Planning Your Trip!

As most of my 10 readers know (and those numbers have been ballooned). I’ve been driving for Seven Bends Spirits Tour for just under 2 years.

My knowledge of wine, liquor, beer, food and of course, cigars benefits my groups as we travel the roads here in Virginia.

Depending on what location you are staying in, I provide many options for my day drinkers to enjoy for their outing.

We pick folks up in all regions of the Shenandoah Valley and even in the No. Va. region to visit that areas locations. But there’s one thing that I’d like to provide. A quick list to improve your travels.

1. Stay Close – This is important as visiting specific wineries can eat up a lot of your time. By looking at a map, a vineyard is 6 miles as the crow flies from your Air Bnb. In reality it’s actually 30 minutes or more away. Always choose a location that’s has vineyards within 10 miles of your overnight stay.

2. Select Wisely – Not everyone in your group likes wine, bold reds or even sweet varietals. Some may prefer to have beer or even cider. Investigate whether these stops have other options to make everyone’s visit a memorable one.

3. Dining – Even if you wish to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city, you will need to be close to food options as well as a coffee shop if you’re not that verse in brewing a cup of Joe. Having multiple food choices is important because at the end of a day of drinking, the last thing you need to be doing is trying to drive to get a meal, you’ll need someone to deliver.

4. Accommodation Location – This is an important one. This should factor in with which stops you wish to visit (See no. 1.) if that cabin or house in the woods looks cute, remember, you still have to drive to the site. Be sure to ask if 4X4 is required (we have almost gotten stuck on a road several times because 4X4 was required). Make sure there isn’t any seedy houses of roads that look suspicious in your area. If you happen to venture onto a wrong road, local residents may not be very happy about your mistake.

5. Travel Time – Certain regions have multiple vineyards within a few miles. Others can be 20-30 miles apart from each other. If in a busy area travel times can double. Try to keep your time between stops to 15 minutes at tops. This will allow you longer times to enjoy your tasting. Also, don’t hesitate to bring snacks and beverages with you if the distance between stops are longer. Just don’t get too hammered between these stops. If the staff thinks you’ve had to much to drink, they will not serve you and they’ll ask us to leave.

6. Your Stops – Be sure to review the places you wish to visit. Recent groups have encountered horrible customer service and failure to get served. If you wish to pack some eats for your tasting, confirm outside food can be brought on site.

The bottom line is, we want you to have a great time without delays, mishaps or unwanted surprises. We can’t control the weather but we will make sure your tour with us will be top notch, that way you will return for another visit.

So if you’re looking for a great weekend to visit some watering holes, give us a call. Who knows, I may even be your driver.

Cheers Y’all!

https://www.sevenbendstours.com

The Best of 2022

2022 was a challenging year but we made it through the fire. A short lived job and a return to the cigar industry. And of course, a lot of Dec Therapy.

Cigars played a huge part of my Deck Therapy as well as Bourbon, Scotch, Wine and Brewskies!

Here’s my Best of List:

2022 Cigars

Espinoza Las 6 Provincias LV Robusto

Montecristo Signature Espada

Rocky Patel White Label

Espinoza Street Taco

CAO Pilón Añejo

EP Carrillo Short Run Extended Play

Diesel Disciple Lancero

Diesel Stubborn Fool

H Upmann Heritage Corona

Gurkha by Aganorsa Leaf

Kentucky Fire Cured Flying Pig

Crowned Head Le Patissier

LFD Reserva Especial

Davidoff Royal Release

CAO BX3

Gurkha Heritage

Room 101 13th Anniversary

Rocky Patel DBS

Rocky Patel 1865 Project

Padron 1926 80th Anniversary

Rocky Patel Disciple

Davidoff Gold Band Awards

Davidoff 2022 Limited Edition

La Gloria Cubana 8th Street

The Illusione of Excalibur

Rocky Patel 20 Anniversary Edge

Aganorsa Leaf Anniversario Maduro

Beverages

Jack Daniel’s Bottled-in-Bond

Woodford Reserve Double Oaked

Starlight Carl T. Huber’s Cigar Batch

A Smith Bowman Cask Strength

Old Forester Statesman

Balvenie Caribbean Cask Finish

Laugavulin 11yr. Offerman

EH Taylor Straight Rye

Center of The Universe Octoberfest

Trophy Brewing Trophy Wife IPA

Glen Manor Morales Rosé

More goodies coming the fat man’s way this year. Let’s get out and enjoy the day!

