Virginia Wine meets The Green Fairy

It was early December when I visited District Winery in Washington D.C. and posted an image from their tasting room. A comment had me a bit perplexed about a possible visit. Then I realized it was that time of year and Greg was coming home for the holidays.

He expressed interest in visiting the D.C. winery but I had other plans. To my “Rookie” mistake I had forgotten about the winter hours at most Virginia vineyards and had to make a late adjustment.

Linden Vineyards wasn’t open that Friday so I opted to take Greg to another vineyard not to far away, Arterra Wines.

Sandy and Jason are the owners and we were lucky enough to have Jason pour our wines. Here was the list and my notes along with Greg’s humorous feedback.

’16 Dry Riesling

Me: Herbaceous, light and bright with low acids. A touch of sweetness on the palette with a subtle dry finish.

Greg: D.U.I made easy (drink with great care).

’15 Chardonnay

Me: Soft golden colors, a touch of minerality on the front of the mouth with buttery textures to round out the finish.

Greg: Not Cali – But still has the fornication.

’15 Cabernet Franc

Me: Dark red fruit on the nose, black currants and stone fruits on the back of the palette with a touch of white pepper on the finish.

Greg: Relax campfire wine to talk to a bunch of woulda been coulda been.

’15 Petit Verdot

Me: My favorite varietal! Bright concentrated fruit with a hint of leather on the nose. Bold rich fruit flavors with a cigar smoke on the finish. This is the perfect deck/porch sitting wine.

Greg: Official seal of Virginia! Seriously run with this one! Thomas Dolby reading Edgar Allen Poe!

’14 Reserve

Me: A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Tannat, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. An intense nose with dark fruit flavors. Gorgeous tannins with a bright finish. Another true deck/porch sipping wine.

Greg: The Harold Baines, Coco Crisp and Johnnie Damon All-Star Team wine.

’15 Tannat (bonus pour)

Me: Robust dark fruit essence on the nose. A well rounded mouth flavors of stone fruits – great balance. Bright acid with nice tannins on the finish. Beautiful wine!

Greg: Mystery Wine – Ask Coop! Joan Jett, Rage Against The Machine and Beatles Mash-up.

Blueberry Apple Wine

Me: This wine reminds me of the old field party days drinking fruit wines of my childhood. Bright berry and fruity flavors with a soft acidic finish. Refreshing flavors.

Greg: Not cobbler, Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!!!

Apple Wine

Me: Refreshing fruit flavors from start to finish.

Greg: What really hit Sir Issac Newton on the head and made him giggle. Strong gravitational pull!

Overall wonderful wines and Greg truly enjoyed them.

Lunch at the Hunters Head Tavern followed. French Dip Sandwiches and craft beer were paired with the meals (Greg, Legends Brown Ale Me, Devils Backbone Black Lager). Then I mentioned that Absinthe was being made a few miles down the road and Greg was on board to visit with the Green Fairy.

Off to Mt. Defiance Cidery & Distillery we went.

To his surprise Virginia is making top notch Absinthe as well, or as he put it:

From the moment I entered this fine establishment I knew… I just knew… on the bar it was there. The fountain of the Green Fairy herself. My inner child of La Belle Époque knew I had a chance for a moment of real Steampunk Van Gogh in the Shenandoah Valley.

The slow drop of this magical fountain set the stage for the suspense and anticipation to build. Indeed… could this magic potion bring me somewhere near Aix-en-Provence?

With the first sip it was indeed the kiss of the Green Fairy… adding a new bit of surrealism to my expanding Absinthe Adventures.

Absinthe began as an all-purpose patent remedy created by Dr. Pierre Ordinaire, a French doctor living in Couvet, Switzerland… to this day I’m not sure what it really cures, but I can say this glass I found under this magic fountain made me quite happy to have the appropriate disease.

Thus far he has not been disappointed with any of the Virginia watering holes I have introduced to him.

His next visit I’ll try to get Greg to the Godfather of Virginia wine, Jim Law at
Linden Vineyards.

Until next time my friend…Cheers! Prost! Slainte! Cin Cin! And my favorite…Bottoms Up!

 

A Visit From Greg!

Last December, a familiar face appeared on Facebook. He hadn’t changed much since we last saw each other 30+ years ago. The only significant change was the town he was residing in…Vienna, Austria.

When he made the announcement he was coming state side, I made a point to meet with him. He was interested in reconnecting and told me to make the proper arrangements. I choose Glen Manor Vineyards for our meet and he truly enjoyed his first visit to a Virginia Winery.

