Tag: Cross Keys Vineyard

Montpelier Wine Festival 2016 Rain or Shine

Published on by Tricia Traugott4 Comments

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The rolling hills of the Piedmont and the history of Montpelier make this one of the more idyllic settings for showcasing our local wineries. I’ve been there in all kinds of weather, but this is a must for history buffs, wine lovers and gardening enthusiasts. This event is well organized and traffic flow is smooth. Wear your Wellies or rain boots (just in case) since the ground may be a bit mushy after all of our recent rain. Bring some camp chairs, you’ll want to be able to sit back a bit after walking the gardens and enjoy a nice Viognier or Cabernet Franc. For hikers, save your wine for the end of the day and head out on the Montpelier-Grelen Trail, MontpelierTrails, a 3.9 mile loop with 9 miles of trails to explore. The Governor designated this trail a “Virginia Treasure” and is a fun way to explore the historical grounds, mountain views and it links to the Grelen Nursery on the Grelen Farm. Grelen is another find and worthy of a separate blog post, family oriented, great gift shop and in season berry picking, plus a sand box for the little ones!

 

Don’t miss  visiting the Mansion at James Madison’s Montpelier, but allow extra time!  Mansion tour tickets will be discounted for festival attendees. Exchange Café, featuring BBQ Exchange barbecue, is available for lunches! Wineries that are featured are, of course, Barboursville and Horton Vineyards, as well as Cross Keys Vineyard, Well Hung Vineyard, Democracy Vineyard, Reynard Florence Vineyard, Delfosse Vineyards & Winery, Lazy Days Winery, Villa Appalachia, Kilaurwen Winery, Mattaponi Winery, Prince Michel Vineyard & Winery, Peaks of Otter Winery,  Lake Anna Winery, Jefferson Vineyards, Rockbridge Vineyard (blog post waiting in the wings) and Stone Mountain Vineyards plus even more!

 

Have Fun!

 

Ankida Ridge & Cross Keys Vineyards- Opposite Sides of the Appalachian Trail

Published on by Tricia TraugottLeave a comment


photo-7With one toe still wedged in the doorway between 2012 and 2013,  I reluctantly find it is time to take down our beautiful Christmas tree  (after all it is Valentine’s Day)  and start a new year of wine blogging.  My own mini-vacation, a touch of procrastination, added to an already  busy early Spring real estate market; the days speed ahead and we approach March!  I find drinking  wine easy, hanging out at a winery listening to music with friends certainly no rough task,  but describing it in print  requires a little effort from the grey matter that is already tinted a touch  purple.

Reflections of Winter 2012

We wrapped up 2012 with a memorable tree trimming  Christmas Party at Ankida Ridge and a delightful note to end the year.  The famed Pinot Noir that the Vroomans are already known for was served along with their newest  label, Rockgarden Cellars.

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Sourced from grapes grown in neighboring Virginia vineyards that  have made the journey up 1800 feet to become  “The Voyager Series,” and in keeping the French theme, we are calling this “green-style”  spritzy white wine “Voyage (voy-AJH) de Vert” and the red blend of Merlot,  Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc “Voyage de Rouge.”  We really enjoyed the Rouge as well as the family style sing along and many, glass in hand, headed further up the mountain via a tractor-pulled hayride. Here’s a little snippet of Christine Vrooman’s talented niece, Jessie Rogowski, leading the carols:

Keep your eyes on this boutique winery in the Amherst region of Virginia.  They have an active intimate wine club and visits to the winery are arranged by appointment or scheduled events, next one is St. Patrick’s Day 3/17.

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Early 2013

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For Valentine’s, our celebration was highlighted by opening a Port wine saved after a visit with friends to Cross Keys Vineyards. It lies a little south of Massanutten in the Shenandoah Valley in Mt. Crawford. Cross Keys commands a rather regal presence over the valley with its palatial architecture. A perfect locale for weddings and grand photo ops that would please any bride. Move over Kate Middleton 😉

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Cross Keys does an excellent job by teaming up with Massanutten Resort, the Shenadoah Park Hotels and local B&B’s to provide dining, tastings and special events for vacationers.  We stepped in midway through a tour and due to the number of visitors, extracted ourselves up to the tasting room and beat the crowd. Aren’t we the clever ones!  Typically, port style wines don’t intrigue me, but this 100% Touriga Nacional was so aromatic with dark cherry fragrance and a slight orange scent, I had to bring it home for my husband.  Aged for two years in French and American Oak, garnet red in color, with a smooth round velvet mouth feel, I felt it the perfect choice to set the mood for a romantic evening.

Cheers to a happy and prosperous, healthy New Year!