Cheers Y’all!!

A New Gig…With A Twist!

Some of you are aware of my newest venture and others will shake their heads at this news; but know this is a no brainer. Back in early August, I started working in a tasting room for a Northern Virginia vineyard to give me a little extra cash.

The owners are absolutely awesome and pouring wine comes with nice perks. I have also started doing some of their graphic design too. Gotta keep the skills sharp for a full time gig.

Standing behind the tasting table, is a different environment for me. This is just like tending bar without all the mixers and bitters. I have specific verbiage that I’m required to say and push the specials of the day.

Not really hard work but it can be hectic. Summer time when our outdoor patio is open, it can be chaos. I got a rude introduction to the patio on Labor Day Weekend. I don’t remember going thorough my pitch of the wines much that day, as there were two deep in line to sample wine. Most folks just want a glass with wine without the pitch. It goes against what I expect at a vineyard, this is like being at a wine festival and I’m no longer a fan of that environment.

They usually send me to clean dirty wine glasses as the day comes to an end. This is because I opened my big mouth and said: “it was very therapeutic process for me.”

Oh well, Suck It Up Fat Man!

As for the folks who work beside me, they are very unique in their own way. We have the mother figure, the hippies, the ladies man, the hard core party animal and then there is me.

With all that being said, I discovered I could visit my remaining vineyards for free or at a reduced tasting fee. This makes me happy. But along the way, I found that some of the staff at area vineyards are…how do I say this…douche-bags.

Keep in mind, these are folks who work in a tasting room at one of the larger vineyards just off of a major roadway. These kids are barely old enough to even drink legally but they are peddling wine. We are told when someone comments about an area vineyard, especially if it is a negative comment, to just let it roll. We support our local vineyards and encourage our customers to visit them.

This vineyard, when I inquired about a newer vineyard that had opened recently, they bad mouthed their neighbor and when I pressed about one that is listed in a spirits trail guide, but not listed on the states website, I got this response:

“We’ll how do you know about that!” In the most hateful way.

Top of the line customer service at its best!

This guide that I was using is helpful and is user friendly but to those who are in charge of such organizations, here is some advice:

Most of these services run by the state or counties and are not well organized. They don’t have anyone who is knowledgeable enough to lead or guide tourists to our beverage venues. They rely on what information is online or what was provided without thoroughly investigating.

Do a better job or let me do it for you…oh what, I am! 

The vineyard I questioned isn’t even open to the public at this time. This tidbit of information is crucial especially for those traveling long distances to check this off their list.

After finishing the tasting at the uppity vineyard, a couple from Minnesota began talking with me about Virginia wine. Our conversation was about the number and what is available within this area as well as Central and Northern Virginia. I provided them with some information but the young man behind the bar wasn’t amused by my recommendations.

He began to trash a few I mentioned simply because they didn’t allow groups larger than 6 or buses or limos. I refrained from pulling him across the bar and pounding him into the concrete. Regardless how unruly/hateful a person is, if you’re going to work with the public in this manor don’t show your true colors to the customer.

This was the same place in 2015 that was pouring a Chardonnay they had bottled the previous week. When I asked them about bottle shock, her response was:

“You don’t know much about wine.”  

Considering I have helped harvest, bottle, sort and de-stem grapes on occasion and most recently participate in blending trials of one of the states premier Meritage blends. NO! SWEETHEART I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT VINO!

If anything, this helps me improve as a wine educator at our vineyard as to what not to do. I want everyone to enjoy themselves at our vineyard and to be safe. The last thing anyone wants is an A-hole pouring wine. Maybe they were having a bad day or were hungover from the previous nights outing. There’s still no excuse for that kind of poor customer service.

I’m grateful that this vineyard isn’t one that I frequent. Okay, maybe 5 years down the road I will revisit, only if someone invites or they are paying. Otherwise, I would rather set my money on fire than give it to this place of business.

There are 258 vineyards open the public in Virginia and you can find wine to enjoy without rude people pouring. Don’t drink bad wine or tolerate douche-bags! That’s my motto!

Cheers!

And to give you an update, I now work at another vineyard. Or as I like to say: 

“The best in the state of Virginia!”

Not bad for a Wino-Redneck!

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!

No Buses, No Limos, No Groups…

A good friend was trying to give me some ideas a few months back to make some money during my unemployment. She came up with a stellar idea but it would require a lot of weekends and I would have to buy a large vehicle. Doing wine & beer tours in Northern Virginia.