A few weeks ago, he gave me the heads up that he would be visiting his mother over the Thanksgiving holiday. He told me to pick the venue and we could talk about the good ole days once again.

Greg was open to either beer or wine and I decided to show him the Vineyards of Frederick County.

We met in town and I proceeded to the Shenandoah valley’s northern most wineries. Our first stop was James Charles Winery. One of Virginia’s newer Vineyards, it is part of the Bogaty Family Wine Group which includes 2 other wineries Veramar Vineyard in Berryville & Bogati Winery in Round Hill.

Since opening last August, James Charles is making some noise with their red wines.

Greg and I did a tastings and decided to get a bottle of Petit Verdot. Rich Garnet in color, dark cherry and smoke on the nose. Complex red berry flavors with a dry spicy, chewy finish. This is your steak, burger wine even fish and chips would go well with this wine.

I believe Greg said: “This wine has the legs of a super model!” We will go with that!

The day was gorgeous and we decided to take advantage of the warm November weather and enjoy their patio. Our next stop will keep us indoors as the sun began to set but this vineyard has evening hours which is a great perk, Valerie Hill Vineyard & Winery.

It was almost 4 years ago that I stumbled upon this vineyard as I was taking back roads home due to heavy traffic on I-81. Tish and I visit often, knowing Greg is partial to Merlot, he will not be disappointed in their Merlot Reserve.

Subtle earthy notes with a touch of leather on the bouquet. Soft, warm flavors of currants and black cherries. Nice concentration and fruit forward that transcends to supple dry/low spice flavors on the finish. This is a true pasta wine that could be enjoyed by itself or with an after dinner cigar.

Greg is very impressed with how enjoyable the wines are in Virginia. I told him that when he comes back for another visit, we will take in some other vineyards in the surrounding area. With more than 30 within a 25 mile radius, we have plenty to choose from. And so do you!

Get out and visit the areas wineries and show your support for Virginia’s wine industry.

Cheers!

Ottmar & Employees Only

We jumped back on the subway and the next stop is the Staten Island Ferry. An hour round trip to get a view of the city. After this trip, we will have to make our way back to the same area as brunch and then part ways again.

The girls have tickets to see Joan Osborne and Susanna Vega at The City Winery. I made last minute plans to see Ottmar Leibert at the Highline Ballroom.

The view of the Statue of Liberty was awesome as well as the New York skyline!

Once we got back on the train, Jess told me where I needed to get off in order to make my concert. It was close to Bathtub Gin and once again Siri guided me to my destination. A very small venue and no room to move.

He was amazing but the crowd was a bit overbearing. If you moved from your spot too damn bad. So I stood my ground and waited until after the show to get some food and beverages.

My show ended at 8:15 and I sent Tish a text letting her know I was on my way to meet them at our last stop. Their show would be another hour or longer. So I made my way toward Employees Only and figured I would find something along to the way to eat and drink.

One steak house quit serving at 8:30…really?  So I was just 4 blocks from our meet up and I smelled that wonderful aroma, cigars.

Hudson Bar & Books was a happy accident  and I had time.

They had everything on the cocktail menu and cigar menu. The eats menu not so much. Very limited but was able to find a snack to munch while I burned one in NYC.

I ordered an Old Cuban and selected the Arturo Fuente Short Story to burn. Several cocktails later and the girls texted me they were leaving soon. Perfect timing and I left this nice nugget of a find.

Being as fat as I am, I took a nice stroll through the city of NYC. Then I rolled up on a small building with a “Psychic” sign in the window. Texted Tish and Jess, they said it would be 15 minutes until they arrived. Okay I can hang.

The crowd control, okay…the days of bouncer is long gone. He was a big ole boy and had an impressive presence. We chatted about things from days gone by. The ole ‘80s and how you dealt with the A-holes at that time period. Many stories were shared and some were quite funny. Within 10 minutes, Tish and Jess arrived. At this point of the night, we were going to be just standing at the bar enjoying craft cocktails.

Little did I know my new friend was about to hook us up with a good evening. He said: “Follow ME!” Okay the fat man was ready to see what could be an epic night.

“Sit them at a good table.” Okay, redneck is down with that!

Menu’s were dropped off and I new what I wanted for a drink. Employee’s Only signature drink…

Mata Hari!

Remy Martin 1738 Cognac shaken with Chai-infused Martini Rosso & Pomegranate Juice. Served straight up.

