After my post regarding turning 50 (The Big Five Oh Crap!), I set the goal for the number of vineyards to visit…100.
This is do-able and with Loudoun Counties 30+ I can have this goal reached early. Tish and I started on January 2. I had a game plan of where we should visit, but due to the holiday as well as the winter season, some wineries have limited hours or are closed until spring.
We got things started at Rappahannock Cellars. We tasted some interesting whites and few young reds before ending with their Port-Style which I really enjoyed. From there, we headed over to Linden Vineyards and after sampling their 4 on their tasting list (Chardonnay, Red, Petit Verdot & Reisling Vidal) we decided a bottle of Petit Verdot would be perfect for the deck. Since we made reservations for dinner at Tula’s Off Main in Washington, Va., I told Tish that we could visit one more. The closest vineyard was Fox Meadow Vineyards. So from one mountain top to another, we arrived in time to do a tasting and enjoy a glass. A gentleman walks up to the counter and interrupts our tasting. Tish jokingly gives him a hard time. He apologizes and asks the lady behind the tasting bar about a place to stay in Strasburg. I piped up and suggested to stay at The Hotel Strasburg.
The ’11 Reserve Cab Franc was tasting really good so Tish decided we needed a bottle. So we go out to grab a seat and the couple seeking a place to stay thanked us for the recommendation of the Hotel. They joined us and we discussed sports, food, bars in the DC area while sipping on wine. As we parted ways, they suggested we meet them at The Depot Lounge for some wine later in the evening. We agreed and exchanged numbers. My priority at this time was to make it to our diner reservation.
I had about 25 minutes to get to Little Washington from Linden. Traffic wasn’t bad and I pulled in and found parking at exactly 6:30. Back in the summer I had the opportunity to have lunch at Tula’s with my sister. Lunch was amazing and I could only hope dinner would be the same. They didn’t disappoint. Both our meals were delicious and we are making plans to visit again this year.
Arriving in Strasburg, we stopped to meet up with our new friends. One bottle turned into two and before we knew it, we were closing the bar down.
Fun times were had by all! Maybe a little too much fun!
The second week started with bone chilling temperatures and a little bit of snow. I made adjustments to my work schedule which had me working on Friday which isn’t a bad thing. Some of Loudoun Counties vineyards are open on Friday early. Since I worked two marathon days on Wed. & Thurs., I would leave at 11:30 to head home. Even though I had an early start to the weekend, I stayed in the County and tasted wine from a few vineyards.
Dry Mill Vineyards is closest to my work and since it was on my way home I stopped and gave it a try. This will be my third visit and with a new wine maker, they have improved. Tish is a fan of Cambourcin, so I got a bottle of their Cambourcin Rose. My next stop was an accident. I had planned on heading back to the valley and visit one closer to my house but due to the brake lights I saw on Rt. 7, I opted for the Hamilton exit to avoid gridlock. Once I was on 704, I knew The Barns at Hamilton Station Vineyards was a few minutes away.
There were quite a few cars in the parking lot and the tasting bar was filled to the max. There was only one person working the tasting bar and she had 8 patrons. I found a lone spot at the end and began my tasting. The Stainless Chardonnay was first, soft flavors and a nice nose. There were 5 other wines on the list with the Merlot being the lone red I preferred. There was a group of 4 ladies next to me…2 Cougars & 2 Turkey Vultures. They began debating what wines and food parings to get for their afternoon of debauchery. I heard one talk about her spouse:
“My first dead husband…”
This really perked my interest and got me wondering…how many dead husbands did this woman have and how did she kill them!
At any rate, I began thinking I should visit one more and choose one from my ’12 tour…8 Chains North.
This vineyard was new in ’12 and it was pouring some really good wines.
As you walk in, there is a great view of the vines and with snow on the ground, it was amazing.
Just like The Barns, the Chardonnay was good but, they had a host wine from Spain that I had to have a bottle. A ’12 Grenache was rich in color, with light acidity and soft tannins.
After this weeks visits, I believe that Loudoun’s wines are improving.
Once again, Mother Nature made a mess of the roads and had me working a little later than normal. After a cold day and a skiff of snow, the temperatures rose and this had me seeking my first new vineyard of 2015. A ten mile ride to Lovettesville, Va. had me pulling into the parking lot of Creek’s Edge Winery. The barn & silo were amazing! Built a few years ago by the Amish, the facility was a sight. Dan greets me as I’m the only bird dog tasting wine today.
Pinot Gris was the first of the whites, then the Chardonnay…both quaff-able. The reds were good – even the ’11’s were good enough to call home about. Then came the one that shocked me…’09 Cab Franc! HOLY CRAP! This wine has everything I want in a wine, The nose had a rich aroma with just a touch of currants. The first taste was smooth and the finish had wonderful tannins. I informed Dan, I would like to take a bottle with me and to my surprise, I was treated to a glass on the house.
Since I had a 4 day weekend, I knew getting my domestic chores done early would allow me to enjoy an afternoon of sunshine and wine. I had to run a few errands, then lunch – as soon as I got my belly full it was…Wine Time!
A warm sunny day pretty much made my decision on which one to visit, Glen Manor Vineyards. Although the temps were in the mid to upper 40s, once I got out of my car at the vineyard it wasn’t as warm as expected at this altitude.
Kelly did my tasting and it consisted of the Morales Rose, T. Ruth, Petit Manseng, & Raphius. All 4 were wonderful wines. I was really enjoying the Petit Manseng but opted for the Merlot dominate T. Ruth. I savored the half bottle of T. Ruth most of the afternoon. A lone couple from Md. stopped in to taste and we struck up a conversation about baseball, food and of course…wine.
After finishing my wine, I purchased a Rose to enjoy over the weekend. This weeks tasting were the best thus far.
I had one last stop for January, and you’re wondering why I didn’t taste on the fifth week. I’ll tell ya in a minute.
I first thought about heading over close to Rt. 66 and visit a few. Once again, brake lights had me going west on Rt. 50 to avoid traffic (No.Va. Traffic Sucks!). I have a few vineyards to choose from but I wanted to visit Greenhill Winery because I was thinking about the Champagne-style Chardonnay. They had a nice crowd in their tasting room and made myself comfortable to taste what they had to offer. The Reds were surprisingly good and of course their bubbly was the rock star.
So overall, Loudoun Co. is starting to produce better wines, my local vineyards all are just kick ass and some vineyards seem to find it necessary to raise tasting fees and increase the price of bottles just because they are low in stock. That’s kind of a dick move if you ask me.
The last week of January, I’m only working a partial week. I’m taking extended time off to celebrate my birthday. At noon on Thursday, I made my way back to the hills, and put on my big boy cloths for my pre-birthday dinner at…The Inn at Little Washington.
I’ll tell you about it next time.
crazynvirginia 