Tricia Traugott

A Petit Influence of République française ala Prince Michel

Published on November 9, 2010November 9, 2010 by Tricia TraugottLeave a comment

On our return trips to Charlottesville from Northern Virginia and D.C. we occasionally pause to enjoy just one of the many pleasures of living in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. A brief stop at Prince Michel Vineyard and Winery for a glass of Symbius, a deep ruby colored Meritage of Bordeaux varietals, is my personal favorite. As you approach the northern edge of the Monticello Wine Trail you can’t miss the three steel wine goblet wind sculptures. Very contemporary in contrast to the Jeffersonian architectural details of the winery itself. The tasting room entrance is flanked by pergolas and white columns surrounding brick courtyards.

The expanse of the tasting room is a little cold and impersonal but this time we were greeted by the friendly smile of Patty Sevre. Intrigued by her display of cut decanters and stemware we hovered over her as she cut custom designs for visitors while they toured the winery. Patty’s family has been in the glass cutting business for fourteen generations. Her family hails from the Alsace-Lorraine region of France (incidentally, where I first tasted wine as a child!) and is very proud of their incredible legacy in the art of glass works. She had a career for forty years cutting glass for Tiffany & Co.

Presently, she and her husband Kenneth Sevre work together blowing glass and are on site at Prince Michel on Thursdays! Seizing the opportunity, we selected a small glass to be cut personally for a Christmas gift for my Mom! It is beautiful and I look forward to giving her such a special gift this Christmas! Check out her website for more in-depth historical background and contact information.

Patty Sevre custom free hand design cut glass

Finishing our wine, we marvelled at the wine and dining accessories on display in the tasting room gift shop. It is a great place to purchase personalized gifts for any wine lover in your family and we highly recommend it for a Black Friday shopping stop where everything will be 20% off that day only!

I had recently heard about the luxury suites available for rent at the vineyard. Driving to the rear of the winery and up a curved drive you will find two homes each including two one-bedroom suites decorated in the French provincial style featuring a luxurious bath, romantic fireplace and galley kitchen. The Suites at Prince Michel are elegant and have private secluded garden patios with views of the mountains and vineyard. According to the website, you can select one of four themes from the blue and beige of the La Concorde, the green and gold of the Les Champs Elysees, the tailored elegance of La Tour Eiffel or the provincial charm of La Paris. They are very affordably priced at 175.00 per night or 300 for two nights. Weddings and events are welcome at Prince Michel and the location situated centrally between Charlottesville and Washington D.C., wonderful for a midway spot close to historic sites and the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Planning Holiday Wines

Published on November 6, 2010 by Tricia TraugottLeave a comment

With Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hannukah and New Years just around the corner, it’s time to plan your holiday menus and hostess gifts! What better way than to give or offer someone our award winning Virginia wines! We are in the process of visiting some wineries that are new to us and of course, revisiting our favorites. Look for upcoming gift ideas and wine recommendations for your friends and family in my future posts. Make this holiday season extra special with a little advance shopping! Cheers, tomorrow we’ll be checking wineries en route to D.C.!

When the President comes to town…

Published on October 29, 2010 by Tricia TraugottLeave a comment

Big, big event in Charlottesville this Friday night! President Obama is lending his support for Tom Perriello by hitting our little town the weekend before midterm elections.

He will be speaking at the Charlottesville Downtown Pavillion.

I’m not sure if he thinks Tom can’t do it alone or he just wants to come to Cville in the Fall and enjoy our beautiful town during peak Autumn color! Either way, for all you folks who want to avoid crowds or support Robert Hurt by being absent; Pollak Vineyards will be an evening worthy of a President!

Friday evening from 4 p.m. until 9 p.m., the last of the Friday Night Sunset Concert Series for 2011 will be the happening place for wine lovers and Fall foliage enthusiasts. I’m not sure who the entertainment will be, but the terrace at night is beautiful, the wine is superb and our weather should be perfect if a little chilly, so bring a blanket or sweater!

Directions to Pollak from Cville-

Take Interstate 64 West to Exit 107 (Crozet). Turn left onto 250 West. Go about three miles, passing the estates of Mirador, Seven Oaks, Ramsey and Ridgley all on your right. Just past Ridgley estate, take a right fork onto Rte. 796 (Brooksville Rd.). Continue about a half mile and turn right on Newtown Road. Entrance to Pollak Vineyards is about a half mile on your left.

W.C. Fields Said it All!

Published on October 26, 2010October 26, 2010 by Tricia Traugott2 Comments

Honestly, I wrote my last post at 3:00 a.m. since I couldn’t sleep and wine was on my mind, ( is that a song title)? That said, I’ll continue with some of the other vineyards that were worth mentioning! Considering the name of the festival, The Pick of the Piedmont, I thought I’d share some of our groups’ observations. Our favorite banner by far was the logo for Wintergreen Winery! Also, they win for best quotation ala W.C. Fields, ” What contemptible scoundrel stole the cork from my lunch?” Love it!

