Monday
We took a couple of days and headed out to Charlottesville VA. The idea was old houses, good food, wine and beer. The area has a lot of winery and breweries and we were going to see if after 7 years of making wine we had a more appreciating palate. Also, we never got the beer down, but there are a lot of breweries in the area (and sometimes their beers are available at local places) that we wanted to see what was available out there.
The trip down to C’ville was a little shaky with me leaving my purse at a fast food restaurant at Fredericksburg. We didn’t realize it until we hit Montpelier (more than an hour away). When I called, they said they had it so we turned around and figured that the cash or cards would be missing. But when we rolled into the Sonic, everything was there. I was so speechless – I did say thanks but not much else. Thanks to Jesse and the crew at Sonic on Plank Road. We headed out again to C’ville and got there in time for dinner. Took Cathy’s suggestion of Peter Chang’s and it was right next door to where we were staying. By that time I was ready to sit in something that wasn’t moving and have a stiff drink. I ordered a Mai Tai and was told only beer and wine – really Cathy??? Oriental Food without an umbrella drink? The beer was cold and the food was hot and good – so I’ve forgiven you, Cathy.
Tuesday
We had declared this to be Winery day and I had put together a tour of 4 wineries and Ashland-Highland (Monroe’s home), but since it was drizzling we decided to stick with the wineries.
First Colony Winery
I really didn’t have this on my list but we passed it on the way to Michael Shaps Wineworks. Boy, we were very happy we stopped. The setting was very nice. All nice wood tones – nobody in the place but us. The one staff was very knowledgeable and personable. And the wine was very good
CHARDONNAY 2014 – This 100% stainless steel aged Chardonnay exemplifies the modern approach to this classic grape. The unadulterated nature of this wine breaks away from traditional toasty oak aromas and presents us with a brightness of honeysuckle and bananas on the nose. The vibrant flavors are reminiscent of green apples, peaches, papaya, and ponderosa lemons. Pair with light salads and seafood. NICE, UN-OAKED, NEED SOME SEAFOOD WINE – bought 1.
TOTIER CREEK WHITE 2014 – This semi sweet white wine leaps from the glass with wafting aromas of white peach and mango. The sweet honeydew is quickly overtaken by an acute flavor of tart raspberry. The acidic nature of this wine calms the sweetness and makes for ideal warm weather sipping. Try pairing with a tart fruitful dessert or even heating with cinnamon and orange juice during cold months. ALTHOUGH NOT A REAL FAN OF SWEET – THIS JUST BEGGED TO BE SIPPED ON OUR DECK – bought 2.
MERITAGE 2014 – A light to medium bodied dry red that welcomes tasters with notes of cherry, walnut, and baking spices. The lasting finish has just enough grip to remind drinkers this is a young red wine while disappearing in time for the next sip. Pair with barbeque, mushrooms, or tomato based sauces. VERY NICE – bought 1.
THATCH (N/V), PORT-STYLE WINE – A luscious, Port-style dessert wine replete with palate-coating flavors dulce de leche, molasses, and stove-top raspberry preserves. Makes a perfect accompaniment to creme brulee, dark chocolate, or a fine maduro cigar. 5% RS. Lots of awards. AND IT DESERVES THE AWARDS – bought 3.
This winery was behind First Colony further out in the woods, but on the same road. The facility was fairly new and surrounded by construction and red clay mud. They were using a new Butler building for the tasting room. The server was much impressed with himself and the wines – me? not so much. We tasted about 5 wines and only bought 3 – and they charged us for the tasting – be my last stop here. The wines were the most expensive, considering the quality – or maybe I just don’t know fine wines. There wasn’t very much info on the website
Michael Shaps Meritage 2012 – This vintage of Meritage is anchored in Merlot, complimented by Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Franc. The goal is always to produce a concentrated and deep wine, highly complex in both aroma and flavor, with the capacity to age for ten years or more. The blend changes with each vintage as we pull from the most successful lots to achieve this goal. It is aged for two years in all French oak, 50% of which is new.