I liked the idea but I would have to limit how many folks I could haul around. As I kicked this around in my head, I remembered that sign at an area vineyard and I knew I couldn’t go through with this.

“No Buses, No Limos, No Groups Larger Than Six!”

Large groups partying on decks at local vineyards isn’t uncommon but it is frown upon at certain facilities. I don’t have a problem with groups enjoying themselves but when they start getting to rambunctious hoopin’ and hollerin’ then I can understand an owner getting a little nervous.

Some winemakers encourage the practice of the party crowds. But a serious winemaker who makes quality wine doesn’t want their site turning into a happy hour vineyard.

We have had good times at many vineyards laughing and carrying on. But some of the old school vintners don’t see the the humor of those having a large time. The patrons are a liability on site and the last thing anyone wants is to be asked to leave the premises.

Then there are those who want to break all the rules. These are the ones who probably have had too much vino to begin with and pop a top on cold one in the vineyards parking lot. I’ve seen ‘em do it!

Some think that the glasses are included in the tasting and they add to their collections – some high dollar stemware. You might ask before you toss the glass in your wives pocketbook.

Then of course, you have those who would take anything they can get their grubby little paws on. A vase and dried flowers were reported missing at a vineyard in my next of the woods recently. Really, dried flowers?

I’m guessing most of those with the sticky fingers are the same ones who have been called down and were asked to keep the noise at a certain level. They also probably didn’t see the sign of the limit to 6 people. Rookies!

Now I understand why Jim Law started his Case Club and only limits his deck to those who are members. I’ve heard the stories of large crowds on his deck back in the day. You will not see that again. Good for him.

As for the buses & limos. When I visited the 164 last year, I only encountered 3 limos and they were all filled with drunk chicks. The 12 girls from Georgetown who were letting off steam after finals. Another group of girls who were just getting their drink on & getting bat crap crazy. And of course, there was the bachelorette party of 12 in the Charlottesville area. They were drunker than 10 monkeys at 11a.m. Really?

Not all groups are going to act the fool but the majority do and I can see why some ban the large vehicles.

Go and have a good time, just don’t act like it’s a frat party. Your college party days are over and the cheap kegs are empty. You have come to a vineyard to refine your palate and add a little class to your repertoire.

Now, I know some of you would say to me:

“Hey, you wear ripped jeans, a cowboy hat and old concert shirts to vineyard!”

Yeah, I do! But…

I’m a good ole country boy and can pull that look off, you can’t!

Cheers Y’all! The snow is coming so be sure you have all the essentials. Food, Water, Beer, Wine and more Wine!

The Vineyard List

The year in wine is now behind me.

Here is a list of all the wineries by month I visited. Some months were slow and others were quite busy.

But…oh what fun it was!

January

1. Rappahannock Cellars
2. Linden Vineyards
3. Fox Meadow Winery
4. Dry Mill Vineyards Winery
5. The Barns at Hamilton Station Vineyards
6. 8 Chains North Winery
7. Creeks Edge Winery
8. Glen Manor Vineyards
9. Greenhill Winery & Vineyards

 
February
10. The Winery at La Grange
11. Valerie Hill Vineyard & Winery
12. Molon Lave Vineyards
13. Grey Horse Vineyards
14. Quattro Goombas Winery
15. Carroll Vineyards
16. The Winery at Bull Run

 

 

 
March
17. Shenandoah Vineyards
18. North Mountain Vineyard & Winery
19. Arterra Wines
20. Naked Mountain Winery & Vineyards
21. Chateau O’brien at Northpoint
22. Winery at Kindred Pointe
23. Stone Tower Winery

 

April
24. Cana Vineyards & Winery of Middleburg
25. Chrysalis Vineyards
26. Barrel Oak Winery
27. Hillsborough Vineyards
28. Breaux Vineyards
29. 868 Estate Vineyards
30. North Gate Vineyard
31. Pearmund Cellars
32. Miracle Valley Vineyard
33. Aspen Dale Winery at The Barn
34. Blue Valley Vineyard & Winery
35. Three Fox Vineyards
36. Delaplane Cellars
37. Sunset Hills Vineyard
38. Doukenie Winery
39. Twin Oak Tavern Winery

