I know this is off topic and not even close to a market, however, it is informational and I now I personally learned a little something. Did you know you could learn all about building fences in four minutes? Now, I am pretty sure Hive account@papa-pepper, a mighty fine prepper, could show them a thing or two. Hive account@justinparke could possibly be in need for one of these, but, his are more likely to be built better. Which leaves me a Hive account@buckaroobaby, one never knows if they have more animals than fence. Blink once and the livestock multiply. Here you go, Tracey! This fence is for you!

Everything about this place make for a beautiful, historical setting. Rustic charm and elegant all in the same breath. The surrounding landscape feels natural, just like nature planted it.

~The Winery at Bull Run: About Us

Our tour guide, Jean picks some grapes and gives us a little bit of history on them. They are of a variety called Norton and the entire vineyard is planted in them. As a matter of fact, all of their vineyards have 100% Virginia grapes. This grape was originally cultivated in Richmond, Virginia in the early 1800s by Dr. Daniel Norton, who named it after himself. The Norton grape is America's oldest native grape. During Prohibition, all of America's vineyards suffered and died, only to be revived years later. I don't think Virginia had any left, but, in 1976, there was a resurgence and they started all over again, in the Charlottesville area.

The roses are beautiful! Everyone wants to know why they are planted at the end of the rows. Roses are planted here and in many vineyards because they make an excellent alarm system. They are an early warning system, so to speak. If something like aphids or fungus is present, it will get on the roses first and in time, the grapes. It is like a canary in a coal mine.

When oxen and horses were used in the field, having the roses deterred them from cutting the turns too sharp, no animal was fond of the thorns, so they were beautiful and useful. Still, they were a pretty sight, even if they did do a great side hustle.

The Hillwood Mansion ruins, circa 1800s. A fire in the 1990s burned down the mansion, and the foundation was salvaged, the stone ruins stabilized to create a wonderful outside space, keeping the historical feel to it. Many weddings have used this space to create their dreams.

The nose of the Norton immediately brings to mind thoughts of the winter holidays, with scents of pine, mulling spice, mace cooking spice, nutmeg, and cloves. The mid-palate features flavors of dark cherries, bramble fruit and dried berries, with a hint of minced meat pie on the back palate. The 2018 Norton is blended with 20% Merlot wine for a full mid-palate and medium-long finish. Please see website for most recent vintage.* This was the official description given from Bull Run Winery.

Shown below is the 2021 Estate Rosé. With fragrances of fresh strawberries, cream, and shortbread on the nose, this rosé exudes vibrancy. Bright cranberry, strawberry and red currant drive the palate. Crisp acidity and a full-mouth feel give this wine an enjoyable finish. This is also their official description of the taste. I admit, I love going to the wine tastings, where they teach you to taste, explain how to train your palate to taste. It is actually quite fun. I intend to learn how to do this well.

Fun fact:. In 1774, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, Peyton Randolph and George Mason were among the thirty-seven original subscribers of American’s first wine company - The Virginia Wine Co. source

Truth be told, all of the vineyards that I have gone to in Virginia trend towards artisanal wines and breathtaking landscape. It is written in the stars. It is a must, I believe. Landscaped creatively, it makes it a joy to wander around, enjoy the views, the wine and being educated in the fine art of wine tasting.

Walls of stone, roses and the beauty of the surrounding nature. It never gets old for me. Each tree that was planted, each flower that was blooming, the stone walls, fences... each seemed to have grown in a spot that was made for them.

I had so many pictures, it was hard to pick just a few. There is so much that I split it in two, so next week will give a more intimate look on the process and the inside of the winery. I hope you enjoyed walking about with me, I had a great time and as much wine as I drink, learned a lot of new things.

Please leave the link to your post here so it can easily be found by others. It helps you and me to have them in one place. Where else can you take such a quick trip around the globe? Thank you so much for joining us!! ❤

As always, there must be flowers to color my world. #alwaysaflower
Thank you for visiting my post 💖 Don't ever forget what an amazing world we live in, people. Some days, it is not so easy to see, how truly wonderful it really is. Always remember, kindness counts. Wherever you go, whatever you do.