Rain with a chance of Rye

My last day off has me yo-yoing from inside to out.

Random showers have me watching Netflix and then running outside for deck therapy. With a longer break between showers of rain, I decided to crack open one last bottle.

Sazerac Rye, aged 6 years bottled at 90 Proof. Mash bill comprised of: 51% Rye, 39% Corn, 10% Malt.

Smooth from start to finish. Sweet notes of honey and a touch of spice.

I’m pairing it with a stick that’s been in my humidor for a few months.

Davidoff 702 Series No. 2

Binder: Dominican

Filler: Dominican

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano

Size: Panatela

Light smooth with earthy notes and a touch of citrus. A perfect cigar from beginning to end.

Until next time…Cheers Y’all!

Rosé at RdV

There are significant perks working for a well known restaurant. When the Front Desk’s   elder statesman came out to tell me about a company outing to RdV Vineyards, I wanted to know where I was to sign up!

Getting the opportunity to taste one of Virginia’s premiere vineyards on your employers dime is sweet and makes some members of the family “Jelly” as Shortie says all the time…he thinks he is so damn cool!

When Tish and I visited on New Years Eve 2015, our guide Jarad talked about a Rose in the tanks and would be made available exclusively to visitors of the tasting room. I really wanted to taste this wine but had no idea when I would get the chance…I did, yesterday.

I was one of the first to arrive at the vineyard and no soon than I walked through the door, they handed me a glass of the forbidden nectar.

Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and done in stainless steel. Ripe peaches and a touch of hay on the nose. Tart strawberry and apricot on the palette with a slight feel of effervescence on the back palette. The finish had a subtle hint of leather with just a touch of tannins.

Other than Glen Manor and King Family Vineyards Rose this may be my new favorite wine. It is such a shame it isn’t available to everyone. Josh did an amazing job with this wine and I can only hope down the road it becomes a member of the the RdV wine family.

Come on Rutger, lets bottle this jewel and sell it to all. It would make this fat man happy.

Cheers my fellow winos!

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.

My First Time…

…to New York City! You have a Dirty Mind!

A few months ago, I visited NYC for the very first time. Oh, I’ve been on a bus trip a to see the Orioles vs. Yankees a few years ago but this was my first time being a tourist.

And tour I did!

Tish and I stayed with our friend Jess in Upper Manhattan for a few days. We drove up and our trip was to only take about 5 hours but… if you know us, we always stop somewhere to taste the local fare and beverages.

Using the Vinowine app, the closest vineyard to our route was Spring Gate Vineyard. After Siri took us on a 45 minute tour of the back roads of Pennsylvania, we pulled into the parking lot and we were more than ready to try wine.  And to our surprise, beer & cider too.

The Riesling, Vidal and Chardonnay was nice. Their Chambourcin was the highlight of their reds. Their biggest surprise was the brewery. The pale ale was extremely good and I could have sat there all day emptying pints. But Jess was waiting.

Once we got back on the road, our sights were set on the Big Apple!

Jess was texting wondering about our ETA, it was going to be late so all was good. I sent her a few links to some possible outings. One peaked her interest and she quickly responded:
“Sunday Brunch reservations have been made for 2:30.”
This will be entertaining to say the least.

As we rolled into Upper Manhattan, Jess was informing us to double park in the street outside of her apartment so we could unload the car. This was new to me – hell if we did this in Strasburg, Johnny Law would have us towed and in bracelets. After we carried all the crap to Jess’ place it was time to find a place to park. 30 minutes later, we found free parking for the duration of our visit.
We walked to get a late dinner at the French Roast located at the corner of Broadway and W85 St. I ordered the 8 oz. burger with bacon and Gruyere on a Brioche bun, washed it down with a Left Hand Nitro.

It was well past 2 a.m. and to my surprise the bars were still open so we had a night cap at Prohibition.  The Paulaner Hefeweizen was a good way to end my first night in NYC.

