Autumn Halloween Fun at Virginia Wineries

Published on by Tricia Traugott2 Comments
Haunt the Wineries this Halloween

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October 22-23 — Pick of the Piedmont Fall Wine Festival: Twelve wineries will present their best at this new Orange County event. Beautiful autumn weather and the lure of music and fun will make this an unforgettable experience. Booster Park, 19046 Constitution Hwy, Orange VA
Fee: $12 Advance/$20 At the Gate Time: Sat 11 am-6pm/Sun 11am-5pm Phone Number: 540-672-1653

▪                                        October 22 – 23 — Fall Foliage Open House at Hill Top Berry Farm 
Celebration: Taste ‘True to the Fruit’ wines and authentic Honey Meads at our Fall Foliage Open House. We will be pairing them with samples of food. We will also have samples of our gourmet Irish and Scottish gift shop items available to taste. Come enjoy a fall day while sipping on hot mulled wine in your rocking chair by the fire. 2800 Berry Hill Road, Nellysford VA
Fee: Free Time: 11am – 5pm Phone Number: 434-361-1266

▪                                        October 22 — Fall Treats with Foggy Ridge Cider 
Fall in an apple orchard couldn’t be better. Sample cider and mead paired with tasty seasonal treat at Foggy Ridge and nearby neighbor Blacksnake Meadery. Fee fee covers tastings and food pairings at both locations. 1328 Pineview Road, Dugspur VA 24325
Fee: $5 Time: 11am to 5pm Phone Number: 276-398-2337

▪                                        October 22 — Ingleside Vineyards Harvest Celebration 
Celebration: See winemaking demonstrations, tour the vineyards and winery and enjoy artwork, crafts, exhibits and delicious food. Sit in the courtyard and relax (or dance) while listening to live music and sipping wine. Includes tour, tasting, Ingleside wine glass and live music. Food available or bring a picnic. 5872 Leedstown Road, Oak Grove VA
Fee: $10 Advance/$15 At the Gate Time: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Phone Number: 804-224-8687

▪                                        October 22 — Powhatan’s Festival of the Grape
 Festival: Experience the excellence of Virginia wineries at Powhatan’s historic Courthouse square. A festival for family fun, tastings of Virginia’s finest wines, delicious food, continuous live music and entertainment and arts and crafts. Powhatan Courthouse, 3880 Old Buckingham Road, Powhatan VA
Fee: Call for information Time: Call for information Phone Number: 804-598-2636

▪                                        October 22 – 23 — Taste of the Alpines Weekend 
Celebration: Taste of German, Austrian and Swiss wines and light food fares. Please email or call for reservations. We are taking reservations every 1/2 hour starting at noon and ending at 3:30pm, both days. 38906 Mt. Gilead Road, Leesburg VA
Fee: $15 Time: 12pm-4pm Phone Number: 703-777-8161

▪                                        October 22 — Wine & Cheese Fondue Alfresco at Veramar Vineyard 
Wine & Food Education: Fondue parties are back in style. What better way to spend an afternoon, then with friends, wine and cheese? This event will be outside under the gazebo. Ooh – all that warm, oozy cheese, served in a fondue pot. Fee per person, includes glass of wine and cheese fondue plate. Reservations are required. 905 Quarry Road, Berryville VA 22611
Fee: $15 Time: 12 p.m. – 4 p.m. Phone Number: 540-955-5510

▪                                        October 22 – 23 — Barrel Tasting at Autumn Hill Vineyard
 Wine Education: Barrel samples and tasting of newly fermented 2011 wines. Vertical tasting of Cabernet Sauvignon vintages in addition to a cellar tour. Savor our full range of wines and enjoy the spectacular fall foliage. Fee includes glass and delicious homemade soup and wine tasting. No sweet wines here! No reservations required. Rain or Shine. Picnics welcome. Cellar tours at 1:15, 2:30 and 3:45. 301 River Drive, Stanardsville VA
Fee: $7 Time: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m. Phone Number: 434-985-6100

▪                                        October 25 — Barrel Tasting with the Winemaker
 Wine Education: Join the winemaker at 1pm in the Barrel Room for a tasting, tour and appetizers. $30/person. Must call for reservations by October 18th. 6011 E Timber Ridge Road, Harrisonburg, VA
Fee: $30/person Time: 1pm Phone Number: 540-234-0505

▪                                        October 28 — Mad Hatters Halloween Party 
 Celebration: Dress for the occasion and enter to win the best costume, best group and best carved pumpkin contests. Includes heavy appetizers and dancing with DJ Rick Rowe. Get dressed, grab your carved pumpkin and celebrate Halloween with CrossKeys Vineyards. 6011 East 11pm Timber Ridge Road, Mt. Crawford VA
Fee: $40 Time: 7pm-Phone Number: 540-234-0505

▪                                        October 28 — Haunting Halloween Madness at Lake Anna Winery 
Celebration: Costumes, music, and food outline this scary Friday night in the vineyard. Dance into the night to the tunes of “String Kings.” Pumpkin carving, Roast marshmallows and Wieners by the bon fire, wine tasting, and tours. 5621 Courthouse Road, Spotsylvania VA 22551
Fee: $10 Time: 6 p.m. – 10 p.m. Phone Number: 540-895-5085

▪                                        October 29-30 — Autumn Barrel Tasting at Barboursville 
Wine Education: Welcome to a much-enhanced tasting, focusing on valuable older vintages, along with our traditional sampling of new Octagon from barrel. Caromont Farm will present award-winning artisan cheeses and fresh breads from Palladio Restaurant will refresh the palate. No reservations required. 17655 Winery Road, Barboursville, VA 22923
Fee: $25 Time: 11 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Phone Number: 540-832-3824

▪                                        October 29 — Chesapeake Virginia Wine Festival 
Festival: Fabulous wines from around the world and produced by Virginia wineries will be available for tasting, as well as foods from the regions finest restaurants. Entertainment will be provided by Lewis McGehee. Sponsored by the Chesapeake Rotary and this is their largest fund raising event. Chesapeake City Park, 900 Greenbrier Pkwy, Chesapeake VA
Fee: $30 Advance/$35 At the Gate Time: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m. Phone Number: (757) 573.8940

▪                                        October 29 — Halloween at Tomahawk Mill Winery 
Celebration: Our Halloween in the haunted Grist Mill includes readings from Edgar Allen Poe. Wine and gourmet food will be served for this adults-only event. Reservations required. 9221 Anderson Mill Road, Chatham VA
Fee: $20 Time: 7 p.m. Phone Number: 434-432-1063

▪                                        October 29 — Harvest Festival at Hartwood Winery 
Celebration: Join Hartwood Winery and guest Rogers Ford Winery to sample the harvested fruits of the vine and usher in the winter air. Enjoy hayrides, scarecrow-making, games, pony rides, live music, food and more! Kids will love this outdoor event. And the best part is, children get in free! Fee includes a special event glass. 345 Hartwood Road, Fredericksburg VA
Fee: $15 Adults Time: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Phone Number: 540-752-4893

▪                                        October 29 — A Fright Night Wine Dinner 
Wine & Food Education: Join us for a Fright Night Wine Dinner. Reservations are required. Ages 21 and over only. Winery at La Grange, 4970 Antioch Road, Haymarket VA
Fee: $99 per person, all inclusive Time: 6:30pm-9:30pm Phone Number: 703-753-9360

▪                                        October 29-30 — Oyster Roast at Cardinal Point
 Celebration: Live music and plenty of oysters from our friends at Rappahannock River Oyster Company! Live music on Saturday from The Cashmere Jungle Lords (surfability rock at its best) and Sunday The Atkisons (roots rock from Richmond VA). Cover charge includes wine glass and free wine tasting; it does NOT include wine to fill your glass or oysters. 9423 Batesville Road, Afton VA
Fee: $8 Advance/$10 At the Door/$5 Case Club Members Time: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m. Phone Number: 540-456-8400