Michael Shaps Raisin D’Être Red 2012 – The 2012 Raisin d’Être (a play on words) is our way of replicating a traditional late harvest wine. Similar to late harvest wines where grapes turn to raisons while still hanging on the vines, we salvaged tobacco drying barns from Southside Virginia for use in a similar drying process, but where the drying process takes place in the barns, not on the vines. Utilizing fans and heat to dry the grapes out (thus “raisin” not “raison”), we are able to create a unique dessert wine with highly concentrated fruit.
L Scott 2012 – This was one of the wines that we bought – only 1 bottle – and it was pricy, but I figured with all the money recovered when I found my purse and Tom really liked it – I figured what the hell. This isn’t on the website, and Ill put more info up when I find the tasting sheet. But I think this was the most expensive wine we bought.
By far the best of the winery we visited. The tasting site was wonderful. A cozy but comfortable, lovely appointed, welcoming place. It was still drizzling but the friendly staff and great wine was enough to push the clouds out of our minds.
Tom tasted the sparkling, but with my history I gave that wide berth.
2009 Sparkling Blanc de Blanc – This sparkling wine is crafted from 100% estate grown Chardonnay and is aged a minimum of 36 months on the yeast to increase complexity. Flavors of bright green apple, lemon notes, pear, and brioche. Pair with mild cheeses, scallops, or serve as an aperitif.
Then we got to the other’s – more my style.
2015 Chardonnay – This Chardonnay is made from 100% estate grown grapes from the coolest terroirs in our vineyard. Aged 90% in stainless steel and 10% in French oak, this Chardonnay is both fresh and creamy with notes of lemon, orange blossom, white peach, and subtle notes of butterscotch and spice. Pair with roasted chicken, salads, fresh seafood, and spicy entrées. VERY NICE – bought 2.
2015 Viognier – This Viognier is made from estate grown fruit that is fermented 2/3 in stainless steel tanks and 1/3 in neutral French oak barrels. It boasts a floral bouquet and notes of honeysuckle, white peach, and tropical fruits on the palate. Pair with rich sauces, scallops, and pasta. VERY NICE – bought 3.
Cru – Fortified Chardonnay – Fortified with brandy, this sweet white port-style wine is made from blending Chardonnay juices and brandy. Aged in American bourbon barrels, this wine is complex with hints of smoke, pineapple, and citrus. Pair with desserts or serve this aperitif neat or as a cocktail. ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL – bought 3.
2015 Rosé – This Rosé is made from 100% direct pressing of estate grown Merlot. The nose has intense strawberry and rose petals aromas, and the palate has a crisp acidity and a soft, round, creamy finish. Pair with barbecue, fresh vegetables, and salads. SUPRISED I LIKED IT, NOT MUCH OF A ROSE PERSON, BUT IT WAS GOOD.
2014 Meritage – This medium bodied Bordeaux blend is composed of five varietals of estate grown fruit. Aromas of black cherry, currant, and cocoa on the nose, and a spicy, fruit filled finish on the palate. Pair with beef tips, asparagus, or chocolate covered fruit. ALSO GOOD BUT THOUGHT I WOULD SPEND THE MONEY ON WINE WE DIDN’T MAKE.
We also did a 2014 Pinot Noir which was good but I couldn’t find any description on-line. We decided to have a snack and ordered a BLT to split and a glass of the Viognier. Nice combination and the sandwich that we split (thick bacon, crusty bread and must have been Duke’s Mayo) hit the spot.
Blenheim Winery
Turns out this is just down the road from Trump’s and is owned by Dave Mathews of the Dave Mathews Band. We tasted about 5 wines and they were Ok – in fact we did buy one, but I think it was getting late and we had been spoiled by Trump.
Painted White 2014 – meyer — lemon — melon; 65% Chardonnay, 26% Viognier, 9% Sauvignon Blanc; 60% aged for 10 months in French and Hungarian oak. TOO TANGY FOR ME.
Painted Red 2014 – cracked pepper — crushed raspberry — tea leaf; 32% Merlot, 31% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Petit Verdot, 16% Cabernet Franc; 90% aged for 10 months in French, American, and Hungarian oak. PRETTY GOOD – bought 1.
We were not impressed with the other wines we tasted. But the view from the tasting room was awesome.
We headed back to C’ville with the intention of having dinner and maybe a movie. I kept feeling like Tom and I had been there before – by our own, but the only trip I can remember down here was with Karen and Robert to visit Monticello. So we are going back to town and figure this thing out. I did find a movie theater on the historical square and we’ll just park and check out movie times and see what looks good as far as dinner.
What should have been an easy trip back turned out to be an adventure. I had changed the settings on the car to avoid tolls and freeways/interstates. We programmed the address of the Residence Inn and started following directions. We weaved and turned and just thought we were in rural Virginia (which we were) but then it turned us into a single lane dirt road. Gratefully noone else’s GPS was working on our platform because we never passed another car – not that we could have passed anything on the trail we were on. I finally figured what I had done and we just started to ignore the car GPS and found ourway to 64 and civilization. or was that Wednesday???
Wednesday
Still drizzling. We decided to go west of Charlottesville and hit some breweries that we knew of and one I had never heard of. We started sort of late and just decided to skip breakfast and get an early lunch. There was a small Pizza Restaurant in the shopping center that we had seen on the way in last night, so we decided to give that a try – good decision.
Brixx Wood Fired Pizza – After we had put considerable effort and brainpower (always at a premium into deciding on a salad and pizza that we could split, the server came through and told us the special was half a salad and half a pizza, so neither of us had to compromise. The food was good, and the service was friendly and prompt, and it’s a good thing that we got their on the leading edge of lunch. Before we left, they were lining up at the door.
We headed west to the breweries with an eye toward tasting some beers. First Stop – Starr Hill.
B. Starr Hill Brewery, Three Notched Road, Crozet, VA
Unfortunately they don’t give you anything as a take away. I guess because they are trying to get you to buy it back home. Also there were no flights???? And the server wasn’t the friendliest guy in the place, so the experience could have been a lot better.
We did overhear a strange conversation of a group of people that were behind us about parachuting cows in Vietnam – apparently for food for some ground troops. Sounded sort of fishy to me but we’re in a college area, so who knows what these kids will believe…. Although there is a story on the internet about it and if it’s on the internet you know it has to be true.
The regular beers and some additional seasonal ones.
NORTHERN LIGHTS India Pale Ale – PRETTY GOOD
GRATEFUL American Pale Ale
THE LOVE German Hefeweizen
JOMO Vienna-Style Lager
DOUBLE PLATINUM Imperial India Pale Ale – PRETTY GOOD
THE HOOK Grapefruit Session IPA
REVIVER Red India Pale Ale – PRETTY GOOD
BOXCARR Pumpkin Porter
SNOW BLIND Doppelbock Lager
SUBLIME Citrus Wit
DAILY GRIND Peppercorn Farmhouse Ale
C. Blue Mountain Brewery, Critzer Shop Road, Afton, VA.
Nice little tasting room with an outside sitting area and right on the main road. It also had a restaurant but we didn’t try any food. The beers on tap were a variety from light to dark.
Classic Lager
Kolsch 151
Rockfish Wheat
Wallonia Saison
Full Nelson
‘Zestivus’ For The Rest Of Us
The Prizefighter
Blauerberg Dunkel
Coffee Bock
Original Nitro Porter
D. Wild Wolf Brewing Company, Rockfish Valley Highway, Nellysford, VA.
Wild Wolf was just past Wintergreen, and a very sweet little place. The barmaid was very congenial and informative about the beers on tap.
E. Devils Backbone Brewing Company, Mosbys Run, Roseland, VA.