Tomorrow we will see what kind of mischief this country boy gets into.

House Party at Anna’s

Joey sent me a message recently to let me know about his plans for this years visit. The 18th seemed to be the day we would take over the Depot Lounge.

The ladies of ’83 had other plans.

Anna suggested we have a party at her place. Okay I’m cool with that but I had to work out some small details about the night. In the meantime, I set up an afternoon meet with Joey & Rich at Virginia’s best winery, Glen Manor Vineyards.

Sabra had sent me a text about attending the event. I informed her that my plans had changed and that I would be making an appearance. She asked about a few classmates that rarely show,so I made an effort to convince them to reconnect with their school family.

Carbaugh hasn’t been back to area to see us in several years. He is a busy man just like the rest but…the ladies love them some Carbaugh. I invited him to join Joey, Rich and the Fat Man at the vineyard but he opted out.

Joey & Rich met me at the vineyard and Kelly gave us the royal treatment. I hadn’t done an official tasting in a few years and this was good to do this. Some of the new information about their new site and what grapes are being planted for the future vintages.

I brought along some eats to enjoy with our wine. I choose a glass of the ’13 Vin Rouge and the boys selected glasses of the ’13 Sauvignon Blanc.

They enjoyed the wine as well as the surroundings. I informed them that if this gathering becomes a yearly event, we  can visit a new vineyard each year. If we do this, we should visit all by the year 2265.

I returned home and loaded a cooler and to get the dessert I was taking to the event. A chocolate tort with chocolate Grenache and Andes candy pieces on top.

As I made the turn into her driveway, I followed one car up the hill. It turned out to be Janet my next door neighbor from Toms Brook. That child hasn’t changed and the majority of the ladies of ’83 haven’t changed…WTF?

My days of being the little fella are well past as I have gained 100lbs since June 3, 1983. The ladies of ’83 have cheated Father Time. I have no hair but that’s because I choose to lather that thing up and shave the gray away.

This was a great gathered. And like I said, Carbaugh made an appearance. Then the surprise happened, Margo walked through the door, this was a shock and no one knew she was going to make the trip from Portland, Oregon. A pleasant surprise!

We told stories and my Lord they drank way too much Wild Turkey that night. For once, I was low key and very, very sober.

As the night grew to a close, we said our good-byes and headed home.
That night I realized something about my family.

2015 is off to a good start!

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.

My Favorite

“What are your top 5 Virginia wineries?”

I knew at some point I was going to be asked this question and I had a rough list of who I would recommend. Since I have visited over 150 of Virginia’s wineries, I am confident of my elite 5-ish and they are in no particular order.

Of course the first 2 that I will mention are:

Linden Vineyards & Glen Manor Vineyards. Both spots have amazing wines as well as an amazing view.

The next one would have to be RdV Vineyards in Delaplane. It’s a pricy tasting fee but the wines are so damn good!

I told y’all about the next one in an earlier post, (Surprised!) Berry Hill Vineyard belongs on this list! I can honestly say, “this is the best Cab Franc & Petit Verdot in the state!”

Now it gets a bit hairy! I have only one choice left but I’m rounding out the list with a pair from the same region…Barboursville Vineyards and Jefferson Vineyards. I enjoy the whites from Barboursville and the Meritage from Jefferson is wonderful!

I know, most of you have your favorites and are big fans of the vineyards in Loudoun, Shenandoah and other regions of the state. The only reason I put these on CrazyNVirginia’s Top 5 Virginia Wineries is; I can drink any of the wines from these vineyards at any time. These are also safe to give as a gift to family and friends without anyone of them feeling the need to snatch me bald headed because it was a crap gift!

I’m a huge supporter of the Virginia wine industry and will continue to search for the next gem this state has to offer.

If any of the vineyards on my list are new to you, I encourage you to take a day trip and visit my favorite watering holes…I do this each month and it’s fun y’all!