May
40. Cobbler Mountain Cellars
41. Philip Carter Winery
42. Winding Road Cellars
43. Desert Rose Ranch & Winery
44. Fabbioli Cellars
45. Hidden Brook Winery
46. The Vineyard & Winery at Lost Creek
47. Tarara Winery
48. Hiddencroft Vineyards
49. Otium Cellars
50. Bluemont Vineyard
51. Veramar Vineyard
52. Wicked Oak Farms & Vineyard
53. Willowcroft Farm Vineyards
54. Materella Winery
55. Mediterranean Cellars

June
56. Prince Michel Vineyard
57. Old House Vineyards
58. Gray Ghost Vineyards
59. Cave Ridge Vineyard
60. Wolf Gap Vineyard & Winery
61. Cedar Creek Winery
62. Veritas Winery
63. Pollack Vineyards
64. Maggie Malick Wine Caves
65. Two Twisted Posts Winery
66. Notaviva Vineyards
67. Little Washington Winery
68. Gadino Cellars
69. Narmada Winery
70. Chester Gap Cellars
71. Corcoran Vineyards & Cider
72. Paradise Springs Winery

July
73. Afton Mountain Vineyards
74. Hill Top Berry Farm & Winery
75. Democracy Vineyards
76. Mountain Cove Vineyards
77. Lovingston Winery
78. Keswick Vineyards
79. Horton Vineyards
80. Barboursville Vineyards
81. Early Mountain Vineyards
82. Barren Ridge Vineyards
83. CrossKeys Vineyards
84. Bluestone Vineyard
85. Vint Hill Craft Winery
86. Boxwood Estate Winery
87. Ducard Vineyards

August

88. Sharp Rock Vineyards
89. Winery 32
90. Casanel Vineyards & Winery
91. Bogati Bodega
92. 612 Vineyard
93. Jefferson Vineyards
94. Blenheim Vineyards
95. Trump Winery
96. Gabriele Rousse Winery
97. King Family Vineyards
98. James Charles Winery
99. Potomac Point Winery
100. Ingleside Vineyards
101. Oak Crest Vineyard & Winery
102. Wisteria Farm & Vineyard

September
103. Michael Schaps Wineworks
104. First Colony Winery
105. Pungo Ridge Winery
106. Chatham Vineyards on Church Creek
107. Mermaid Winery
108. Gauthier Vineyard
109. Grace Estate Winery
110. Stinson Vineyards
111. White Hall Vineyards
112. Mountfair Vineyards
113. Glass House Winery
114. Moss Vineyards
115. Stone Mountain Vineyards
116. Rockbridge Vineyard
117. Fincastle Vineyard & Winery
118. Virginia Mountain Vineyards
119. Blue Ridge Vineyard
120. Ox Eye Vineyards
121. 50 West Vineyards
122. Zephaniah Farm Vineyard
123. Hunters Run Winery
124. Terra Nubelo Vineyards

October
125. Mattaponi Winery
126. Lake Anna Winery
127. Weston Farm Vineyard & Winery
128. Cooper Vineyards
129. Grayhaven Winery
130. Cardinal Point Vineyard & Winery
131. Flying Fox Vineyard
132. Delfosse Vineyard & Winery
133. Loving Cup Vineyard & Winery
134. Pippin Hill Farm & Vineyards
135. Reynard Florence Vineyard
136. Honah Lee Vineyard
137. Kilaurwen Winery, LLC
138. Cardamon Family Vineyards
139. Crushed Cellars
140. Magnolia Vineyard & Winery
141. Granite Height Winery
142. Morais Vineyards and Winery
143. Rogers Ford Farm Winery
144. Hartwood Winery
145. Wilderness Run Vineyards
146. Chateau MerrillAnne

November
147. Rebec Vineyards
148. Lazy Days Winery
149. Thistle Gate Vineyard
150. Adventure Farm
151. Burnley Vineyards
152. Loudoun Valley Vineyards
153. Village Winery

 

December
154. New Kent Winery
155. Saúde Creek Vineyards
156. The Dog & Oyster Vineyard
157. Good Luck Cellars
158. Athena Vineyards & Winery
159. Vault Fields Vineyards
160. DeMello Vineyard Third Hill Winery
161. Sassafras Shade Vineyard
162. James River Cellars
163. Bodie Vineyards
164. RdV Vineyards

Now that the sun has set and 2015 is behind us, 2016 looks to be a good year. Most of the wine makers say that 2015 was a good year for fruit. Too bad it will have to be 2 years before we can taste these wines…I can wait, how about you?

