Virginia – Charlottesville UnCorked

2018 Keswick Hall Gets a Full Body Makeover

Published on January 2, 2018January 2, 2018 by Tricia TraugottLeave a comment

What’s Still OPEN? First, everyone wants to know what will remain open during the extensive renovation of the infrastructure of “The Hall” as fondly known by neighbors. Full Cry at Keswick Golf Club, the resort’s golf course will remain open. The golf course layout was rated #3 “Best Courses You Can Play in Virginia” in Virginia in 2016 by Golfweek magazine. U.S. Designed by World Golf Hall of Fame architect Pete Dye, Golf Digest’s ranked “Full Cry” as one of the prestigious “Best New Courses for 2015”. Appropriately named, the term “Full Cry” refers to the eager cry of the hounds when in pursuit of their prey, fitting for avid golfers although they have to keep their enthusiasm more subdued ;-). Keswick Hall is located in the heart of Virginia’s Hunt Country, located just below the hills of the Southwest Mountains; scenic byways lead you past vineyards such as three time Governor’s Cup award winning Keswick Vineyards and historic plantations. The resort will be fully open in 2019 and will be perfectly timed to enjoy the Keswick wines produced from the outstanding 2017 harvest.

Other benefits still available are the Spa, Fitness Center, driving range and member’s pool. The Pavilion pool with it’s infinity design will be closed only temporarily and you will still be able to enjoy the chaise lounge view over the golf course after a relaxing swim.

Second, What to expect in RENOVATIONS:

With parts of “The Hall” construction dating back over a century, there has been a great effort to hire the right firm to retain the historic elements and character which keep it on par with resorts like The Greenbrier, The Jefferson and The Homestead. H7 Holdings LLC, owned by Robert and Mollie Hardie, selected the design firm of Hart Howerton to oversee the renovation which will include attention to the roof, plumbing, heating and air conditioning as well as modernization of furnishings and finishes expected by present day traveler demands. The renovations will be an added bonus for tourists and locals and we look forward to seeing the final result!

In the MEANTIME: We are proud to call it to the attention of equestrians, golfers, tennis players and individuals seeking a luxury lifestyle in a gated community just minutes from Charlottesville; currently we have exclusively listed the residence at 849 Club Drive in Keswick Estate. While there are building lots for sale in the neighborhood, this estate home was built with a focus on creating a timeless property that evokes images of a country estate in England with the contemporary conveniences and luxuries of the current generation. Exceptional in design, architecture and landscape, this is a truly unique property on the east coast sited strategically on 2.39 acres with 7,382 beautifully finished square feet and a delightful Hartley Botanic greenhouse imported from the U.K.

849 Club Dr Keswick VA 22947-print-057-56-exterior32-4080x2720-300dpi

Fun Note: the hounds of the Keswick Hunt Club can be seen on their walks through the community and the location of this particular home is an easy walk or golf cart ride to the amenities at Keswick Country Club and Keswick Hall. Please feel free to contact Bob & Tricia at 434-882-0824 to schedule an appointment to view this lovely home.

Wings Over Wine Country

Published on March 28, 2012March 28, 2012 by Tricia TraugottLeave a comment

Screech_Owl_Pignoli_Wildlife_Center_Virginia The Wildlife Center of Virginia had literally flown under my radar until recently. Via social media, my attention was called to the fundraiser “Wings Over Wine Country”. Combining a love of wine and the beauty of the powerful raptors, Bill Sykes, Outreach Ambassador, brings the birds out to the wineries to promote interest and encourage contributions to the wildlife center. Prince Michel Winery and DuCard Vineyards have already played host to the charity this year.

As a child in Germany, we lived near a falconry and observed the Peregrine Falcons in action, hunting for food. The image has been imprinted in my brain for ages and seeing these remarkable birds brought the whole experience back to life. Through friends, we were able to tour one of the world’s leading teaching and research hospital for wildlife and conservation medicine. Bill (Sykes) guided us through the 5,700-square-foot state-of-the-art facility. It is fully equipped with gas anesthesia, critical care equipment, surgery, radiographic and fluoroscopic equipment, laboratory facilities, inside and outside holding areas, and flight cages. At any time there may be from 80 to 250 animals on the premises.