A wonderful blend of flavors and amazing presentation. And I was very impressed with their wine list. Although this joint is known for its craft cocktails, many of the folks around us were ordering bottles of wine.

I have to say, E.O. & P.D.T. are tied as my favorite speakeasy thus far. Although, the Booze & Boobs at Bathtub Gin was another highlight of my trip.

We head home tomorrow and I’m already planning another visit and tour of the other speakeasies on my list.

I made my last visit to Hot & Crusty for coffee and croissants. The lady who took my order really took control:

Me: “Coffee & Croissant”
Chick: “You take cream?”
Me: “No.”
Chick: “Oh, you take cream today!”

Obviously she mistaken me for a regular. So I got to enjoy coffee with cream. How the hell do people do that to perfectly good coffee.

After Tish had her coffee, we went for a walk at Riverside Park before we packed up the car. A young lady riding a bike looks and smiles and that’s when I stop and turned to Tish. Her expression confirmed what I thought…it was Amy Schumer.

So, I ended my first official trip to the Big Apple with my first celebrity sighting.

It was an amazing time and I can’t wait to return. Thank you Jess for your hospitality and we will see you soon with more speakeasies and watering holes to visit.

Brunch & Burlesque…Yes Please!

Yes, I know I skipped a day. I was working in at a vineyard…imagine that!

At any rate, here is the next to last entry of this series:

Once again, blurred vision and 11 o’clock seems to be the norm for this trip. Showers and then we were out the door heading to Bathtub Gin for…wait for it…

BRUNCH & BURLESQUE!

The subway trip seemed to take forever. This is because I have not had coffee and that’s not a good thing. We get off the train and took a stroll to the stop. This is the address for the place but we are outside of a tiny coffee shop, Stone Street Coffee.  Okay I’m ready to drink rot-gut coffee at this point.

Then a gentleman asks: “Are you here for brunch?”

We give him our name and the wall opens to yet another gorgeous bar with a large copper claw foot tub in the middle of the dining room. Okay, I’m all excited at this point.

The girls decided to have Mimosas and opted for an Irish Coffee. Oh this was going down really good. For my brunch, I went against the norm. Wagyu Burger with Wild Mushrooms and Gruyere, a side of Fries and then a few Allagash White’s were consumed.

Then it was time for the girls to perform. I felt it was necessary to have the girls on the outside so that they could enjoy the girls. Okay I wanted them to feel uncomfortable. I know, Jerk!

Did I mention, this was my first time enjoying Sunday brunch?

Breakfast & boobs, I can get use to this. Kind of like back in the days of closing strip clubs and then going to breakfast with the talent. You know you’ve done that before! Don’t judge!

Another New York watering hole that I’ll return to on my next visit!

Jess had a surprise for us and it involved water.

PDT

It was a short stroll to our last stop of the evening. As you know, most speakeasies are disguised and you need to look for landmarks. As soon as I saw the Crif Dogs sign or the other that says: “Eat Me”, I knew we were there.

The long counter of stools were filled and there was a short line to use the phone booth. Yes, I said phone booth and it was sporting an “out of order” sign.

The routine is simple, dial 1 and wait. The adjacent wall opened to a magnificent dim,  yet sultry lit bar. The young lady asked for my name and said it would be 5 minutes. So we hung out with a very young crowd and when they called my name, we heard grumbles from the peanut gallery.

I was borderline righteous at this point and said:

“Hey Scooter, you should have made reservations…Rookie!”

We took seats at the bar. Gorgeous backlit bar with high-end spirits. Several taxidermy items on the walls made my two vegetarians nervous.

Our bartender presented us with our cocktail menus and I spotted my first drink:

Paddington
Banks 5 Island Rum, Lillet Blanc, Lemon & Grapefruit Juice, Bonne Maman Orange Marmalade, St George Absinthe

An amazing presentation of a craft cocktail with magnificent balance of citrus flavors. If the first one was this good, I can’t wait to try my second choice.

Shark
Butter infused Bacardi Silver Rum, Wray and Nephew Overproof Rum, Frangelico, Blue Curaçao, Lemon & Pineapple juice, Cream, Bitterman’s Elemakule Tiki Bitters

A true Tiki drink, I wanted the bartender to turn on some Buffett tunes at this point. The girls truly enjoying their drinks too.

And was it worth the trouble of getting reservations…

I can honestly say, this is one of my favorite bars of all-time. I will be back and will tell all my friends about this place.