▪                                      ♥ My Favorite Pick for a Boootiful Halloween Celebration: Glass House Winery South American melodies in our “terrifyingly tropical paradise.” Costumed guests are highly encouraged – creativity will be rewarded! Extra points if you don tropical/jungle themed threads. And if you are stumped for ideas or come unprepared, not to worry, Madeline and Humberto (of Beleza) will be supplying a box of extra costumes at the door. Light fare will be provided for a suggested donation.

Charlottesville Whole Foods Market Hosts AppleFest!

Published on by Tricia Traugott1 Comment
Hint of Apple
Henley’s Orchard Apples at Whole Foods Market

Saturday, October 22nd, bring the family over to our local Whole Foods Market® !  I have a partiality to WFM since it originated in Austin, Texas and used to stop in for lunch at the Dallas WFM.  If you haven’t yet discovered all our new Whole Foods has to offer, you’re missing out.  If the parking lot is any reflection on the popularity of the new location, this store is a big hit. I stopped in to see what is on the agenda for this month and found a couple of stand-outs. Delicious Honey Crisp apples greet you inside the door, but the prominent outside display goes to local grown Henley’s Orchard apples.  The salad of the month is a  Harvest Green Bowl a 1 dollar savings for a healthy lunch combining watercress, goat cheese, apples, pecans, Belgian endive and a pomegranate vinaigrette.

Salad of the Month
Your Best Recipe with Apples

charlottesville.wholefoodsmarketcooking.com

The  Whole Foods supports our local growers, another good reason to keep business local.

I was searching for an apple eiswein mentioned to me but had to settle for hard cider, well maybe not settle.

Hard Cider for a Seasonal Kick

 In the refrigerator case we found quite a selection of hard ciders and if you want to delve deeper into the apple bin we have a couple  of our own local cideries you really need to visit: Albemarle Cider Works,  Castle Hill Cider and Foggy Ridge Cider.  The closest bottles of wine I could come to apples had tastes of green apple and I thought were kind of cool to include in an adult Halloween party just because of the labels (decorative accent and certainly not local), Sweet Bliss and Eve Chardonnay.

The Mid-Atlantic Region Hosts AppleFest ExtravaganzaVirginia Whole Foods Market stores invites shoppers and families to a harvest tasting event, highlighting the deliciousness of Seasonal Apples

Virginia Whole Foods Market stores are hosting an AppleFest!

From juicy and aromatic apples to those that are fine textured, families and apple-enthusiasts can welcome the new fall season while sampling a variety of tasty apples and enjoying its culinary and crafty delights.

Whether seeking heirlooms varietals or local picks, the in-store festivities will allow customers to compare apples to apples.   Transforming into a delicious orchard, Virginia Whole Foods Market’s AppleFest will be complete with inspiring cooking demonstrations, entertaining crafts, prizes, tastings and more!  While exploring taste palates of sweet treats and savory apple infused dishes, customers will be exposed to and learn about the best apples that the harvest has to offer.   Featured activities will include:·

A mouth-watering samples and cooking demonstrations·         Carmel-apple making stations*·         Hard apple cider on tap* ·         Apple sampling in every department·         Apple scavenger hunt*only at select Virginia stores                                      Free and open to all who enjoy apple sensations

         Saturday, October 22, 2011 ·        Charlottesville – 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. (1797 Hydraulic Road)

AppleFest

Afton Mountain Vineyards Revisited

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Ripening pumpkins, juicy crisp Pippin apples, grapes, cornstalks, hot cider- all are heady aromas welcoming  Autumn in Virginia. October is fully under way with Maple and Bradford Pear trees changing like chameleons from green to orange and red hues.  Sprinkle in brilliant cobalt blue skies and puffs of cottony white clouds and you have the recipe for a brilliant Fall afternoon.  Armed with that inspiration, where should you go on a weekend full of apple butter festivals, University of Virginia football, tailgate parties and haunted houses?  I would like to suggest a little country drive towards Afton Mountain passing historic Virginia horse farms, more wineries, breweries and quaint little country stores like Greenwood Grocery on 250 west.