The park grounds were really unremarkable, flat and open, while perfect for sports, it lacked in charm for a wine fest. The few trees did lend splashes of fall color and accented the drop zone for the skydivers at the Orange Airport. All of the wine booths were situated under a large shelter with tastings running the perimeter of the structure. This did serve well to keep the wines cool and out of direct sunlight.

Barboursville and Horton were catching a few too many afternoon rays in their location and had to shield their bottles from over heating.

Several owners and winemakers could be found pouring glasses and expounding on the virtues of the grapes they had selected for growing in the Piedmont.

WindSong from Columbia, VA had quite a broad selection including other less traditional fruit wines from strawberry to peach to plum. With broad smiles they enthusiastically filled our glasses and explained which ones were their personal favorites, we’ll have to visit their winery next time we head towards Richmond. I believe Cooper Vineyards will have to be on that same trip!

A grape that I was not familiar with was the Traminette grape, developed at Cornell for it’s hardiness in cooler regions. Potomac Point Winery blended it with other grapes into a fruity white table wine called La Belle Vie. It actually had a lot of character and we took some home to enjoy later that evening. Our friends purchased the Richland Heritage, their signature wine, a blend of bordeaux style varietals with a smooth velvety finish. After checking out their website and the beautiful Tuscan style tasting room, I think a trip towards Stafford is in order!

One of the nicest advantages to this event was the small venue and the fact that it wasn’t over crowded, just a nice afternoon spent with friends learning about wine and enjoying tasting it!

Diving into Wine Tasting

Published on October 25, 2010October 25, 2010 by Tricia Traugott4 Comments

Just a hint of a breeze and mild blue skies made Saturday at Booster Park in Orange, Virginia ideal skydiving weather. It seemed like divers were dropping every fifteen to twenty minutes and offered spectacular entertainment for the wine tasting observers below at The Pick of the Piedmont Fall Wine Festival. Every time I set my camera down to taste another cabernet franc or petit verdot, the parachute photo opportunities would slip away as I hastily switched hands!

I finally caught these jumpers on camera and was so inspired that when I have a couple of hundred dollars of mad money I’m headed to the Orange County Airport skydiving! It might take a couple of glasses to get my nerve up, but when I do..!

Of the 14 vineyards represented, a few stood out for their wines or hospitality. WellHung Vineyard gets the award for marketing and originality! Tracy Verkerke, came up with the name and design , Amy Steers, a nurse turned viticulturist and Kathy Rash, business planner are the three women involved in the business of WellHung.They have the additional benefit of expert Virginia winemaker Michael Shaps bottling their dreams into reality!

Cooper Vineyard had the most interesting wine that we sampled, their signature chocolate wine, Noche. Do you think we might ever find this in the feminine section of our local pharmacy pairing two PMS favorites? It does make a great gift and was on special pricing, 3 bottles for 50 dollars!

They are also close to completing the new LEED certified tasting room, possibly opening as early as December of 2010. Hope we’re invited!

Burnley Vineyard is practically a neighbor, situated just a few miles from our home and unfortunately is forgotten because it is so close! After spending a little time chatting with the owner, Dawn Reeder I realized my mistake and plan to stop by soon! We really enjoyed the Rubix port style wine made with Norton grapes and discussed the compatibility of cigars and this particular vintage.

The vendor that really attracted our attention was the Potts Chocolates, Blair and Margo Potts personally handed out delicious delicate samples of truffles and chocolates while explaining the elaborate process of making these unique treats.

Salty caramel chocolate was by far our favorite! They are in the process of developing their website and can be reached at Blair.Potts@PottsChocolate.com to order online. For more on the food aspect of this event and the person who invited us,look for my fellow blogger and friend, Pam who will be elaborating at www.Foode4thought.blogspot.com

Pick of the Piedmont Festival

Published on October 22, 2010October 22, 2010 by Tricia TraugottLeave a comment

We are anticipating an absolutely incredible afternoon tomorrow with crisp Fall weather and even a little frost on the pumpkin tonight! Texas Rangers are playing tonight, trying to beat the Yankees for their first ever entry into the World series! What a Weekend! If you haven’t already made plans for October 23rd and 24th, try to come out to Orange for The Pick of the Piedmont Fall Wine Festival! I’m glad our friends invited us to this event!