At the end of the night, NYC got the best of me but tomorrow will be another day of go, go, go. This country boy is ready for another day of fun. Music and more cocktails are on the docket.

Did I mention brunch and boobs too!

An Incredible View

I seem to be drawn to this area. As I continue my tour of Virginia wineries, I enjoy visiting this part of the state.
My plan included secondary roads to get me to the Crozet area. Once I dropped over Afton Mountain, I was only a few miles away from the first stop of the day, Grace Estate Vineyard.

The estate to the left has an amazing view.

A new tasting room down near the road was a surprise. We enjoyed our first visit in the estate on the hill a few years ago. I wanted to visit the estate and take a few photos, I was told no. This is reserved to events especially weddings. That’s most unfortunate.

After startling the young lady in the tasting room (I scared the hell out of her), she began pouring their wines.

’13 Estate Le Gras Cuve, a refreshing wine of Vidal Blanc and Petit Manseng. Heavy aromas of lemon and lime with crips tropical fruits on the palate. Intense acids with a honey finish help round out a very nice wine. I could see this wine being used to make a white Sangria using white peaches, a splash of simple syrup and even cucumbers and a sprig of mint. Is it time to head to the porch?

’13 Petit Verdot, a deep ruby red color. Earthy and tobacco aromas filled my nose. Jammy notes of currants on the mid-palate with a subtle cranberry finish with smooth tannins. LOVE THIS!

About a mile away was my next stop, Stinson Vineyards.

Here are my favorites:

’14 Sauvignon Blanc, an elegant wine done in stainless, oak and in the egg which is made of concrete. A floral nose of tropical fruits – especially lemon. Intense flavors of peaches and grapefruit. The surprising mineral finish is from the concrete egg. With this much acid and flavors, I can see this wine paired with heavy curry Indian dishes.

’13 Sugar Hollow Red, a rich red colored Merlot. A fruit forward wine with bold dark cherry flavors. The oak and toasty flavors on the palate. Low, soft tannins leads to mild finish.

A bonus pour from Stinson Vineyards. I enjoyed this one too!

Another nice visit and then it was on to number 3 of the day, White Hall Vineyards.

My last visit was in June of last year. I truly enjoyed their Petit Verdot.

I had to settle for these:

’14 Pinot Gris, French oak and stainless give this wine a golden hue. Soft citrus aromas in the glass, with in your face flavors of lemon on the palate. The low acid gives this wine a soft finish. A lobster roll or crab cake is what I would be my go to grub with this bottle.

NV Cabernet Sauvignon, with 75% Cab Sauv. and about 25% Touriga. A spicy nose of white pepper and rich dark berry flavors on the palate. The softer tannins were surprising as I was expecting bolder, crunchier tannins.

I always enjoy this vineyard!

The narrow, paved mountain road takes me about 4 miles to next vineyard, Mountfair VIneyards.

When you pull into the parking lot and see a cast iron bathtub in the yard, you know you are in the hills. Relax, there were no banjo’s playing but the day is still early.

The tasting consisted of their wines and a local cider from Potters.

As for the wines, here are both red they had to offer:

’13 WooLooMooLoo, a blend of Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon & Tannat. A deep rich color with spectacular notes of dark fruits and licorice. A fruit forward with dark cherries on the palate. The finish is a cigar smokers dream, rich leathery and tobacco round out this wine.

’13 Bonfire, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Tannat. A surprise of jammy big fruits on the nose. Mega flavors of currants, cherries and blackberries coat the palate. The finish really softens with cherry and low tannins. This wine would pair well with Chicago-style deep dish pizza. The flavors from the rich sauce and the wine would be complete Utopia.

Some of my favorite reds in the state!

One of the downfalls of being in this area is Siri doesn’t want to play. I did my best trying to connect with her and she was just not wanting to let me in. So, I relied on the old way to maneuver an actual map, but that didn’t go too well.

Based on what the states map said, I was heading into the right direction, The road began as a paved road before it turned to gravel. It was like being in Kentucky all over again and seeing the sign that said “Stay out or get shot!” I was not comfortable to say the least.

After about 15 minutes I was seeing houses that weren’t occupied, or I thought they weren’t. And then I saw my savior, a UPS truck. I knew he could give me directions. After a brief chat, he had me on my way.

In 7-8 minutes, I reached one of the coolest wineries in the state, Glass House VIneyards. As you walk into their doors, one of the first things you see are banana trees. A gorgeous green house of exotic flowers and plants line the table for folks to enjoy a glass or a bottle.

