by the smiles and number of camera clicks, I’d have to believe some deposits were placed!

The Granary is a barn inspired structure and the main event hall for wedding receptions, accommodating up to 200 people with over 3,600 square feet of open floor space beneath a dramatic two- story wood beamed ceiling. Old wood and rustic, distressed furniture coupled with lavish fabrics create a sense of established elegance, feminine yet substantial. Several pieces were selected and imported from San Miguel, Mexico adding to the international feel. Upstairs, Brides can dress and primp with their bridesmaids in the Bridal Loft delicately decorated with wispy sheer draperies and soft linen tweed upholstery.

Below, wine tasting and a “vineyard to table” menu are offered on the Veranda and in the Tasting Room, which coincidentally has a loft for the groom to prepare for the occasion! The rustic decorating style continues throughout interior and exterior, with little touches of country elegance achieving an effect of a French or Tuscan farmhouse.

In the Tasting Room, the bar top is constructed out of harvested wood from a Montezuma Cypress tree. These trees are extremely hardy with a long lifespan, some can be up to 2,000 years old! The Montezuma Cypress is Mexico’s national tree and cannot be cut down while still alive. This tree was estimated to have died 10 years ago. The tree’s circumference is 10′ and stood approximately 70-80′ tall!

Stay tuned for my next post which will be Part II of Pippin Hill, the wine and ambience!

2011 North American Wine Bloggers Conference in Charlottesville!

Published on June 14, 2011 by Tricia Traugott4 Comments

In a little over a month, Charlottesville, Virginia will be hosting The North America Wine Bloggers Conference! They are expecting as many as 325 participants, actually limiting it to that number! This is quite a coup for Virginia and the efforts of many in the Commonwealth including Governor Bob McDonnel . With the recent opening of Pippin Hill Farm and Vineyards and this week Stinson Vineyards, there is a lot of excitement in the air around Charlottesville’s wine country!

This is my first time to participate and I’m excited to be learning more about wines from enthusiasts world wide! I will be joining wine bloggers, new media innovators, and wine industry leaders on July 22-24, 2011 in Charlottesville, Virginia for the fourth annual North American Wine Bloggers Conference! Best of all, I feel proud to be a local wine blogger and have the opportunity to show off the beauty of our wine country and some of our superb wineries!

There is also a Pre-Conference Excursion to Loudoun County. Loudoun County is located just outside Washington DC and is one of Virginia’s premier wine areas, with 28 area wineries. I really wanted to join this group as well but can’t take that much time away from real estate in the summer! Other than visits to local wineries and Monticello, all meetings will be held at the Omni Hotel, located near the end of our charming downtown pedestrian mall.

I’ve never “Live-Wine Blogged” before, hopefully I’ll get some pointers before the event! The agenda is amazing including Dave McIntyre, wine writer for the Washington Post and founding member of DrinkLocalWine.com; Lenn Thompson, founder of New York Cork Report; and Rémy Charest, blogger at The Wine Case in Canada. This panel will be moderated by wine blogger, Frank Morgan of Drink What You Like. It will also be a great chance to meet wine tweeps in person!

New York Times wine critic and blogger Eric Asimovwill be providing the keynote speech for the conference. I also noticed my friend Kat Schornberg Barnard of Keswick Vineyards will be attending! I’ll know one person!

Look out C-ville, Here come the winos 🙂

Pop the Cork! Jillian and Taylor are Engaged!

Published on June 12, 2011 by Tricia Traugott1 Comment

Last Sunday we received the exciting news that our daughter is engaged to her boyfriend, Taylor! Taylor is great about being subtle and periodically sends us photos via his iphone. This was the photo taken at a private beach in Kennebunkport, Maine announcing their engagement! Thought it fitting to post on Charlottesville UnCorked! Congratulations to Jillian and Taylor!

Seeking Mountfair Vineyard on the Appellation Trail

Published on June 12, 2011June 12, 2011 by Tricia TraugottLeave a comment

On one of my recent outings with a good friend, open to spur of the moment adventures and travelling down bumpy back roads, we headed out to Mountfair via “the shortcut”!