Living here has offered my husband and me a multitude of opportunities to visit local vineyards.  This year, the winery we’ve visited the most appears to be Afton Mountain Vineyards.  While attending the Wine Bloggers Conference in July, enduring hotter than Hades weather, we visited three different Nelson County wineries.  Sited just at the foot of Afton Mountain, a  whisper of cool air slightly diminished the heat while we sipped the acclaimed Festa Di Bacco on the tasting room deck.  Note to self- must return in the Fall,  if it’s this good in 100 plus temperatures it should be awesome in October. It is!

Approaching the tasting room from the road just past the vineyards,  a new structure and much-needed venue arose in front of us.  Tony and Elizabeth Smith, owners of Afton Mountain Vineyards,  have been quite industrious in expanding their event space.  We discovered  a beautiful covered pavilion outfitted with ceiling fans, outdoor restroom facilities and a backdrop of the mountains and more vines. This is a superb addition and I had visions of my daughter and her future husband dancing at a reception here with glasses clinking toasts to their future, (this is my dream and not necessarily the desires of the betrothed, by the way).  For more details regarding specifics of events and weddings contact Becca Yeamans, the tasting room manager at Afton Mountain and see their web page.

New Pavillion at Afton Mountain

Future Mother of the Bride went a little crazy that day taking photos of the site, but  finally managed to join my family  on the deck for a bottle of wine I that I had anticipated earlier in the summer.

The Bridal Arbor

 Our son did the honors and selected a Gewürztraminer to try and it was excellent.  I can’t describe it any better than  it is presented on the web site:  As the German word “Gewurz” suggests, this is an aromatic wine that is excellent with spicy dishes and seafood. The 2009 vintage is a crisp, dry white wine with a nose of orange peel and spiciness typical of this grape with just a touch of residual sugar.

Sipping the "Gewurz"

 

Last little bit of fun, for those who like to pick up a little souvenir from a winery visit, the T-shirts are so cool!   The Grapes Don’t Grow in Ugly Places is  trademarked  and the Festa Di Baccus looks great on the guys. They also provide Wine Away at the tasting bar, the Smiths are so-so smart and thoughtful! A real life saver after a bump with a Cabernet Sauvignon. Cheers to Autumn in Virginia, we’re off to enjoy another winery and the Apple Butter Festival at Flippin Seaman in Nelson County.

Buy the T-shirt

Wining the Potomac

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It’s Harvest time in Virginia and there are loads of fun things to do, see and taste!  I loved the idea in the following article combining a unique venue, education and excellent wines!  A win-win for wine lovers!  Check it out if  you would like to enjoy a unique Happy Hour on the Potomac!  It looks like it would be fun and a beautiful time of year to be on the river in D.C.  Somebody please go and let me know how it was!

By the way, this photo has nothing to do with the cruise below, but my friend Paulette Musselman shot this during harvest at Glass House Winery in Free Union and I loved it!  Thanks, Paulette for sharing!

Set Sail for Virginia Wine Month With Washington Wine Academy Cruises

http://w w w .ontaponline.com/2011/10/03/set-sail-for-virginia-w ine-month-w ith-w ashington-w ine-academy-cruises-2/ October 9, 2011

The Washington Wine Academy is celebrating Virginia Wine Month by bringing vino from ten vineyards a little closer to DC.