As for the wines:

’14 Pinot Gris, a sumptuous wine. Fruity nose with crisp apricot flavors on the mouth. A nice mineral finish makes this the perfect wine for sushi.

’12 21st, a Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec. A heavenly smoky nose, Rich cherry, currants and blackberries fill the palate. The tannins are chewy which makes for a spicy black pepper finish.

So Cool!

Just a few miles away, is a vineyard that has one of the most incredible views I have ever seen…Moss Vineyard.

Such a great view!

As for the wines:

’14 Viognier, wild tropical fruits permeate the glass. Floral honeysuckle on the palate with just a touch of mineral to round out the low acid finish.

’13 Vino Rosso, a red blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Earthy notes with structured flavors of bright red fruit. Sweet cherries and low tannins on the finish.

At this point, I looked at my time to see if it was possible to visit number 7 of the day. Just 3 miles away, is my next stop or so I thought.

I talked to the young man behind the tasting bar about the vineyard. Then, the 2 couples spoke up and told me I couldn’t leave this area without a visit to Stone Mountain Vineyards. I have heard about them and their narrow road leading to the vineyard.

So, I followed my new friends 1,700 ft. up the mountain to, what I’m convinced as…the best view in the state from a vineyard. Oh others boast their views but hands down, the most incredible view I have seen thus far.

Stone Mountain Vineyards, this could be the best view in the state!

I almost forgot, I’m here for the wine.

’14 Chardonnay Reserve, done in Stainless and Hungarian oak. Fruity nose and smoky melon flavors on the palate. The spiciness is from the oak that leaves just and hint of butter on the finish.

Merlot, this medium bodied wine is rich in color. Blackberries on the nose and dark cherry on the palate. Silky tannins make this a well balanced wine.

After that added bonus, that brought my days total to 7. And with this tour it brings my 2015 total to 115.

Next week, I’m thinking of either coming back to this area or going south to the Roanoke area to see what the wines are like down there.

This has been fun so far.

I Love Beer!

From some of my previous posts, I bet you thought I had forgotten about this redneck’s favorite beverage … beer!

Ah, beer.

It is a word that stands on its own! We don’t need a definition or to be lectured on its description. We know that a little barley & hops makes a wonderful beverage.

I’m almost positive that “beer” was one of my first words. As a small child, I remember seeing those bright cans (and I mean “cans” made from steel, yes I’m that old) with the iconic logos of Pabst, Schlitz, Budweiser and Black Label. No pull tabs, you needed a can opener to get inside. Cool, huh? Hey Pabst, let’s bring back some of those retro cans! Cone Top or Flat Top…Hmmm?

One of my uncles would coax me over and convince me to take a pull from his cold beer. Tasted like crap, but it would only be a few years until I developed a palate for the nectar of the gods!

I was grandfathered in to Virginia’s drinking laws at the age of 18. This meant I could belly up to the bar and enjoy a frothy adult beverage. A restaurant in Winchester, Va. is where I encountered my first dark beer…Lowenbrau Dark. The crew I ran around with during those days would give me a hard time about drinking the “foreign crap,” but I wanted to see if it was good. I have to say: “Hell yeah it was GOOD!”

Today, I will sample any kind of beer put before me. I do have my favorites, and there are a few styles I don’t care for but I will give them a taste. Had a bad experience with a Russian Imperial Stout…enough said!

Now that spring has arrived, that means so has the annual beer festival at Belle Grove Plantation in Middletown, Va. I have been going to this event for many years, and have to say that it is the premier beer festival in our area. The best part of this event is the laid-back/chilled atmosphere, and of course…the beer. A local distributor is the key holder to the day’s beverages being poured. On occasion, a local micro-brewery will take part and pour their product. Local music, some excellent food vendors and a few purveyors of fine cigars round out the event. I do enjoy firing up an Ashton Virgin Sun Grown stick on this day. Plus the cigar smoke helps with the long lines, as most people don’t like the smell of a fine cigar…Sissies!!!

If you’re thinking of joining crazynvirginia, you can get your tickets here: www.BelleGrove.org

And if you’re in Virginia’s Frederick, Shenandoah or Warren counties, I expect to see you at this celebration.

This is one of many festivals Tish and I will attend this year, and I hope to see some of my crazy-ass friends enjoying themselves.

Let’s get outside to those festivals and enjoy a beer or two…or three!!

Cheers, Bottoms Up, Salute & Slainte Y’all!!