Later we headed outdoors to meet some of these amazing bird. The rehabilitation center cares for thousands of injured native wildlife. Animals unable to be released back into the wild can become educational animals or “Ambassadors” for the center. starting with the diminutive Pignoli, the Eastern Screech Owl. She is pictured at the top of the page, showing us her one good eye and her striking russet colors.

Junior, the Golden Eagle, was very engaging and hopped over to a perch to greet us. Junior will join Wildlife Center President and Co-Founder Ed Clark at Pollak Vineyards in Greenwood, Virginia for a very special event to benefit the Wildlife Center of Virginia on April 7th from 5-7 p.m. Tickets to this event are available through Pollak Vineyards for $25 per person. Pollak Vineyards will donate $15 of every admission to the Wildlife Center of Virginia.

Grayson is a fiercely beautiful Broad Winged Hawk and regularly accompanies Bill on outings to the wineries and breweries. She is one of the patients that was unable to be released back into the wild. These rehabilitated birds can become educational animals or “Ambassadors” for the center.

The program “Caring fo Critters” is a great way to educate children not only about the center, but how we as human beings impact wildlife in even small ways. Through this program, you can sponsor an animal and as part of the adoption packet you will receive:

The sponsored animal’s biography
A photo of the animal
Detailed information about the characteristic of the animal’s species, and
A personalized certificate of sponsorship

Several events have been scheduled this year so there will be many opportunities to learn about the animals and birds that have been rehabilitated at the center.

Wings Over Wine Country & Kickoff of National Parks Week Sunday, April 22, 2012, 2-6 PM Bill Sykes from the Virginia Wildlife Center will be here with live raptors – hawks, owls and other ‘ambassadors’ and talk about their efforts to rehabilitate injured wildlife in Virginia. There’s no charge for visiting the Shenandoah National Park during this Week, so it’ll be a great day to take a hike too. Contributions welcome, with matching by DuCard.

Special thanks to Paulette Musselman for introducing me to Bill and of course, to Bill Sykes for the time he shared with us and his passion for these amazing birds.

Virginia Snow Covered Vines

Published on February 20, 2012February 20, 2012 by Tricia TraugottLeave a comment

The morning after a snowstorm is the rainbow of winter. Grey skies are replaced with crystal blue skies and the sun glinting on snow has always looked like diamonds to me.

Pulling on my favorite “wellies”, we headed just around the corner to Burnley Station Road and the nearest grapevines. Sandy Branch Vineyard pristinely awaited with not a footprint in sight. Nothing is prettier than unblemished snow covered ground and I reluctantly waded in, disturbing the fluff in my quest. Heavily snow-laden deer fencing warned me not to approach closely. Darn! I longed to climb over and get a better vantage point, but my husband reminded me that water plus electricity are to be avoided at all cost. This was the best I could capture, wish you could experience this beauty first-hand.

I requested photos from friends to contribute to this photo blog and Kat Schornberg Barnard from Keswick Vineyards and Paulette Musselman from Glass House Winery took some great pictures!

I love living in this part of Virginia, changing seasons, fabulous scenery, great climate, history and more. By the way, the photos at the beginning of this blog are from a home which is presently on the maket and Yes! includes a producing vineyard. Call me or e-mail me if you’re interested! I’d love to show you this property!

Virginia Wine Highlights of 2011, Optimism for 2012

Published on January 4, 2012January 5, 2012 by Tricia TraugottLeave a comment

Wine Enthusiast Magazine has named Virginia as one of the 10 best wine travel destinations for 2012. The article, listed online and in the February issue of Wine Enthusiast Magazine, highlights Virginia as one of only three domestic destinations to make the list of wine regions that are ideal for wine lovers to visit in 2012. Virginia was named along with regions in Italy, New Zealand, Spain, Hungary, Germany, France, Chile and two regions in California. The article cites Virginia’s rich history, natural beauty and wine makers as some of the many reasons why Virginia is a hot wine travel destination. This article just out on Virginia.Gov!

2011 proved to be an exciting year for Charlottesville and the wine industry throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia.

The North American Wine Bloggers Conference made their way to the East Coast bringing along international publicity for Virginia wines. Over 300 wine bloggers descended on Charlottesville visiting local wineries, dining on the lawn at Monticello and tasting food pairings along Main Street and the Downtown Pedestrian Mall. Governor McDonnell and First Lady Maureen have promoted our vineyards and wineries enthusiastically. First Lady Maureen McDonnell has incorporated wine and wine tourism promotions into her First Lady Initiative Team Effort or FLITE. More domestic and international promotions are planned for 2012.

Having only recently started blogging about wines, I was thrilled to sip alongside world-wide experts at the wining/dining table. Despite intense heat, Virginia wines showed well and local wine-makers relished the opportunity to present their best. Almost simultaneously, Charlottesville was thrust into the limelight by the demise of the Kluge Estate and the “intervention” of consummate real estate investor, Donald Trump. Thus, the new Trump Winery.

Following a year hit by weather extremes, please read the following excerpt from Stephen Barnard’s blog post Mother Nature Ruled 2011 for Keswick Vineyards which illustrates 2011 better than I ever could.

12/30/11 –

Mother Nature Ruled 2011

After the 2010 vintage in Virginia [arguably the best in recent times], the 2011 growing season was also going to struggle to reach the lofty standards of its predecessor. To say that 2011 failed miserably, would be similar to saying that Drew Brees had an okay year [this makes sense if you know that he broke Dan Marino’s all time passing yards in a single season, 5084 set in 1984 when Marino played for the Miami Dolphins].

Mother Nature ruled this year and her awesome power was on display more times than anyone of us would wish for. From a devastating earthquake in New Zealand to the horrific Tsunami in Japan, 2011 was littered with catastrophic natural disasters. Closer to home, Tuscaloosa was hit hard by the April 27th Tornado, Virginia experienced a 5.8 magnitude earthquake on August 23rd, quickly followed by the August 27th appearance of hurricane Irene. 2011 was certainly unforgettable, but for all the wrong reasons.

All in all though, I think we manged to dodge a bullet, in that it would have been far corse than what it was. I am thankful for having some experience in Virginia and after working the 2003 harvest, I was way more prepared this time round. I can only shudder and imagine what would have happened had this been my first vintage in Virginia. Overall I give the vintage a B+, the wines are developing character and should be fantastic. Although lighter in style than 2010, these are vibrant wines and will no doubt bring pleasure to many a wine drinker.

I love the end of his blog post extolling the best blend ever, he and wife Kat’s baby girl, Aria, born in December. A 50% blend of each parent, expecting to take 80 years to mature!

After all, it was a very good year.

My friends at Drs. Viglione, Haines and Bagheri selected a new winery-Pippin Hill, to kick off their new name, Charlottesville Dental Health Partners. A fun time for all who could participate, it was the unveiling of their philosophy, Our Focus is On You. Toasting a relationship between health and dental health, dentists partnering with their patients for total body health.

I had the pleasure of visiting many wineries in Virginia this year and even some in England. Lots of fun with family and friends. The potential for the 2012 Virginia wine industry is exciting and I look forward to the progress of our friends and encourage the support of “Drink Local”! I think I made that up?

Trump Winery Open for Business!

Published on October 4, 2011October 5, 2011 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!

Wine Blogging at Monticello!

Published on July 24, 2011July 24, 2011 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!

Trump Buys Kluge Estate and Winery

Published on April 7, 2011April 7, 2011 by Tricia TraugottLeave a comment

Cville gets “Trumped”

For over 200 years, Charlottesville, Virginia’s claim to fame has been the home of Thomas Jefferson, 3rd President of the United States and co-author of the Declaration of Independence. Henceforth, another high-profile name will be associated with Charlottesville. Today, Donald “The Donald” Trump achieved quite a coup in purchasing over 647 acres in the piedmont wine country of Virginia for a mere 6.2 million dollars.

Valued at over 28 million dollars, the largest tract included 647+/- acre tract of planted vines, event pavilion, large office barn, a carriage museum, and three cottages ideal for staff or guest accommodations. 60+/- acres of clear land that has ideal slope and elevation for future planting. Tract 3, a 131.7+/- acres tract contains the original vineyard as well as the winery production building, 2 2BD/1BA cottages, a barrel cave that can hold approximately 500 barrels, and a modular office.

J.P. King Auction Company, Inc., the oldest real estate auction company in the United States conducted the auction. A video of the Kluge Estate and Winery

offers the public a glimpse of the exquisite property that fell under the same circumstances encountered by many during these tough economic times. Donald Trump was poised and ready to capitalize on an incredible investment opportunity… and he succeeded.
During a recent PVCC viticulture class, I had the chance to prune some vines under the tutelage of Chris Hill and Gabrielle Rausse. I wonder if Mr. Trump will ever invite me over? That might have been my first and last tour of the Kluge vineyard.
Locals can only speculate what plans Trump has for Kluge. Will his name be the new label? Will it be Gold?? Highly likely considering past history. One thing is certain, Virginia’s wine country and Charlottesville will gain more international attention with the Trump branding.

We are an understated area, elegant and quiet, will Charlottesville ever be the same?

Muffled Grapes?

Published on March 8, 2011March 8, 2011 by Tricia Traugott2 Comments

Driving to a bloggers meeting this morning at Cville Sheblogs with my cell earphone out and the radio on (highly unusual), I picked up the Joe Thomas In the Morning program. This was very fortuitous! The subject was part two of the battle over noise between a local land owner and his neighbor, a vineyard owner. Apparently tension is building a bit and both sides are calling for support from local friends and non residents alike. Joe was broadcasting the neighbor’s viewpoint after airing Al Schornberg’s side on the previous day. Unfortunately, I missed that one, Darn! Several bloggers have posted their opinions on the matter, including Cellarblog and MattieRocks who has provided music for some of the wedding events at Keswick.

Al commented on my earlier post with an explanation of the efforts they have made to dissipate the noise level affecting neighboring farms. See his comment on ” Alert! Keswick, We’ve Got Your Back” post from the other day.He provides a detailed list of the steps taken and I highly recommend reading his comment!

Tomorrow evening should prove interesting, look forward to seeing everyone there! Albemarle County Board of Supervisors at 6 p.m.

ALERT! “Noise Ordinance”- Keswick,We’ve Got Your Back!

Published on March 5, 2011March 5, 2011 by Tricia Traugott17 Comments

Keswick Vineyards is doing their best to be a good neighbor!

Come support our neighboring vineyards at the Albemarle County Office Building March 9th at 6 p.m. !

This is a reprint of Keswick’s blog that I felt should be seen by as many people as possible.

A Call to Action

I got into winemaking for many reasons, the love of farming and definitely a love of wine. I get butterflies in my stomach when I see sweeping vineyards and land being farmed to create products that not only bring joy to customers, but also provide a much-needed boost into the economy of the surrounding areas.

It is with this in mind that I request your help regarding a certain matter, that not only affects us at Keswick Vineyards, but also potentially many other wineries in the county of Albemarle in the future. We opened our doors last year for weddings to be hosted on the property knowing that many a bride would want to say their vows surrounded by beautiful vineyards, with gorgeous views of the Southwest Mountains. What better way to start a new chapter in one’s life.

Albemarle County’s noise ordinance leaves much to personal interpretation, and dependent on the surrounding residents may be used to force the wineries to cease holding these events. It is with this in mind that I urge you to read the information regarding this ordinance, and if you feel like we do, to sign the petition as either a resident or non-resident of Albemarle County [there are two specific petitions].

Petition for Albemarle county residents

Petition for non-residents

We are having a public hearing at the county office building on March 9th at 6pm and showing your support would be greatly appreciated.

Kindly

Keswick Vineyards

Loudoun, DC’s Wine Country: Clusters of Divine Wine and Dine!

Published on February 11, 2011 by Tricia Traugott3 Comments

Charlottesville UnCorked is taking a detour to the North!

I was recently invited to a most elegant and delightful dining experience hosted by Visit Loudoun! I have been enticed to venture back to Virginia’s horse country, drive the Snickersville Turnpike and revisit the charming historic town of Middleburg. Emerging as a weekend destination for tourists and Virginians, Loudon County, trademarked as DC’s Wine Country, is only 25 miles from Washington, D.C. and actively promoting their culinary and historic assets. The wine trail in Loudoun is divided into five geographic “clusters” for scenic and strategic driving experiences to clusters of wineries and vineyards.

It was my good fortune to be included at a dinner at the historic Bolling Haxall House in downtown Richmond for an evening of fine dining paired with some of Loudoun’s finest wines! The focus of the event was to garnish interest in Loudoun County for weddings, conferences and tourism by highlighting some of their award-winning cuisine and wines offered in the heart of The Journey Through Hallowed Ground National Heritage Area.

I was greeted by Jeremy Harvey, VP of Destination Marketing, Visit Loudoun and Jacqueline Toppings, Director of Public and Industry Relations. They immediately made me feel welcome and introduced me around while delicious hand crafted hors d’oeuvres were circulated and Chrysalis Winery, Boxwood Winery and Breaux Vineyards wines were served. Heavenly! Jennifer Ritter, Director of Sales invited me to dine at their table and the combination of personalities with her hostess skills transformed it into the best table in the room! The renowned French Chef William Walden of the Goodstone Inn and Estate was introduced and subsequently presented a fabulous meal of fresh,artistic, locally sourced cuisine.

Enter to Win Follow Your Heart to Virginia Sweepstakes and a stay at the Goodstone Inn & Estate!

Each course was described in detail by Chef Walden followed by a “Bon appetit!” and toast as the plates were served. The menu’s first course was an ever so velvety braised leek, garden potato with sherry vichyssoise served with petite homemade rolls; it paired very well with the Chrysalis 2009 Viognier. The Viognier had melon and cantaloupe flavors, and aged in neutral oak barrels for a creamy texture. The winter greens salad of roasted beets, spiced pecans and champagne vinaigrette had been delicately enhanced with edible flowers, a delicious work of art. The salad was so exquisite that it unfortunately overshadowed the Chrysalis 2009 Albarino. When I get a chance I will have to try it again.

The third course actually elicited an “Oh my Gosh!” from more than one of us. How anything so small can have that much flavor was an accomplishment in itself. Home grown raspberries from the Goodstone Estate were used in the Raspberry Sorbet with Chambord served in a chilled porcelain cup.

The Domestic Rack of Lamb, an award winning specialty of Chef Walden followed and was absolutely mouth watering and beautifully plated. The Boxwood Winery 2008 Topiary, selected to accompany the main course was not only perfect, but my favorite wine selection of the evening! A garnet red blend of Cabernet Franc with Merlot and Malbec grapes.

I would definitely buy this wine!

The fifth and final course was a feathery light chocolate souffle served with an individual pitcher of warm chocolate sauce. This confection capped off a perfectly grand evening. I wish I had taken more photographs, but honestly, if you were served this meal, wouldn’t you just want to enjoy it? Well, I certainly DID!

I think whether you live in Charlottesville, our own tourist destination, or other areas of Virginia, Loudoun County has a wealth of wining, dining and historic spots worthy of a weekend getaway and more! As they say in Loudoun County, Take It In!

Thank You Loudoun County Tourism for a sample of what Loudoun has to offer!

I plan on another post about additional features and links if you are planning a trip to DC’s Wine Country, look for it in the future..