Back Where I Began – Route 33
It has been quite a long time since I have actually written a blog about my winery adventures, but don’t be mistaken, I have been traveling, tasting, and taking lots of notes while on the Virginia wine trails. As an avid writer, who takes my craft very seriously, I did not just want to write a post for the sake of writing a post. Sure, I could have churned out a few here and there over the last year, but my mind was not in the right place for that. Read more…
The Happiest Place on Earth
Every once in a while I have the inclination to write a blog that has nothing whatsoever to do with wine. This is one of those times. This past week I have been attending a convention in Anaheim, California for my ‘day job’. It’s been a fun but very busy week with lots of meetings, receptions, networking, walking, and all with barely any sleep. I’ve been going from one thing to another with little time to relax or even reflect on the days.
But last night, something happened to make me pause. It was a fun-filled evening at Disneyland for all of the convention attendees. The host company rented out the park for a private event that included music, dancing, food, drinks, and rides. As I sat in Adventureland with my appetizers and wine, about to watch the Fantasmic performance, my coworker turned to me and said: “Think back to six months ago. Would you have ever thought that today, six months later, you would be sitting in Disneyland on an all expense paid trip to California enjoying free food, drinks, and entertainment?”
I was suddenly taken aback. He of course doesn’t know this, but six months ago I had just experienced the most horrific thing in my life – the unexpected death of my mother. As I sat there and digested what he had just asked me, I realized that I had a choice. I could become noticeably upset and saddened by the memories of those horrible days, weeks, and months since my mom’s death. Or, I could smile and thank God for helping me make it this far. So, I decided to thank Him and my mom’s spirit for giving me the strength to just be happy in the moment, because, after all, I was in the happiest place on earth.
Sometimes even in the midst of sadness and grief, we have to find the strength and motivation to just smile and be happy. We have to thank God for the wonderful people in our lives, both living and departed. We have to enjoy the special moments in life, like a private bash in Disneyland, because as my mom would often say – life is short so enjoy every minute of it!
There are always sad days of course, but now when those little happy moments come my way I will choose to smile and rejoice. My mom wouldn’t want it any other way.
Capitol Vineyards – Where New & Old Nicely Meet
I purchased a Living Social deal a few months ago to Capitol Vineyards in Delaplane, Virginia (Loudoun County) and finally got a free Saturday to try this new place out. The offer included a food pairing with the tasting, so I was intrigued to see what this was all about. So, Sean and I jumped in the car on this cloudy yet hazy Saturday morning, and hit route 66 to get on our way.
Tucked away off of a long, windy road that parallels I-66, we made our approach to a little dilapidated white house with a vinyl sign swinging in the wind. There it was, Capitol Vineyards. What a nice fact to learn that the tasting room was once home to the first African-American owned Postmaster General in Virginia. I absolutely love old historic homes – especially when they are rustic and squeaky. You can almost feel and hear the history surrounding you.
Read more…
Prince Michel – A Delicious & Fun Pit Stop
On a weekend road trip to Lynchburg, Virginia to attend a wedding with my cousin,we decided to make a few convenient pit stops off of Rt. 29 and try some wineries we have never been to before. This was the perfect excuse to hit up Prince Michel – a winery I see all the time on my visits to the Charlottesville area. You can’t miss this huge, inviting winery, with three larger than life wine glass sculptures in front. It sits right on the main thoroughfare and is the perfect “rest area” for a 3 hour trip down south. And, we were happy to learn that it opens as early as 10am which was perfect timing as we got on the road from Fairfax quite early. Read more…
Hume Vineyards ~ Intimate & Inspiring
Throughout my winery adventure, I have come to really love the smaller, boutique vineyards throughout Virginia. There’s something to be said for tasting wine as it is poured by none other than the owner and winemaker. Not only do I enjoy the fruit of their labor but am often moved by their passion and love for what they are producing. It makes the whole experience more enjoyable, and as an aspiring entrepreneur myself I just love to hear the stories of what inspired them to get into the business and how they followed their dreams.
Last weekend, while taking a trip through the Blue Ridge wine trail, I happened upon the newly opened Hume Vineyards. The vineyard is so new that it isn’t even on the 2010 winery map. As we followed the small signs down Hume Road, I was anxious to see, taste, and learn all I could about this new place and it’s owners. It is a very cute and quaint winery located in Hume, Virginia – just several miles past the old Oasis vineyard. Upon walking into the brand new log cabin style tasting room, we were greeted by one of the two owners. She walked us through their four wines while sharing stories of how the couple got into the wine business. It was an intimate experience that I thoroughly enjoyed.
The tasting composed of one white and three reds and from beginning to end I was highly impressed with the wine and was of course inspired by their story. My favorites were the 2009 Vidal Blanc and 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon. The Vidal is so very crisp and refreshing, especially for summer porch sipping. It is full of flavor with hints of apricot and kiwi with a touch of sweetness before a nice long dry finish. As for the Cab, well the description caught my attention well before the actual tasting – they had me at “bacon”! A velvety wine with flavors of coffee, vanilla bean, and yes, even bacon – if that is where your taste buds take you, this would be great paired with a hearty meal and is a big treat for the red wine lover.
I highly recommend a trip to Hume Vineyards the next time you are on the Blue Ridge wine trail. Pack a picnic and plan to relax and stay awhile. The ambiance is quiet and serene with lot of space for relaxing and sipping all day.
The Dish
Location: 5396 Washwright Road
Tasting Fee: $5.00
Keep the glass: No
Burnley Vineyards ~ Wine with a smile
Burnley is a very cute and quaint vineyard, and the tasting room was small but nicely intimate. I felt as if I was standing around in a family or friend’s kitchen just shooting the breeze while sipping on wine. It wasn’t crowded on the Saturday that we visited, so we had the pleasure of one-on-one customer service with the associate. It was quite a bummer when the tasting portion was over, because that was the end of our great conversation and laughter. Although there is not much seating room directly inside the tasting area, they have picnic tables outdoors where you could sip wine, have a meal and gaze at the pretty vines that surround you.
For just $2.00 you taste 15 wines, evenly split between reds and whites – a great deal in my eyes. Red wines are usually my favorite, but at Burnley my palate was thirsting for the whites. From dry, to semi-dry, to sweet – all the whites were very delicious and perfect to sip on a warm summer day, or at a cookout with friends. I hit pay dirt and finally found a Virginia Riesling that I love! Theirs is medium dry with a naturally sweet finish – just perfect. The Rivanna White is also a must try. They also showed us how to mix a little sparkling wine with their Peach Fuzz for a refreshing and delicious alternative to the typical brunch mimosa.
A must buy: Without a doubt, Burnley’s Spicy Rivanna is my must buy – or as I like to call it “Christmas in a bottle”. This is a delicious specialty wine that boasts flavors of cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, allspice and more. Perfect for mulling on a cold winter night, or served very chilled for an after dinner drink by the warm fireplace. I’m a big camper so this wine will definitely be coming with me to the mountains to sip on by a campfire.
The Dish
Location: 4500 Winery Lane, Barboursville, Virginia
Tasting Fee: $2.00
Keep the glass: Yes, but only with $3.50 tasting
Village Winery – A Nice Trip Back in Time
Through the grapevine
This past weekend was so busy that I didn’t have much time for my wine adventure, but with a few hours to spare on Sunday afternoon, I decided to take a quick 20 minute ride to Loudoun County to visit a winery that I have always seen the signs for, but never visited.
What I discovered at Village Winery and Vineyard was just the most charming and rustic winery I have seen to date. It is actually a pretty large winery in the small, historic town of Waterford, Virginia. I was surprised to see and learn that they have ten acres of vineyards right outside of the Waterford village (a National Historic Landmark). The tasting room was in a small country barn with plenty of seating, and outside there was room for picnics and lounging.
The customer service was excellent and the owner was so very pleasant. Upon walking in they offer you a small plate of locally produced cheese to snack on before starting the tasting. He talked us through every wine and gave us a good lesson on Elderberries! If you are a sweet wine drinker, you will really enjoy the Apple and Elderberry Wines.
The visit to Village Winery and historic Waterford was a pure treat. Experiencing the history and rural atmosphere (only 20 minutes from the city), and their hospitality was a nice trip back to a simpler time.
Don’t leave without it!
The Dish
Tasting Fee: $5.00 is “suggested” (you have to love that!)
Keep the glass: No (Not necessary since the tasting is whatever cost you want it to be!).
