Tag: Monticello Wine Trail

A Double Gold Afternoon at Jefferson Vineyards

Published on by Tricia Traugott2 Comments
 

Sunday Drive

Family outings with our son Brian and his  bride to be,  Carolina, are the best!  Always game for scoping out a new winery, we headed in the direction of Kluge Winery to pick up more of the 2007  Albemarle Simply Red.  The sun had  just peeked out after a rather gloomy Sunday morning and we were ripe to enjoy a little fresh April breeze and warm sunshine.  In a recent church sermon, ( it was Sunday after all!) we learned that direction not intention determines our destination!  Cruising down 53 past historic Monticello,  Jefferson Vineyards appeared ahead on our right and with that,  our destination  veered to the Jefferson Tasting Room!  Side note, we did make it to Kluge eventually and a quick stop at Blenheim as well.

We were quite familiar with  Jefferson wines but always held the notion that this particular winery was a bit  more of a tourist trap then a local attraction.  Nice to be  proven wrong,  it turned out to be a very pleasant experience and in retrospect are glad we hijacked ourselves off  our original route. If you’ve read any other posts you’ll notice I’m a bit spontaneous when it comes to winery visits.

To the right side of the parking area are old wine barrels  for sale to recycle rainwater, cool idea!  Add that want to Honey! I want a Vineyard!  Next to the rain barrels were even larger wine barrels.  Brian, anticipating his upcoming wedding festivities was attracted to the super sized wine barrels and attempted a pre-tasting!  Not really!  He hammed it up for the camera!

Jefferson Vineyards

A shaded deck is positioned just in front of the door to the tasting room. Lacks a little in curb appeal but  a  nice area to sit outside;  I think the best views are from the meadow facing the mountains and  that site could  be capitalized on  more.  They have placed a few Adirondack chairs with small tables to rest your wine bottle and glasses.  Nice touch!  I would recommend tightening the bolts a little or sturdier furniture, they’re  a bit light weight compared to other chairs of similar style.  All it takes is a bigger budget! or maybe a smaller…!  A lovely flagstone patio would be nice and visible from the scenic highway, beckoning to the multitude of tourists who visit Monticello and Ashlawn daily.

Invited inside by a couple of engaging  tasting hosts, forgive me I can’t recall the gentemen’s names, we embarked on tasting award-winning wines envisioned long ago by Thomas Jefferson.  Several visitors passed through during our tasting.  They were given directions, information and local trivia by the hosts.  We enjoyed their personal stories about  the wines and their favorite food  pairings. Such hospitality,  Another nice touch!

The Tasting

Tastings are $10,  slightly higher than most of the local wineries but includes a Riedel wine glass. Nicest touch of all!!  I’ve been in wineries in the Willamette Valley that offer the same style of Riedel glassware, each engraved with their logo.  A classic idea which enhances  the overall experience of the quality, color and especially the bouquet of the vintage.   Coincidentally, we were consulted about offering engraved glasses at Jefferson.  Of course, we thought it an excellent idea as a keepsake.  I use my souvenir glasses for sipping by the firepit, no tears if the glass doesn’t return to the cabinet!  In this case, the glass stays indoors.   We first tasted the whites, then reds and finished with the semi dry whites,  the Vin Blanc was Carolina’s favorite ( as marked on the tasting notes)!  Carolina draws hearts and stars (which fit her personality) on her tasting notes and Brian draws emotional  faces and caricatures on his (fitting his personality!) .

     Carolina Loved This-See the Heart!

Top of our list was the 2010 Pinot Gris crisp, bright and floral like the afternoon weather.  Our favorite reds were the Petit Verdot 2009 tasting of spice and tobacco and definitely, the Meritage 2008  Gold Medal Winner of the 2010 San Diego International Wine Competition.  The memorable and unique Malvaxian wine wasn’t available for tasting  (I love that bottle design) which is an excellent addition to any wine collection!   We selected the Pinot Gris, a Double Gold Medal winner,  to toast our side trip.  Taking our bottle to the meadow, we relaxed in the Adirondack chairs  savouring  excellent wine,  picture postcard views and sharing it with a lovely young couple very much in love.

 A Double Gold Day in The Monticello Trail Wine Country!                       

Cheers and a Clink to Carolina and Brian in 2011 and another Clink to Thomas Jefferson-Happy Belated Birthday!