We had just stopped in to revisit Glass House Vineyards, another excellent boutique winery on The Appellation Trail, and decided to take the shortcut over to Fox Mountain Road. Delightful and scenic, with the surprise of a covered bridge (didn’t get a picture, Drat!) and mountain views I had never seen! From Free Union Road and Glass House, turn right on 668 Chapel Spring Road which becomes Fox Mountain Road. This is approximately 7 miles, but an enjoyable detour.

I had been to Mountfair in the Fall, the tasting room had recently been completed and I was curious to see the progress made by this sweet little winery on the eastern side of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It is a little further out than some of the other wineries, but I recommend putting it on your list! Look for events by following them on Facebook! I was at City Market (the farmers market in Charlottesville ) and heard a rumour of a wine pairing event with L’Etoile! Doesn’t that sound fabulous! L’Etoile is a mainstay in C-ville. Located near the bridge across from the Amtrak station, it has charm and character with delicious dishes and have a commitment to buying “fresh and local”! Check them out for lunch, dinner or samples (yum) at the market! If that’s a perk of the wine club, it may be time to join! We’ll keep you posted!

Kelly Meyers Rogan is the tasting room manager at Mountfair and is as sweet as any Riesling. Not only was she informative and gracious (stayed beyond closing time for us) but she is working on becoming a wine maker herself! She is presently apprenticed as a wine maker and taking the University of California at Davis wine making program!

Kelly has a degree from The University of Virginia and is excited about her future in the Virginia wine industry! When you stop in at Mountfair, be sure to say hello for me! She is working on getting a refrigerator for snack items for visitors tempted towards a picnic on the terrace! Great idea!

We tasted a couple of the wines and enjoyed them all, but liked the Indigenous, a blend of 50% Cabernet Franc and 50% Petit Verdot, the best. Don’t worry, there are more wines to come! Being a small boutique winery and having sold out of several of their wines, more are being bottled!

There is a very sentimental story behind the Wooloomoolooo wine, but for privacy reasons, let’s just say that it’s rather spiritual. When offered in the future, take advantage of savouring this wine! Western Albemarle and Mountfair are rustic and appealing, a great place for a weekend afternoon any season of the year!

Today At DuCard!! Artists, Music and Wine!

Published on June 12, 2011June 12, 2011 by Tricia TraugottLeave a comment

The Blue Ridge Foothills Conservancy &

DuCard Vineyards proudly present

CROSSROADS

Unfortunately for me, I have an open house this afternoon or I’d be amongst the vines at DuCard Vineyards with the artists from Firnew Farm listening to music and watching the grapes grow….with a glass of wine!

Intermittent clouds breaking over the Blue Ridge Mountains today should provide a beautiful back drop for shutterbugs and artists alike! My pictures tell on me for not getting back over to DuCard this season! Gotta make time!

The Possum Ridge String Band will perform while artists paint in the Vineyard.
The Tucker Hill Memorial Scholarship recipient will be announced.

CROSSROADS, June 12th from 2:00 – 5:00 An Art Show featuring Diana Fackenthal, Lou Messa & Richard Young with the Firnew Farm Plein Air Artists painting in the Vineyard DuCard Vineyard 40 Gibson Hollow Lane Etlan, Virginia

CROSSROADS: Art Show and Possum Ridge String Band
Sunday, June 12, 2011, 2-5 PM
We’ll be featuring great local artists who will be displaying their Madison County art in a tribute to the late Tucker Hill, our neighbor and friend. Firnew Farm Artist Circle members will be painting in the vineyard during the afternoon, and the Possum Ridge String Band will be on stage. Come on out – we’ll enjoy wine and local foods all day.