 

Next To Last Trip…

It was unseasonably warm for this time of year. Last week I was scrapping my windshield, this morning I was wiping sweat from my head. Mother Nature has a sick sense of humor.

I remember when I came down a few weeks ago to the Richmond area, I saw the sign for my first stop today. I just don’t remember which exit it was. Easy with the old jokes folks!

The ride down 95 wasn’t bad and I turned off and traveled through Ladysmith to Sassafras Shade Vineyard.

Tucked back in a wooded area with an inviting front porch, it was a shame I stopped here first.

Ten wines on the tasting list and these were my favorites:

Chardonnay, light golden in color. Supple melon flavors on the nose. Bold honeysuckle flavors on the palate with tart apricots on the finish. This wine and that porch, that’s all I need to say.

Caroline Red, a blend of Cabernet Franc & Chambourcin. Bouquet of rose buds filled my glass. A medium bodied wine with dark red fruit flavors. Soft tannins and a smoky finish.

A nice stop that I will visit again in the future.

Just a few miles away is my next stop, James River Cellars. Located off of Route 1 this vineyard has been making wine since 2001.

 

The tasting room is next to a driving range so park well enough away from stray balls flying over the net. Staff was extra friendly and here is what I enjoyed.

’14 Petit Manseng, notes of grassy and earthiness on the nose. Pear and honey flavors dominate the palate. A gorgeous finish of grapefruit make this a really nice deck/porch sipping wine.

’12 Meritage, a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Bold aromas of cinnamon and nutmeg. earthy flavors on the front of the mouth that transcends to a smokiness on the back of the palate. Black raspberry, cherry flavors round out this wine with bold, crunchy tannins. A true steak, burger or venison wine.

My last stop of the day takes me down into the Powhatan area. The wine guides said they were open as did their website. After turning on the secondary road I found the entrance but it looked suspect. I gave them a call to confirm and the older gentleman told me to come on down and taste. Okay!

Bodie Vineyards reminds me of Berryhill Vineyards. Tasting room in the garage and super nice folks. Mr. Bodie came out and I figured this wouldn’t take too long but I ended up sitting and talking with him for and hour or so.

He was pouring two wines.

Michaud Blanc, made with Cayuga grapes. Earthy on the nose. Tropical fruit flavors on the palate. Semi-dry wine had a finish of graphite. A wine that would go well with seafood especially oysters.

Rochelle Rouge, a blend of Buffalo and Cabernet Franc.  A very light bodied wine with plum aromas on the nose. Strawberry and cherries on the palate with a finish of sweet currants. This would be the perfect Thanksgiving wine.

Mr. Bodie told me tales of college and advised me to go see an acupuncturist if I ever have back issues. As we chatted, he would pour another sample of his red.

This was quite entertaining.

With the these 3 marked off, this brings my total to 163 in 2015.

With only one week to go, I want to make the last vineyard to be a memorable one. The reservations are for New Years Eve. This redneck is excited to visit this place yet, I’m sad that my vineyard tour is coming to an end.

But with a new year come new opportunities and hopefully a new job. Maybe I can visit the last few vineyard next year to reach all of the them in less than two year.

To all of my readers, Happy New Year and Cheers!

One Vineyard & The Diesel

I picked up one the valley’s free newspapers, this publication usually has the latest openings and closings in the area.

As I go down the list, nothing stands out as breaking news. And then there it was…a new vineyard had opened in county. That will take care of this weeks visit.

Friday would be a good time to visit but I have a conflict.

In D.C. at the Verizon Center, The Green Turtle was doing a beer release party for Escutcheon Brewery’s John Riggins 4th & 1 Pilsner. With the release of the beer Riggo was going to be present for the unveiling.

Shorty contacted me about meeting him at the Turtle. So now, I have to plan accordingly but it can be done.

I traveled south to Quicksburg, to the newest winery, DeMello Vineyard, Third Hill Winery.  The tasting room is rustic with amazing views. The owners were extremely nice and so were the wines.

’14 Traminette, a soft lemon colored wine. Rose petals and honeysuckle on the nose. Crisp, refreshing lavender flavors on the palate. A sweet finish makes this wine a perfect pairing with goat cheese or a warm brie.

’12 Cabernet France, a rich red color. Sweet cherries on the nose. Earthy notes on the palate with a low tannin smoky finish. Perfect burger wine.

Shenandoah County now has 9 vineyards, 2 breweries and a cidery. We might catch up to Loudoun County some day.