The Academy is hosting a series of cruises featuring 25 wines — about a dozen will be served during each cruise — from Rappahannock Cellars, Boxwood Winery, Breaux Vineyards, Pearmund Cellars, Linden Vineyards, Winery at La Grange, Barboursville Vineyard, Ingleside, Vint Hill Craft Winery and Whitehall Vineyard. Cheese from Cabot Creamery, as well as artisan Virginia snacks such as ham and peanuts, will also be served.

The Friday cruises will leave from Gangplank Marina in Washington DC on 700 Water St. SW, and spend 90 minutes on the Potomac River. Each trip will be capped at about 140 guests, and organizers expect a number of sell-outs.

“We really enjoy the wine from the vineyards we invited. Education is key. Virginia wine isn’t the same now as it was even a few years ago, and we’re happy to be able to demonstrate that to the attendees,” Washington Wine Academy’s Kellie Shevlin said.

The opportunity is a welcome one for wineries looking to forge a stronger presence inside the Beltway. John Delmare, owner of Rappahannock Cellars, located more than an hour outside of DC in Huntly, VA said the biggest draw was being able to showcase his wine to consumers in the core of his target region: DC.

“We don’t have that opportunity often,” Delmare said.

“We are seeing amazing growth in the recognition of Virginia wines as a real “player” in the national wine landscape,” said Chris Pearmund, Executive Winemaker at three of the featured wineries — Vint Hill, The Winery at La Grange and Pearmund Cellars.

“The cruises are a great way to bring Virginia wine to DC, so those that might not venture out to the wine country can get a taste of the amazing wine our industry is producing,” he added.

Vint Hill co-owner Lance Heflin said his craft winery plans to feature products made by its amateur vintners as well as bottles from its professional portfolio including Enigma, a red blend whose name reflects the roots of Vint Hill’s Warrenton location. The barn where its wine is made was once home to the original NSA.

Back-to-back warm summers precipitated bumper crops for many Virginia vineyards, although the heavy rains of early September may knock those numbers down in some locations. Delamare said the sunny summer boosted Rappahannock’s Merlot yield, which will be released as a single varietal next year alongside a “fizzy” rosé made from a blend of red grape varieties.

For other winemakers, the draw is the cruises’ unique venue.

“I sincerely think that when wine is enjoyed in the right surrounding, atmosphere, landscape and with friends, it is elevated to a much higher purpose and is greatly appreciated,” said Barboursvillewinemaker Luca Paschina. “I believe that is going to happen on these cruises. That is why I chose to participate.”

Boxwood‘s Rachel Martin said that her vineyard jumped at the opportunity to get in front of more local wine consumers.

“Our wines are not cheap, but the vineyard has a rich history,” she said. Boxwood, whose winemaking operation is a National Historic Landmark in Middleburg, VA will be featuring its dry rosé and Topiary Red, which is a Cabernet Franc-heavy blend.

“It’s important to get people on board with regional products, and that includes wine. As long as the quality is there, you should enjoy it.”

The cruises will be held October 7, 14, 21 and 28 departing at at 6:30 and 8:30 pm from the Gangplank Marina in DC. Tickets are $55.00 per person. Register online at http://www.WashingtonWineAcademy.org.

Inaugural DC Wine Week

In September, wine blog the Daily Sip reported that DC led the nation in wine consumption in 2009 at 6.6 gallons per capita. This month, local oenophiles will gather to show why DC is number one in vino.

DCeventjunkie & Pivot Point Communications are planning a celebration of all things wine — from restaurant and bar specials, wine-pairing menus to wine-themed events — to be held October 15 to 22. Education seminars and events around the DMV region will also feature selections from local wineries. Updates can be found on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/dcwineweek and the DC Wine Week website.

DC Wine Week: Oct. 15 -22; http://www.dcwineweek.com; Twitter @DCWineWeek.

Trump Winery Open for Business!