The following wineries and vineyards are participating, some of these wineries are new to me so it will be nice to get a chance to taste their wines! Barboursville Vineyards, Burnley Vineyards & Daniel Cellars, Cooper Vineyard, First Colony Winery, Grayhaven Winery, Lazy Days Winery, Lake Anna Winery, Peaks of Otter Winery, Potomac Point Winery, Rockbridge Vineyard, Stone Mountain Vineyards, Well Hung Vineyard, WindSong Winery, and Wintergreen Winery. Horton will also be participating!

Tickets are available online and are $20.00 and $5.00 for designated drivers and youths 13-20. Wine cooking demonstrations, arts & crafts booths plus live entertainment, hours are from 11:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.

Location: Region: Central Virginia
Locality: Orange County

Booster Park
19046 Constitution Highway (route 20)
Orange, VA 22960
Driving Directions

Comparing Apples to Grapes?

Published on October 18, 2010 by Tricia Traugott2 Comments

: Winesap Apples at Flippin Seaman

Several years ago our family started the tradition of apple picking the third weekend in October. Some years it is so cold that layering clothes is a must and then others, like this year, are just perfection. Vats of apple butter are churning, local musicians lend a homespun atmosphere, brilliant colored clowns conjure up balloon animals and the

sweet fragrant scent of apples fills the cool Autumn air.

The southwestern edge of the Monticello Wine Trail is Nelson County, a picture postcard region of Virginia nestled in the backdrop of The Blue Ridge Mountains and noted for apple orchards and wineries!

Gather the family, grab the camera and head to Crabtree Falls Highway in Tyro for The Flippin Seaman Apple Butter Festival. Crates brimming with Pippin, Pink Lady, Fuji, Cameo, Winesap and Granny Smith apples has tourists and locals poring through them like a Black Friday sale after Thanksgiving. Give the children the total harvest experience at Dickie Brothers Orchard off of Rt. 666 here branches are drooping under the weight of pristine unblemished apples. Watch your footing or you’ll make your own apple butter without even trying!

The corn maze is fun for all ages and is the boundary between the pumpkin patch and the festival grounds. Letting the children select their own gourds and pumpkins is loads more fun than stopping in at the large chain grocery store and also helps support our local farmers.

I diverge from the usual wine lore for just a moment because Fall is harvest time for fruit other than grapes alone and is definitely a time for families to enjoy together. With that said, either on your way to or from the apple festivities try to make a stop at Veritas, a winery and vineyard in the Afton area where Albemarle County and Nelson County converge.

Veritas happens to be a favorite Virginia winery for their wines and especially for their tasting room and facilities. Brides find the Mezzanine area an ideal private level overlooking the tasting room and perfect for rehearsal dinners. Saddleback Hall is spacious and suitable for wedding receptions, accommodating up to 250 people, with gorgeous views of the vineyards and the mountains.

We all look forward to Summer evenings at Veritas for the Starry Nights series on the lawn featuring select bands and a bonfire, call ahead and reserve tables or bring a basket and blanket to sit under the stars enjoying my favorite, a glass of Petit Manseng, the grape of Jurancon in South Western France. Described by Veritas as seductive with aroma of tropical fruits, Pina Colada, Pineapple and Cinnamon.

When the weather gets chilly, the stone fireplace draws the most attention from visitors. Pull up a chair and order the cheese plate including 3 gourmet cheeses, homemade apple
chutney, olives and a warm baguette. More wineries and related events to come in future posts!

King Family, A Vineyard Fit For Royalty

Published on October 11, 2010October 13, 2010 by Tricia TraugottLeave a comment

Between apple and pumpkin picking at Chiles Orchard, The Blue Ridge Home Builders Association Parade of Homes and wine tasting during Virginia Wine Month, there aren’t enough weekends in October! Couple that with lapis blue skies and the early changes in fall foliage and you have the makings of a fabulous day!

We settled on a brief stop at the crowded Chiles Peach Orchard where we selected an incredibly delicious jar of Five Pepper Jelly! Armed with our jelly, we drove around the corner to Half Mile Branch Rd. and the King Family Vineyard.

Anticipating a large group of visitors in the tasting room, we decided to pass on sampling and immediately headed to the stocked refrigerator for a chilled bottle of the 2009 Viognier! Tasters were three rows deep and we found it virtually impossible to make our purchase. Fortunately for us, Judy Bowers enthusiastically came to our aid, guided us over to a satellite register and even provided us with an ice bucket plus two warm baguettes of bread!

You could not pick a more beautiful place to bring guests or just enjoy a romantic afternoon with your loved one! The jelly on the warm baguette was fantastic and paired well with the Viognier. In our haste we forgot a knife thus improvising our own spreader!