I stopped by the house before heading into the city. Sent Shorty a text telling him about what time I was going to arrive. He was planning on being there about the same time. So we decided, the last one to arrive, buys the first round.

The drive to Vienna wasn’t bad, I hopped on the train and I had to rely on public transportation to get me there before Shorty.

It was going to be close and it was. He was literally 100 feet in front of me laughing and pointing. That Sucks!

We got caught up and decided to sample the 4th &1. This is a wonderful Pilsner with nice balance a flavor. And since it is made 20 miles from my house, I would be filling my growlers up with that goodness.

Riggo arrived. Shorty and I got our pics taken with the Super Bowl MVP and then we hit a few more stops before calling it a night.

My travels will take me back toward Richmond to visit a few stragglers then I will end the year in our area.

With the lone visit to the valley I have now visited 160 vineyards this year.

I Get Around!

There was a chill to the morning that required me to scrap frost from my windshield. I stopped for a cup of joe and I turned on some Stone Temple Pilots on to honor the late Scott Weiland for my trip to taste wine.

The only time I saw S.T.P. was in ’10 with Alice in Chains at DC101’s chili cook off. Rumors had it that he walked off of the bus with a cup the size of a Big Gulp full of red wine. So it was only fitting to play a few tunes while the Big K was going to taste some vino.

I traveled down Rt. 17 to get to the most dreaded road in the state I-95. Most of my visits I spend my time on secondary roads to avoid the crazies on the major highways.

I was on a mission and little did I know, my travels would take me further east than I had planned. The earliest vineyard opened at 10:00 a.m. I rolled in at 10:30 to start my tasting at New Kent Winery. It had only been a few years since my first visit and I was looking forward to seeing how well the latest vintage of the Chardonnay tasted.
This vineyard is located in the roundabouts of roundabouts. I think I drove through three of them. Huge tasting facility and an amazing staff waiting to serve their customers.

’12 Chardonnay a golden colored fruit forward wine. Tropical citrus flavors on the nose. Sweet grilled apricots were lively on the palate. A finish of the old school fruit cocktail that I remember at elementary school. This would be any person warm day deck sitting wine. I could have curled up in bed with a bottle.

Meritage, a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon & Petit Verdot. Earthy notes on the nose. A medium bodied red with flavors of dark red fruits. Mild tannins with a subtle sweetness on the finish. This would be a good wine for steak or burgers.

Just down the road was my second stop of the day, Saude´ Creek Vineyards. This vineyard had only been open 4.5 years gorgeous tasting room. A nice crowd has gathered to enjoy some local music and Barbeque. You know what I’m there for!

Vidal Blanc, an off-dry white with floral aromas of grilled peaches. Crips flavors of grapefruit on the palate. with a zesty finish. They call this wine: “Champagne without the bubbles.” and I can see this being poured on New Years Eve at a party.

Merlot, soft, medium bodied red. Currants and leather aromas filled my glass. Roasted coffee flavors on the palate. Soft tannins and raspberries round out the finish.

A nice stop and now it was time to make turn and head to the east toward Irvington.

The drive took 40 minutes and I was pulling into what was White Fences Vineyard but is now The Dog and Oyster Vineyard.

As I drove up the entrance, I see this massive cork screw out in the field. That’s one way to get your attention.

I walked into the tasting room and two young boys were hanging out. I though, “get them trained young!” They rushed off and got someone to come and pour me a tasting or 8.

’14 Pearl, made with at 100% Vidal Blanc. Notes of Kiwi and Petrichor on the bouquet. Fresh peaches with a touch of citrus round out the palate. A subtle oaky finish. A refreshing wine that would pair well with Indian cuisine or spicy Asian dishes.

’13 Shelter Dog Red,made with 100% Chambourcin. Dark Cherry nose. Medium bodied wine with flavors of rose petals on the palate. A nice smoky finish. The young lady described this as: “Pinot Noir meets Malbec.”

The next stop was only 15 minutes away, Good Luck Cellars in Kilmarnock.

I walked into the tasting room and the smell of fresh baked cookies permeated the room.

They had two tasting options, Whites or Reds for $8 per flight. I choose the Reds and here is what I enjoyed.

’13 Oak Aged Chambourcin, the grapes spent 20 months in French oak. Fruity nose with dark fruits on the palate. Raspberry and spicy notes on the the finish.