Published on by Tricia Traugott5 Comments

Tuesday, October 4th, heralds the grand opening (or re-0pening) of the former Kluge Estate Winery  in Albemarle County, Virginia under a new name,  (can you guess it?)  Trump Winery.  Donald Trump’s son, Eric Trump is President  and Patricia Kluge and her husband William Moses will serve as Vice Presidents of the winery.  Attending the celebration were the aforementioned, as well as Governor Bob McDonnell. The Governor  has played a key role in promoting Virginia wines in the United States as well as Europe and soon will be encouraging business with Israel. According to Todd Haymore,  Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry,  McDonnell and Virginia’s first lady,  Maureen McDonnell are credited  with helping boost Virginia’s wine sales.  The McDonnell administration  passed a program giving tax credits to individuals establishing or expanding wineries and vineyards in the Commonwealth.

The media were present to photograph, video and ask questions of Donald Trump, and I  found him to be just like he is on television-assertive and gregarious, but better looking in person!  There is no question that Trump knows how to deal with the media.  When asked by  reporters why Donald could make this venture successful when Patricia Kluge could not, he came to her defense in typical “Trumpian” manner and explained that he had the advantage of not having a mortgage! Touche! Another question regarded the intentions of the real estate aspect of his investment . 

Mr. Trump  said  he planned to keep the property “high-end”.  When a reporter from The Hook asked about Albemarle House, Donald Trump tossed the question back and asked him if he would want to buy such a big house on such little property! We know who owns the surrounding estate!   He is still in the market for Albemarle House but feels the bank  has it valued too high. 

 

 
 

 After answering several questions, the baton was then passed to his son for details about the winery itself.    Patricia Kluge joined Eric at the microphone and remarked on her role in the business.  Geraldine Fabrikant, a senior writer for Business Day at The New York Times, interviewed  Patricia Kluge  recently and found her to be, not surprisingly, quite resilient and up to the task of re-establishing herself in the wine industry. Subsequently, Eric Trump stepped aside allowing Gov. McDonnell  to praise the wine industry in Virginia.

Ultimately, Donald and Eric  Trump and Patricia Kluge  plan to expand the vineyards and employ new marketing ideas to the wines and their labels.  They refused to elaborate and left it as a surprise for wine lovers.  Additionally, Eric mentioned the potential for  “hundreds” of jobs associated with the growth of the winery. 

No matter what locals think, the Trump name creates fervor and  excitement in a realtively sedate area of Virginia. I know it  certainly was fun for me to sit in the Trump   helicopter even though I couldn’t wrangle a ride out of the pilot!  The pilot  did however mention that he loved  flying over our  scenic Virginia wine country!  Planning a trip to Charlottesville?  A must-do after visiting  Monicello, home of Thomas Jefferson,  is  the new  Trump Winery and the neighboring  vineyards  owned by Dave Matthews,  Blenheim Winery!

Dreaming Tree Wines and Dave Matthews

Published on by Tricia Traugott37 Comments

In case you’ve missed it, the latest “buzz” in wine is crossing the continent as we speak!

 11 years ago, our family had decided to move to a beautiful, relatively small town in Virginia with world-wide recognition!  Historians will insist that  Charlottesville is most notable because of the influence of one man, Thomas Jefferson.  However, talk to anyone under a certain age (ahem!) and they’ll have you know it is more well-known as the residence (albeit, part-time) of Dave Matthews and the DMB!  Two decades ago at the Earth Day Festival in the City of Charlottesville, the Dave Matthews Band was publicly launched. in 2001 I had no idea who the heck DMB was, but friends of ours in Dallas were envious that we could move to the “birthplace of  The Dave Matthews Band“!  How exciting!  A couple of years after we moved, a family member (name to be withheld) was eating a slice of pizza with us at Christian’s Pizza on the Downtown Mall and literally bit through her plastic fork when she realized Dave Matthews was sitting behind us. We kept the fork for quite some time as a memento and at that point I realized how exciting (wink) it was to live in Charlottesville!  Unbeknownst to us, in 2000, Dave Matthews had established Blenheim Vineyards, a family operated winery a scenic 20 minute drive southeast of Charlottesville.   Now in 2011, Dave is launching another collaboration in wine making with Steve Reeder of California called  The Dreaming Tree Wines, named after the song. 