Beleza Brasil under the Tropical Canopy of Glass House Winery

Published on May 24, 2011May 24, 2011 by Tricia TraugottLeave a comment

If you haven’t heard, which a few people haven’t, the new must-go-to winery is Glass House Winery in Free Union, Virginia. It is not hard to find, head out Garth Road towards the Blue Ridge Mountains turn right on Free Union and follow the curvy road past Buck Mountain Road. When you see Buck Mountain to your right, look left and there it is! Bring your wine tasting picnic fare with you and your camera, this is a real treat! I wrote about Glass House in the winter months, vowing to return when the weather warmed up. Glass House, along with Stinson Vineyards (Opening June 16th), White Hall and Mountfair comprise The Appellation Trail. In 2012, Moss will open and join the group. The trail was organized for ease of wine tasting afficionados to enjoy picturesque country roads and target a doable number of wineries on a weekend getaway. It is also a great marketing idea.This was going to be a “Glass House Revisited” post to see how things were growing in the wine business for the Sanders and how the plants were performing in the conservatory. Ominous clouds, a brief rain shower, some unexpected real estate business handled on the side of Free Union Road and suddenly the clouds magically disappeared. My friend and I thought it might be fun to sit inside Glass House Winery’s conservatory and watch the rain trickle down the glass panes and enjoy some of the newer wines offered at the winery. But no thunderstorms this Sunday afternoon! Blue skies and perfectly comfortable temperatures allowed us the option of wine sipping inside the conservatory or outside on the patio.

The first nice surprise for me was running into Paulette Musselman, who was meeting, greeting and pouring at the tasting bar. She has a sparkling personality which fits in well at Glass House! She started out as a repeat visitor and now works there for fun! We have been crossing paths for some time now on Facebook, and have similar interests (wine, photography and people) but had never met. What fun to finally meet face to face, it felt like meeting a friend from a former life! Everyone who works at Glass House is outgoing and seems to love being there and it the feeling is contagious. Definitely look for Paulette when you visit, you can’t miss her pretty smile!

Peeking around the door into the lush green house of the conservatory we found Madeline Holly Sales and Humberto Oliveira Sales, setting up the sound equipment to entertain the fortunate guests! This was my second surprise!

He is originally from Brazil and plays Classic guitar and Flamenco. Madeline sings in Portuguese, English and Spanish! They perform as a duo and also as a group called Beleza Brasil. Beleza ( beautiful in Brazilian Portuguese) is the perfect word to describe this couple and the music they make together! Their music is a blend of North and South American styles and self-described as Funkalicious Samba Soul! By the way, they will be performing at Fridays After Five at the Ntelos Pavillion on June 10th! I recorded a bit of the music for you to sample, sorry you can’t do the same with the wine!

We returned to the tasting bar where we ran into Jeff and Michelle Sanders, proud owners of Glass House. They were preparing to enjoy the music and it was nice to hear that Michelle’s gourmet chocolates are a resounding success and she has all she can do to keep up with the demand. Dogbert their puppy is growing fast and I barely recognized her! She hangs out, staying cool laying on the floor and sniffing the air when visitors arrive. We settled in for a tasting and tried all the wines available. Still on hold for the Barbera which will be available in the Fall.

We started with the Pinot Gris which was nice and light as it should be. My friend selected it to enjoy while listening to the sophisticated vocals drifting in to the tasting room. We moved on to the Viognier, the nose was incredible on this white, and if I recall correctly, I picked up luscious banana and citrus on this one. That was my favorite! The third white that we tried was made from Traminette grapes and had 3% residual sugar. I decided this, in keeping with our tropical theme, would be ideal for a white Sangria. I recommend white peaches from Chiles Peach Orchard, some fresh rasperries and green grapes to make an eye appealing Sangria. Just buy a CD from Beleza Brasil and let the dancing begin!

We followed with the reds, a limited selection, starting with the C-villian, a blend of Chambourcin, Cabernet Franc and Merlot which had a wonderful nose as well. The Twenty First is a Meritage and was good but seemed like it needed to lay down more to develop more body, we thought it might get even better over time. We bought it the last time we were there and remembered it was quit good. The most unique wine was the dessert wine, Megglio del Sesso, and if you don’t like dessert wines you still must give it a try! You can smell and taste the chocolate and when paired with Michelle’s chocolate caramel and sea salt, you have a winning combination! Yummy!!

Glass House has music on Friday evenings, bring your designated driver, the roads are dark and winding and you need to be sober to drive home. I hope you enjoy Glass House as much as we did!

Overthrowing the Wine Establishment-Guest Post

Published on May 11, 2011May 11, 2011 by Tricia Traugott1 Comment

Books: How Robert Parker Overthrew the Wine Establishment

Posted on April 30, 2011 by Bob

The Emperor of Wine: The Rise of Robert M. Parker, Jr., and the Reign of American Taste

It’s hard to overestimate Robert Parker’s influence on the wine we drink. Best known for developing the 100-point rating system, Parker’s Wine Advocate newsletter became so influential that winemakers consciously made wines to suit his taste for big, high-alcohol wines with power and intensity. Consultants that he was known to like were in high-demand by wineries, and wines that he praised in the Wine Advocate could sell out almost as soon as they arrived in stores.