Glass House Winery: A Confection of Chocolate, Wine and the Tropics

Published on by Tricia Traugott4 Comments

Have you ever taken a vacation to a remote destination on a tropical island and returned wanting to tell all your friends, but really thinking it better to keep the secret to yourself?  Our experience at Glass House Winery was just that, a treat to savor and enhanced only by the prospect of sharing it with others.  Glass House Winery in Free Union, Virginia was only opened a few months ago and word is rapidly spreading.

Inside Glass House

The winery is strategically sited, embraced by rows of grapevines overlooking a small, geese populated lake with a backdrop of Buck Mountain.   The structure of the winery is striking, an eclectic juncture of a copper clad tasting room and a soaring tropical greenhouse, thus the name Glass House.  Jeff and Michelle Sanders spent substantial time (five years) on the island of Roatan off the coast of Honduras and recreated some of that lush tropical atmosphere in their greenhouse.  The greenhouse serves as a conservatory for Kumquats, Banana Trees  producing ice cream flavored bananas, a highly prized Royal Hawaiian Pineapple and tables graced by tiny Sago Palms.

Applauding the 21st Amendment

  The floor is a Brazilian wood similar to teak and the climate is carefully controlled with a vented roof and mechanical sun screen.  A perfectly delightful spot for a light picnic (self provided) complemented by a bottle of artisan wine. The greenhouse can accommodate 88 guests seated for weddings or events! Invite me, please!

Park Here!

 Attention to detail begins in the mosaic studded retaining wall in the parking lot and proceeds to the doorway where, Vina, the wine goddess greets you, grapes in one hand and a glass of wine in the other. Several other clever whimsical touches including a giraffe create a fun and light hearted foyer.

Accents of pineapples adorn niches and shelves, carrying on the logo of Glass House and reinforcing the symbol of Virginia hospitality.  The winery puppy, Dogbert, eagerly approached us with a wagging tail, and then stretched out for a nap in the warm sun by the patio door.

Michelle's Art Work

Michelle Sanders, owner and Chocolatier Extraordinaire, offered us glasses for tasting and a history of the young winery. We started with a 2009 Pinot Gris followed by a 2009 Viognier.  The Pinot Gris was unremarkable and light, but the Viognier had more character and with a creamy texture and nice bouquet.  The third wine was the Cvillian, a red blend of Chambourcin, Cabernet Franc and Merlot grapes grown on the property and on nearby vineyards.  We purchased the next wine, the Twenty First, a Meritage blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot grapes and named after the 21st amendment.  Can you recall the significance of that amendment?  It also had the most fruit and was quite good.

On our visit to DuCard Winery, in Madison, we were tipped off to the dessert wine.  Marty Mitchell, the tasting room manager at DuCard was so delighted with it that she actually is credited with naming the wine, Meglio Del Sesso, her initial observation.  In Italian it translates to “Better than …” use your imagination!  We sipped this along with a sampling of Michelle’s own hand crafted chocolate Red Wine Cream – a ganache made from Norton wine and dark chocolate, hand enrobed in 72% dark chocolate.  An exquisite combination!  The chocolates are artistically packaged and sold only at the winery.  The gourmet chocolates are Early Grey, Salted Caramel and Espresso and sold by the dozen.  A perfect Valentines gift for your sweetheart!

And this is Winter!

Music is provided in the evening on Fridays. Look for special events at their website or Facebook page! The winery is open Fridays noon-8pm
Saturdays noon-6pm
and Sundays and holiday Mondays noon-5pm

Virginia Hospitality

A Petit Influence of République française ala Prince Michel

Published on 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.
Wine Goblets at Prince Michel

 

 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.





 

When the President comes to town…

Published on 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!

Tip to Pollak

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.

Monticello Wine Festival

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Tonight on the West Lawn at Monticello!  The Monticello Wine Festival is an opportunity to  sample some of the best wines in our area in a historic setting.  The weather is fabulous today and everyone should have a great time, not sure if tickets are still available at this time, but for  future events, check out the Monticello Wine Trail!  One of my favorites will be represented, Pollak!  Try their Cabernet Franc!Cabernet Franc 2007 Reserve was recognized with gold at the Grand Harvest Awards sponsored by the Vineyard and Management magazine while the 2008 vintage received gold at the Virginia State Fair.

Kluge Estate, Veritas, Keswick, Whitehall, Jefferson,Afton Mountain, Gabriele Rausse and King Family wines will all be available!  Enjoy, I can’t make it but guaranteed I will be there next year! Look for future posts about EACH of these wineries and tips about making the most of your visit to them.