Creative Factor– Dave: “A mutual respect that doesn’t rely on his (Steve’s) knowledge of music or my knowledge of wine”  and Steve: “I make wines for people to drink, I don’t make wines for people to put in their cellar”.

    Steve Reeder graduated from University of California, Davis and according to Steve,  was inspired to make wine at the 1st Middleburg Virginia Festival in the 1970’s!  As a youngster, he worked for a while  on his uncle’s farm in Indiana pitching in with beer making in the barn. Later he lived in Germany and was introduced to exceptional lager beers and his parents wine cellar 🙂  His resume includes Kendall-Jackson, Fosters Wine Estates and most recently, Simi Winery.

Check out their website, super cool and follow the path on the map! Does this mean the path ends in Virginia with Blenheim Winery making wine for The Dreaming Tree label as well? Could we cross the Great Divide between California wines and Virginia wines? And by the way,  I love the Cork!  We’ll soon know, perhaps someone can shed more light on this? All I know is that it sounds great, looks like fun and takes the pretentiousness out of wine drinking!

Flying Fox Vineyard

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Finally getting a chance to sit down and reflect on the winery trips offered at the 2011 Wine Bloggers Conference.

One of the most anticipated events planned by Zephyr Adventures  in conjunction with  The Virginia Wine Board, the Virginia Tourism Corporation and the Charlottesville Albemarle Convention and Visitors Bureau was the side trips to our local wineries.  Adding to the fun and suspense was not knowing our destination until everyone was seated on the bus and the doors had closed!

 The exuberant presence of Maureen Kelley, Director of Economic Development & Tourism for Nelson County was a huge tip off for me! Kneeling on the bus seat facing the rear with a mischeivous twinkle, she reminded me of the kid you wanted to sit with on the way home from school!  Proud of her county and it’s “fruits”, Maureen  brought a crate overflowing with white and yellow peaches from Saunders Brothers Orchard in Nelson County.   Secretly, I had been hoping to get on the bus to Pippin Hill Farm & Vineyards because I knew the food was going to be over the top, but after meeting Maureen and tour co-host, Danielle Emerson,  Public Relations Specialist for Virginia Tourism Corporation, I  knew it was going to be a blast! We stopped at Flying Fox, moved on to Cardinal Point and finished with lunch at Afton Mountain Vineyards.

 Flying Fox

First stop after driving out 250 and down 151 towards Wintergreen was the quaint tasting room for Flying Fox!  My husband and I  had previously visited Flying Fox Winery on a stormy summer evening where a local artist was having a wine & cheese party showcasing her work!  I was distracted by pleasant company, wine tasting and art and unfortunately never sat down and wrote about the experience.

 Lynn Davis and husband Rich Evans  named their winery after the running fox weather vane perched on top of the main building at their vineyard.   After a hard day working on the vines and a glass of wine, he looks like he is flying above the vineyard!  Lynn and Rich are personable and devoted to making your visit a memorable one.  Hospitality abounds and you won’t be sorry you popped in on your travels through Nelson County.  I really enjoyed their 2009 Viognier which won a Gold medal at the 2010 Virginia State fair.  The 2010 Rose is excellent chilled on humid Summer day in Virginia and the 2008 Trio was well received by fellow wine bloggers.It is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.    I picked up a bottle of the Rose for my daughter in law to enjoy at a later date….and  if  Bed and Breakfasts are your cup of tea, an overnight at Le Bleu Ridge B & B next door is perfect. Stroll over to the tasting room for a glass of wine by the fireplace. 

Lessons Learned at a Wine Bloggers Conference

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Sip often!

Spit just as often!

Listen, listen, listen!

Sit next to knowledgeable people and listen more!