There’s a lot to admire about Parker. He started his newsletter at a time when reliable information about wine was almost inaccessible to the average person, and reviewers were a bit too chummy with the vintners they wrote about. Parker never forgot what he learned from history professor Gordon Prange (the same Gordon Prange who wrote At Dawn We Slept) about writing simple declarative sentences that used everyday words. Thus, a wine he particularly disliked was described as “having the finesse of a horny hippopotamus,” while wines he loved might be referred to as having “oodles of fruit,” one of his signature phrases. He also refused the freebies that were common in the industry, maintaining instead the independence and objectivity that are the hallmarks of good journalism.

And yet, as Elin McCoy amply illustrates in The Emperor of Wine, Parker was controversial. He believed his palate was infallible and that he could taste a wine once and accurately determine its proper score (although he tasted each wine a second time before assigning the score). Given that he tasted hundreds of wines a week, that might have been a business necessity. But wineries who fell short on Parker’s ratings protested that no one could determine a wine’s true merit based on a single taste.

The problem goes deeper, however, involving the very idea of a 100-point system. Is it really possible to detect single-point differences in wines? Is any amount of tasting adequate to discern whether a wine is worth 93 points rather than 94? Is anyone’s palate that precise?

Certainly mine isn’t. If you’ve read the “about me” entry on this blog, you may recall my lament that I lack Parker’s nose and palate, as I suspect is true of most people. Even distinguishing between varietals can sometimes be difficult when tasting blind, but if a Master of Wine can discern hints of a dozen different flavors, from dark cherry to cassis, in a single wine, then I feel fortunate when I can find more than two. However, I still enjoy the ritual of tasting, of swirling, sniffing and sipping in the hopes of finding all of the subtle characteristics the wine possesses.

The final beef of Parker’s critics is that he remade the wine business to suit his own tastes, and there is some truth to that. A Parker score could make or break a winery, so few could afford to ignore his ratings. (Someone once said that a wine rated below 80 couldn’t be sold at any price and one rated over 90 would be too expensive for most of us to afford.) So winemakers who wanted the 90+-plus ratings studied Parker’s palate and tried to make the big, fruity high-alcohol wines that consistently won his highest ratings.

What I actually found more interesting was Parker’s admonition to some wineries to make wines suited to the terroir of their region. In a famous dispute with Tim Mondavi, who Parker believed was trying to emulate the subtlety and elegance of France instead of making true California wines with lots of fruit, he wrote that the Mondavis were “going against what Mother Nature his given California.”

For better or worse, and in my mind it was mostly for the better, Parker’s influence on the wine business was almost revolutionary. He deflated the industry’s big egos, upset the established order, and brought reliable information about wine to the masses. Whether you think the 100-point scale, which has since been emulated by the Wine Spectator and others, makes sense, it clearly makes it easier to decide whether a wine is worth what it costs and whether you’re likely to enjoy it. I personally find it easy to use and pay more attention to the five-point gradations, which tell me that a wine scored between 85-89 is “very good” while one rated between 90-94 is “outstanding.”

And my own bottom line is this: while I fell in love with wine long before Parker wrote his first newsletter, I never would have discovered so many good wines without him and the many wine critics who followed in his footsteps.

This was a guest post by a fellow PVCC Viticulture/Oenology classmate, Robert Garsson! A new blogger and one I look forward to following!

Looking for Mother’s Day Ideas? Think Virginia Wineries!

Published on May 5, 2011May 5, 2011 by Tricia Traugott1 Comment

Note from Keswick Vineyards: Thank you so much to everyone who voted for us in the Virginia Wine Lover Magazine’s “Best of” poll! We are so honored to have won Best Winery -Central, Most Romantic, Best Viognier Overall, Best Cabernet Franc Overall, and our talented Stephen Barnard won Best Winemaker Overall! They received over 7000 votes and the full results will be in their Summer 2011 issue!

Okay, Dads!