’13 Cabernet Sauvignon, again aged for 20 months in French oak. Jammy fruit flavors on the nose. Black cherries and new leather flavors on the palate. A smooth finish with a touch of sweetness. A nice light bodied wine that would go well with baked pasta dishes.

I was informed one of the vineyards in the area had already closed for the winter.

There was only two left for me to visit today and I had just enough time to stop before heading west for home.

Athena Vineyards, owned by a group of retired nurses. Here is what I enjoyed:

Nightingale Chardonnay, a crisp citrus floral nose. Soft flavors of apricots with a refreshing finish.

Merlot, a medium-bodied wine with aromas of green pepper on the nose. Flavors of raspberries and pomegranates on the front of the palate with cherries on the back. A smooth low tannin finish would make this a nice every day wine.

My last stop of the day is one Big D. told me not to miss, Vault Field Vineyards.

I was met in the tasting room by the vineyard cat. Freddie welcomed me as I waited for my tasting to begin.

’10 Vidal Blanc, a fruity wine with an intense pineapple nose. Sweet pear flavors dominate the palate and a medium acid finish with grapefruit flavors. This would go well with a lump crab cake on an Old Bay, cheddar biscuit.

’09 Red, a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chambourcin. Fresh raspberry flavors on the nose. Sweet cherry flavors on the palate with a supple finish of you guessed it raspberries.

So this trip had me visiting 6 and it brings my total to 159. It’s getting tougher to visit without traveling long distances. But, I”m sure I can get a few more in before the end of the year.

The sun sets at Vault Fields on another day of tasting wine.

 

I’m Done in Loudoun

Tish was off to visit her mother over the Thanksgiving holiday (I told you I was behind). I was a good boy, I enjoyed a few plates of meat during this time. Since I knew Tish would be needing wine once she arrived home, I visited Glen Manor Vineyards to purchase a few bottles.

Shorty was coming back to the valley on Thanksgiving eve and we decided to meet and have a few adult beverages. We started at The Depot Lounge at The Hotel Strasburg. One of my classmates joined us (Dave) for a round or two. Dave called it a night and Shorty was ready to party!

The next stop was the Old Mill Grill for just a round. He wanted to head back to the Depot Lounge for a few more before we ended the night on my deck with Miller Lite’s and Ashton 898 stogies.

Joey came and picked Shorty up to take him to Momma’s house. I got my house in order then crawled into bed.

Thanksgiving fest at Momma’s and Pappy’s then I ended the day at Sandy & Mike’s for a night cap.

Tish came home on Friday and I decided to visit the newest watering hole in the Shenandoah Valley, Woodstock Brewery. Nice beer and wonderful Vanilla Porter.

Once Tish arrived home she dove into the Rose´ from GMV. On Saturday, she rested as I headed into Loudoun to visit my last two vineyards in that county.
I had to call Loudoun Valley Vineyards just to confirm they were open. There  were some rumors they had closed until Spring.

They responded that they would be open for the weekend. The vineyard has been purchased and the new owners won’t take over until the early spring. In the meantime, I would get to sample only 3 wines.

’09 Viognier, done in stainless steel. Grilled peaches and fresh apricots dominate the nose. Tropical fruits on the palate with a tart finish. This would go well with spicy Asian dishes.

’08 Legacy, a port-style made with Touriga Nacional. A bouquet of dark fruit. Dark chocolate flavors on the palate with a finish of sweet black cherries. A very nice port-style that will soon be gone.

My next vineyard is one I visited over a year ago. Sampling wines from a bag was a bit weird but they are worth a taste.

Raspberry Apple Wine, lush goodness from some nice fruit. This wine has a touch of dryness on the palate with a sweet shot on the finish. Anytime I taste one of these fruity wines, it makes think of field parties, ’80s hair bands and mullets. Not a bad memory. Basically I know most of my classmates would enjoy this wine.

Petit Verdot, rich black currants and leather on the nose. A very soft red fruit presence on the mouth. A smooth low tannin finish makes this a nice red wine.

Did I mention the wines are in three liter bags?

You get 4 bottles of wine in a bag for around $30, which isn’t bad.

I was in need of some food so I stopped and visited Jody & Jay at Quattro Goomba’s for some of their kick ass pizza and did a sampling of their beer. Quattro Goomba’s Brewery is open for business and is quite good.

Tish is on deadline this week which means I may visit a handful in the Richmond area or beyond.

With only 2 stops this week, It brings my total to 153 for the year.