Remember where you leave your shoes! Yes, I lost a pair of my favorite heels when I switched to my black Reefs!

Wear comfortable shoes, no one can see your shoes below the tablecloth!  Works for a formal dinner where everyone has been drinking all day!

Walking barefoot on the West Lawn at Monticello made me wonder if  Thomas Jefferson had done the same on a hot summer evening!  Definitely cooler barefoot in the grass!

When it’s super hot, a glass of  icy cold water is preferable to any Gold medal winning wine!  MAYBE a very nicely chilled Virginia Viognier…

Don’t stand behind someone at the tasting bar when sampling a Cab Franc or Petit Verdot!

Wine Away works well except when used with a cute colorful napkin from Greenwood Grocery!  My camisole went from a deep burgundy stain to an olive green smudge (was white!).

I’m very proud of Charlottesville, our local wineries, the downtown mall, and Virginia Wine!  Job well done!

Answers to Stump The Winos! See 7/19/2011 Post

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A. Pollak Vineyard -View towards the Pond and Mountains

B.Glass House Winery-When the Raccoon ate the Pineapple

C.Flying Fox Winery-Quaint Cottage Entrance

D.King Family Vineyard-Polo Pony

E.Mountfair Vineyard-Barrel Room

F.Keswick Vineyards-Cherub Sculpture at Tasting Room

G.Blenheim Vineyards-Sign to Tasting Room

H.Pippin Hill Farm Vineyards-View from the Patio

I.Barboursville Vineyards-Ruins

J.Sweely Estate Winery-Sculpture

K.Afton Mountain Vineyards-Artwork

Just for Fun, How many did You get right?

Wine Blogging at Monticello!

Published on by Tricia Traugott3 Comments

After spending a day at the Omni Hotel on the Charlottesville downtown pedestrian mall ( I write this description for non-locals) we climbed on busses heading up curvy route 53 to Monticello for a dinner reception featuring Virginia wines. Extremely muggy hot weather was not the best conditions to show off our fair city and Blue Ridge Mountains. I still think despite the New Orleans Bayou-thick air, out of state visitors were impressed with the history and beauty of Monticello.  Efforts were made to keep the guests comfortable, hand-held fans printed with “Virginia Is For Lovers” were distributed and outdoor air conditioning was provided at strategic locations, fans with water reservoirs diffusing cool mist on the more aggressive heat relief seekers (Me!).  TJ look-alike mingled with the guests  along with celebrities like the Zonins, owners of Barboursville, just in from Italia! 

The wine makers were sheltered under a vast tent, keeping their bottles in coolers before opening them  for the bloggers. I couldn’t be more proud of our winery owners, wine makers and hosts-cheerfully pouring (more requested) whites  and reds and extolling the quality of their wines. Meanwhile, I shed my heels at Ankida Ridge’s table and walked barefoot in the grass,  meeting other wine bloggers and tasting wine.  As I wandered around, I couldn’t help but wonder what Thomas Jefferson would think about these techy wine lovers traipsing around his home and sharing thoughts regarding an industry that he started centuries ago  in Virginia!  

I was a little despondent about the demise of the 200+ years old White Oak and Poplar trees flanking the west side of Monticello. Noticeably missing, the large tree stumps look void and sad, so I toasted Thomas Jefferson quietly to myself.  The value of some of the wines attributed to his collection have reached record prices at auction!

Ankida Ridge, Glass House, Stinson, Gabrielle Rausse,  Flying Fox and Pippin Hill Farm Vineyard were stops for me, unfortunately I missed several others due to waning energy. The food was excellent!  Shrimp and cheese grits, mini crab cakes, tiny stuffed red potatoes were all tasty pairings for the wines offered. Water bottles were the most coveted item on the menu, Keswick Hall did a fabulous job!

All in all, a lovely event and I overheard many guests discussing return travel plans to Virginia!

Great job, Charlottesville and Virginia Tourism!