I have talked to several Moms this week who had no idea what they were doing to celebrate Mother’s Day this weekend! What they all agreed on was their expectation that their husbands should a) plan something, b) probably wouldn’t plan something and c) would wind up planning something themselves! This is a sad commentary on appreciating Moms! When I mentioned a trip to a winery, they loved the idea but thought it wouldn’t come together.

So, husbands, here are a couple of ideas that are close t0 Charlottesville and already planned for you. Buy a ticket, gas up the car and treat your lovely wife to something special. Maybe even line up a babysitter for a few hours if you have small children. There are several other wineries serving up wine and music as well. In addition to the ones listed below, check out Keswick Vineyards, Afton Mountain, Mountfair or Glass House Winery (decadent gourmet chocolates!).

Sugarleaf Vineyards

Mother’s Day Weekend Chocolate and Wine Pairing
Date: May 8, 2011
Time: 11:00AM – 6:00PM

Celebrate Mother’s Day with all the special women in your life at Sugarleaf Vineyards! Participate in a fun and informative wine and chocolate pairing. Sit outside, overlook the vineyard and enjoy the day with those you love while savoring hors d’oeuvres and wonderful Sugarleaf wines. $20 per person includes wine tasting, your personal box of wine infused chocolate truffles and hors d’oeuvres.

3613 Walnut Branch Lane
North Garden, Virginia 22959

Wine & Food Pairing
<!– Adv. Tickets Required
–>Cost: $20.00

Organizer: Sugarleaf Vineyards
Name: Lauren Bias
Phone: 434-984-4272
E-mail: info@SugarleafVineyards.com
Website: www.SugarleafVineyards.com

^May07

Montpelier Wine Festival

Address:
11393 Constution Highway
Montpelier Station, Virginia 22957
Date: May 7, 2011
Time: 11:00AM – 6:00PM

Montpelier Wine Festival
Date: May 8, 2011
Time: 11:00AM – 6:00PM

Description

The Montpelier Wine Festival is a two day event May 7 & 8 – showcasing the best of Virginia wines with music, wine cooking classes, upscale vendors and a kite extravaganza all on the beautiful grounds of James Madison’s Montpelier in rural Orange County. Enjoy a day in the country while sampling from 24 of our great wineries. Picnic on the grounds, take a carriage ride, fly a kite or sit back with your favorite vintage and listen to the music. Special tours of James & Dolley Madison’s home are just a short carriage ride away. This event is geared for the whole family to enjoy. Kids can make & fly their own kite, run on the grounds or make a balloon animal! Enjoy the whole festival with general admission or reserved your very own private table or tent to expand your experience!

Address

11393 Constution Highway
Montpelier Station, Virginia 22957

Private Parties: You can choose to have a private table for 8 which includes tickets, glasses, seating under a tent and a complimentary bottle of wine with your hospitality basket OR a private tent for parties of 12 and up which comes with all of the above, extra tables, chairs and hospitality baskets as well as VIP parking! Call 540-672-5216 to reserve yours now.
Bus/RV Parking: We welcome large groups. Parking is plentiful and we will greet your group at the bus. Call 540-672-5216 to arrange your special bus package.
Child Friendly: This is a day for the whole family. Wings Over Washington Kite Club hosts special classes to make your own kite. Then they help you fly it. They also have fun kite contests. The grounds of Montpelier are a special place to play and picnic for the whole family.
Specialty Foods: We look for the best of the best with our food vendors to compliment your favorite wines! Try butterfly shrimp or specialty crab cakes; wood fired pizza; honey baked ham treats; locally made cheeses with a great variety of breads; complete menu of vegetarian treats; baklava or chocolate covered strawberries – just to name a few tempting items.

Festival
<!– Adv. Tickets Required
–>Cost: $25 gate/$15 advance

^May08

Roses and Rosé for Moms

Address:
40 Gibson Hollow Lane
Etlan (Madison County), Virginia 22719
Date: May 8, 2011
Time: 11:00AM – 6:00PM

Join us on Mother’s Day with a rose for all the Mom’s and discounts on our new Rosé wine. Mattie Fuller will be performing on the patio too. While supplies (of both!)last, as they say. No charge, but bring a brag picture of the little one(s), Mom.