Strolling towards the manicured tiff grass polo field, we couldn’t help but admire the beauty of our surroundings. Sadly enough, directly in front of us a polo match had been interrupted by a player sustaining injuries who was immediately whisked off by ambulance to the emergency room. The match was converted to a friendly practice session and was more in keeping with the leisurely atmosphere of the day.

When you come be sure to take a walk over to the stables for a close up view of the horses and the smell of fresh hay. We call that straw on the nose!

You will not be disappointed by your visit to King Family. The wine, the scenery and horses add up to a royal outing in the Fall in Virginia!

Take Rt. 250 West past Western Albemarle High School. Turn right onto Rt. 797 (Hillsboro Lane). Turn right onto Rt. 684 (Half Mile Branch). Go one mile, entrance on the left. OR, take I-64 West to Exit 107 (Crozet), turn right onto Rt. 250 East. Go 1/2 mile, turn left onto Rt. 797 (Hillsboro Lane) and then as above.

Baskets with a Vintage Touch!

Published on October 7, 2010October 7, 2010 by Tricia TraugottLeave a comment

: The Virginia Shop at Barracks Rd.

Unfortunately for us UVA football fans, the 2nd of October, 2010 was not the best weekend! However, it was an excellent weekend for The Virginia Shop at Barracks Road. Florida State and UVA fans were looking for gifts that reflect the local flavor, whether it was Jeffersonian, Southern hospitality or even more popular, Virginia wines. I happened to be in the shop and was ever so pleasantly greeted by Elizabeth Carras,a part-time employee (you would never know she wasn’t the proprietor with her hands on attention!) offering a tasting of two wines from Lovingston Winery, cleverly named WaHoo White and Rotunda Red! The WaHoo White consists of 57% Sauvignon Blanc, 36% Chardonnay, and 7% Petit Manseng. The Rotunda Red embodies the family motto, “We bleed orange and blue, but we drink red,” this wine is a nod to their family’s two generations of UVA alums. and is a blend of 57% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc and 13% Petit Verdot. I really enjoyed it with the cheese straws!

The Virginia Shop was so busy, I decided to return the following afternoon for more shopping and information about their gift baskets. As I walked in, Tiffany Smith, Co Manager of the shop was assembling a gift basket for a local couple to give a friend in Northern Virginia. She explained that they do an extensive number of gift bags and baskets for weddings and events and will include items from the store as well as added off-site items.

They have UPS shipping and free local delivery within an approximately 10 mile radius are just two of the reasons to do your souvenir gift shopping here!

Don’t miss Boutique Week October 15th through the 22nd! There will be food and wine tasting all week-long plus a featured discount item daily. A great opportunity to sample some of Virginia’s finest foods and wines!

The Virginia Shop is also the home of The Virginia Wine of the Month Club. In the store they have a very nice selection of wines from our local wineries including Keswick, Veritas, Jefferson, Del Fosse, Pollak, Cardinal Point, White Hall, Kluge, Lovingston, Prince Michel and Stone Mountain!

Our local Virginia Shop is not a franchise and they work hard to take care of you however large or small your order. They also offer corporate discounts for your holiday giving!

Subscribe to Cville Uncorked and mention this blog and you will receive a 20 % Discount on wine in the month of October!

Happy Fall Everyone!

You can follow them on Twitter @thevashop

…more Pollak…

Published on September 28, 2010 by Tricia TraugottLeave a comment

PollakToast — Can You Pick the Wine in each Glass?

As you can probably tell, Pollak is high on my list of favorite wineries in Virginia. So…back to Sunset Concerts last Friday! These are some of the pictures that I was unable to include in my previous post; there are only so many hours in a day! By the way, mentioning hours, here are the hours of operation for Pollak’s Tasting Room:

Apr – Oct, Mon – Sun, 11am- 5pm. Nov – Mar, Wed – Sun, 11am – 5pm. Closed major holidays.

If you were fortunate enough to be indulging in the evening festivities, you most likely interacted with Casey and Jarred pouring wine and ringing up bottles for the guests. They both seem to love their roles and are very pleasant when under the stress of a rush of visitors. Be sure to say hi, they’ll make your tasting enjoyable and memorable!

I would love to find out more about the hastily put together band, Mountain Hollow Swingers! They were very good and had everyone singing along to “Roxanne”, but mostly their Bluegrass music filled the air!

MountainHolowSwingers — The Mountain Hollow Swingers

Apparently, each of the band members has an extensive musical background and decided to name the band after the original Mountain Hollow Farm that is the present day Pollak vineyard.

Not the greatest shot, but this is a wonderful place to bring a picnic blanket, or use the tables provided for a romantic Autumn evening.

If you like privacy, move closer to the pond or stay elevated and take advantage of the umbrella patio tables on the terrace.

Mark your calendars for the last Sunset Concert at the Vineyard Friday October 29th, 2010.

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: