A weekend get-away to a few
Vineyards in Virginia with my spouse and four great friends for a 50th birthday celebration was a fabulous way to unwind, reconnect, drink wonderful wines, eat well, and have fun together.
THE WINE TOUR:
The wife of " birthday boy" set up our wine tour in
Central Virginia, rented a limo and surprised her husband with an additional guest - their son who is attending
school in the area and one of the main reasons for celebrating in this part of Virginia.
Some wineries were favorites of the birthday couple and some chosen after watching the documentary
"Vintage: The Winemakers Year" - a new film about the Virginia wine industry - specifically the Monticello wine region in Central Virginia - that traced the 2008 vintage from winter pruning through harvest. Considering these two factors, our first stop was to the
Kluge Estate Winery Vineyard (which was founded in 1999, featured at the
Clinton Wedding and is, unfortunately, in
foreclosure) Our day was picnic perfect which made for a fine, sippable time outside
Although they don't allow visitors to bring in their own picnic items, they do sell platters of artisanal cheeses which pair well with their wine selections.
Our next stop was right up the road at
"Veritas Winery", a family owned business that opened in June 2002.
"Although their name derives from the Roman historian, Pliny the Elder's observation: “In Vino Veritas” ~ “In Wine There Is Truth” - they believe that the truth in their wine is in their grapes." Our wines of choice for the day were:
Saddleback Chardonnay ~ modeled after the old "world" style from Chablis, France. The nose is clean showing aromas of ripe apples, honeydew melon and quince. The palate is medium bodied, layered with ripe tree fruits and the soft impressions of toast and spice from oak aging. Saddleback Chardonnay finishes with a backbone of minerality and balanced acidity.
The Harlequin Reserve Chardonnay ~ “Harlequin” is the multicolored symbol of fun, music and laughter that characterizes of Reserve Chardonnay. This wine is barrel fermented and barrel aged for 6 months which helps to create layers of ripe fruit tones with a wonderful mouth feel. Delicate aroma of candied apples, pears, grapefruit and honey balanced with nuances of vanilla and butterscotch. The palate is consistent with the nose yet bringing on subtle flavors of clove and lightly toasted oak. The finish is full and creamy and perfectly balanced with acidity helping to provide a grin of true satisfaction.
Cabernet Frac Reserve ~ Cabernet Franc Reserve is a wine that shows beautiful intensity of fruit while maintaining elegance and refinement. Ripe black cherry, cassis and hints of black pepper dominate the flavor with undertones of red currant and plum. The 18 month maturation time in French oak adds complexity in the form of caramel and vanilla. The wine has an elegant mouth feel with well integrated tannins and a long balanced finish.
At Veritas the setting is idyllic with gorgeous views, a great outdoor deck, and visitors are welcome to bring their own picnic foods. Our hostess' had prepared a full spread which was artfully arranged on a table and devoured with great gusto and appreciation.
The grapevines are within a stones throw from the wine shop and outdoor seating area. Since a walk after drinking and eating is always a welcome digestible idea, the setting is perfect for such an activity.
Our next - and last stop - was to
Afton Mountain Vineyards, one of Virginia's pioneer farm wineries with their oldest vines dating from the 1970's. There was a cancellation for a wine tasting so we were able to slide right into this canceled spot for a wee sip and a very small lesson on their vintages. At Afton Vineyards we were joined by another guest - my son - who is also attending
school in the area, and who just recently become of drinking age. For this tasting we choose a bottle of
Afton Petite Verdot ("which is aged a full 12 months in new French Oak. This 2009 dry red has subtle tannins, big dark fruit and black pepper. It is ready for drinking now but is suitable for aging as well. 100% Petit Verdot; a Bordeaux varietal typically used for blending, but is gaining favor as Virginia's best red") and a bottle of their
Steel Chardonnay ("Fermented and aged in a stainless steel tank to show off the true taste of the Chardonnay grape. It is delicate, fruity, and crisp, with a citrus finish.")
A lovely brick patio area right outside the tasting room, with views of Afton's "grape trees" and the Blue Ridge, creates a nice space for relaxing and picture taking - both of which we took full advantage - as you can see by the images posted below:
After a day of celebrating, toasting, noshing and fun it was time to hop back in the limo for a leisurely ride "home" and a little nap and walk before a birthday dinner at
The Ivy Inn Restaurant
THE DINNER:
The Ivy Inn "was once part of a larger estate named the "Faulkner House"
after William Faulkner, a Southern aristocrat and distinguished University of Virginia “writer in residence.” In 1815, a fire destroyed the original Inn, which was built in the early 1700’s. A year later Jesse Pittman Lewis rebuilt the estate, adding several outbuildings including the present structure which now houses the Ivy Inn Restaurant. The kitchen, located in the back of the house, was formerly a tollhouse where weary travelers rested from their journeys between Richmond and Staunton. The University later acquired the several outbuildings and the Faulkner estate for guest housing and dining facilities. In 1893 the house was sold for only $3000 to James Kiblin, who was also granted 11 ¼ acres as part of the bill of sale. In 1901 it was sold to William H. Barlow, an attorney and engineer from England. The Barlow family owned the property until 1939 when William’s youngest son sold it to a University of Virginia professor of biology. Between 1940 and 1965 the house sold two more times and in 1973 the Ivy Inn restaurant was established in order to provide the community and visitors with a richly historical and elegant atmosphere for dining."
HANDMADE THANK YOU GIFT FOR THE HOSTESS & HER BIRTHDAY BOY:
As a little thank you gift for the hostess and her birthday boy I drew and painted a
pottery portrait plate which they can display or use as a serving piece on future wine tours. Inspiration provided by a photo of them in the limo.
A FEW RANDOM PICTURES FROM THE TRIP:
