Being raised a Virginian for most of my life, you may think that I have built up a cold tolerance. HA! You see, I was born in Monterey California before moving here and while I was there for less than a year, I'm convinced I am meant to go back! Back to the warmth!
Regardless, when looking at a high of 30 degrees a few things become important:
- Access to a fireplace
- Mulled Wine
- Port
- Drinking by the fire
You can see how these correlate 😉
Over the weekend @slickwilly, my parents, and I visited a couple of vineyards to get warm the ol' fashioned way.
La Grange
La Grange's sprawling vineyard and outdoor seating:
Christmas decor along the stairwell:
Snort, a delicious Port-style dessert wine (i.e. a winter must have):
The Tasting Room:
La Grange is a beautiful vineyard with spacious grounds and a nice U-shaped tasting room to facilitate great service. Our server, Chris, had a charming southern accent and clearly knew his way around the bottle. We sampled two flights (Catherine and Benonis named after the original owners) to both get a sense of the vineyards range and for some extra Saturday enjoyment.
Highlights include:
- N/V Snort [A rich port tasting of dark chocolate with hints of fig]
- 2014 Chardonnay [A smooth semi-sweet white with nodes of pear]
- 2013 Cabernet Franc Reserve [A bold red with hints of Black Cherry in the front coupled with a dry and peppery finish]
This winery was a great surprise! The hilariously named port, "Snort", was just what I needed. This chocolaty dessert wine, had the kick I expected without the usual syrupy consistency.
As a red wine lover, I was happily surprised to find a Chardonnay that I didn't have to choke down. (Okay, mild exaggeration) This Chardonnay was great! It's smooth and crisp without the metallic aftertaste I normally loath. With a bit of sweetness to it, this took me back to summer.
Finally, I would remiss if I did not mention the bold and spicy Cabernet Franc Reserve. Aged to perfection for 14 months, this dark cherry red made my face warm. It was Lip Smackin' good 😜
Overall, I was seriously impressed by the selection of whites here, and was thrilled to taste some favorites on the red side as well. For those near Haymarket, VA I recommend a visit!
Our next stop was a family favorite, Pearmund cellars.
Pearmund
Pearmund Cellars Logo:
Cheat photo from a visit back in June, but here you can get a good sense of the grounds:
Pearmund is another beautiful Virginia vineyard located in Broad Run. In addition to normal tasting, the cellar boasts barrel tours along with yummy food pairings onsite. Pearmund has been a family favorite for a while now but we decided to give the full menu a taste because, Why Not?
Highlights include:
- 2014 Petit Manseng [Semi-sweet with hints of pineapple and vanilla]
- 2013 Ameritage [Semi-dry but smooth with a slightly peppered aftertaste]
This Petit Manseng is the wine you woo your woman with (or man). Its semi-sweet, citrusy heaven that keeps me coming back! Pearmund, arguably so, compares this wine to Angel Food cake and personally I feel it's an unfair comparison. Angel Food cake does not warm the soul quite like this Petit Manseng does, in other words I love it!
Aged 14 months in American oak, the Ameritage blends five classic Bordeaux grapes to make for an easy drinking rich red. This is my go to red at Pearmund, there Ameritage Reserve is also good but I'm always looking to take home an extra Ameritage.
Overall I always enjoy a trip to Pearmund; however, the word is spreading. Unlike, La Grange, we were met with a rowdy crowd and a line at checkout. I would recommend first timers to come early so you can fully enjoy the rustic tasting room and appreciate the eclectic "wino" decor.
Finally, we visited the winery a Bull Run.
The Winery at Bull Run
Enjoying the live music. Feeling good... 😅 PC: @slickwilly
Admittedly by this point in our travels, my wine notes became a bit scarce. (or non-existent) 😏
Bull Run is always a fun place to end vineyard hopping, it usually has live music and plentiful seating near fireplaces and space heaters. Located in Centerville VA, Bull Run is arguably the closest vineyard to the Northern Virginia area making it a perfect family pit stop on the way home. As for highlights, I'll have to revisit as all I can recall is a good time!
But wait! What about the Mulled Wine?? 😱
With all our fun, we lost site of the mission! Mulled wine is like the sangria of winter, a crowd pleaser that warms the room. Perhaps I'll need to make some at home or insist on another vineyard adventure. Stay tuned.
Until Next Time~