Ah, the chance to go back and tell you about places that I really enjoyed visiting. Where to start…

Traveling home from Winchester, VA one afternoon I came across Three Fox Vineyard and decided I needed to stop and visit.  This was a few months back when I was traveling across Virginia by myself.  I visited a few wineries on my own, some were awkward and some turned out well.  I decided to turn up the drive to Three Fox and see how it would be.  Going up the drive it was beautiful.  Located in Delaplane, VA, this is not high up in the mountains, but in beautiful rolling hills.  When I saw the statues of the three foxes, I could not help but get excited about the place!  When I walked into the small, but delightful tasting room, there were already several people at the tasting bar, but they all turned when I walked in, made room for me right in the middle and along with our server, treated me as if I was just one of the gang.  After the tasting I walked around the property and watched a few dogs run through the fields.  Beautiful break in the drive home.

On another trip I had the opportunity to stop in at the Winery at La Grange.  It was a gray afternoon and I was the only guest, but the person on duty was interesting and made my visit fun.  I have looked for an opportunity to take C back to visit, because they have so many delightful little tables and comfy looking chairs along the property, inside and out to just sit and relax.  

 

One place that did not work out when I was out on my own was Cross Keys Vineyard.  It is a pretty location and very nice tasting/event facility, but the person on duty just did not know what to do with a single taster and my attempts at small talk fell flat.  It was awkward and uncomfortable.  Maybe I will take C back just to see if there is a difference when I am not by myself, but there are just so many out there that sound better, that I just don't know...

More week after Christmas 2011

While we were out with our less experienced Virginia winery buddies, we decided to do a repeat.  You do these things sometimes for your friends and hey, if it is a really nice place, you do it for yourself too!  In honor of our guests we stopped by Blenheim Vineyards on the way home.  How can you help but love a cozy A frame, ski lodge type tasting room with views that hit you as soon as you walk in the door and look out those great windows.   Does it hurt that Dave Matthews, yes, that Dave Matthews, owns the Vineyard and designed the tasting room, no, I say it does not hurt at all.  And the fact that he designs some of the labels each year does not hurt a thing either.  One of the reasons I purchased the bottle of wine that I did was because it had a Dave designed label.  I like the fact that a native son has such interest and is not just a name in ownership only. Besides the Dave factor and actually that is cool, one thing I really like about Blenheim is how the tasting room is set up.  I really like when you walk in the door you do see straight out of those beautiful windows, I like the way you can see through the floor and down into where the wine is stored and the work is done, but most of all, while you are tasting, the bars are set up so that while you taste, you get the beautiful view.  So many are set up so that while you taste your back is to the outside.  Not the case here and I like that. 

Twas the Week After Christmas

One thing that we decided when we started visiting Virginia wineries was that if a visit was not all that great, but the venue had redeeming qualities, we would give it a second try.  We did just that with Pollak.  Our first visit to Pollak Vineyards was such a disappointment, but the grounds were so nice, that while we were in the area, we decided to give it a second chance.  Glad we did!  Pollak has so much going for it - a beautiful tasting room with a big fire place and lots of nice tables inside and out.  The tasting room has large windows, and is a great place to sit on such a cold and gray day and look out on the beautiful pond and lovely grounds.  It would have been really nice if there would have been a fire going on such a grey wintery day, but oh well!  Our server was so knowledgeable and enthusiastic about Virginia wine, and how far we have come, that he made us really appreciate our tasting and our Virginia wine.

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Don't you love the week between Christmas and New Years?  We always try to get in a winery visit or two during the week.  Love it!

This year we grabbed some of our best buddies and headed out to a location not visited before - King Family Vineyards in Crozet, VA.  I will tell you up front that I was hesitant to go to King Family because I was concerned about it being large and large can so often mean impersonal.  Not the case here - The King Family has done it well.  The large tasting room was crowded when we arrived, but we enjoyed standing around the warm fire in the fireplace while the crowd thinned out and we took our turn at the tasting bar.  Our server was knowledgeable and I appreciated how you could see the beautiful grounds while enjoying the tasting.  Along with comfortable chairs around the fireplace, there are tables inside and out on the covered patio for enjoying a glass during slightly warmer or maybe just less windy weather.  King Family Vineyards has polo matches on the grounds throughout the year.  On their list of events there is even a Pink Ribbon Polo Classes scheduled for June 2012 which benefits the Virginia Breast Cancer Foundation.  Now doesn't that sound like a fun way to support a great cause!  The cool factor - well done King Family.  I look forward to taking family members to this one.  It is just too nice not to visit again in the spring and maybe summer and maybe the fall.  Oh and it is not just about the wine, but for my dessert wine loving friends, you must try the Loreley!

Wine Cat chose to remain anonymous.

Favorite visits with Family members

I must tell you about a few places we have gone with family members.  We always have fun when they travel with us.  These really showcase the diversity that makes up Virginia wineries.  They do all bring something different and special. 

First, Castle Gruen Vineyards and Winery in Locust Dale, VA with SAN.  As we drove up the gravel drive, we passed a man and his dog taking walk.  The man waved us on up the drive and soon joined us – he was the owner, server, wine maker, everything.  We spent a delightful time tasting and talking to Dean and his dachshund, Duchess, she was a cutie.  Even though Dean did not have any white wines available and none of us really drink red, we enjoyed our time spent at the Castle.  Dean was so knowledgeable and the reds were pretty good, especially for people who do not drink red.    The Castle tasting room looked to have once been the garage, but that did not make it any less special to us.  Thanks Dean and Duchess for a delightful and informative afternoon.

This is SAN in front of the Castle with Duchess.

Who can forget our trip to Ox Eye Vineyards whose tasting room is in downtown Staunton.  The vineyards are located outside of Staunton, but they created a wonderful tasting room in an old building in downtown.  We were there that day with SAN, JP and LP.  The owner was one of the server that day and when she found out that SAN lives in Newport, RI, and we had all visited, we just had the best time.  Turns out the owners had honeymooned in Newport and went back to visit often.   The building had beautiful floors and great architecture.  

My picture is not that great, but the tasting was!

 

That same day we visited Barren Ridge Vineyards.  Quite a contrast to Ox Eye with a tasting room located in town, Barren Ridge is just that, at the top of a very barren mountain.  The tasting room at Barren Ridge is cozy and lodge like with a fireplace, some love seats around and plenty of seating on the deck outside.  The first time C and I visited Barren Ridge, the sun was just setting and we stood out on that deck and watched the sun set behind the ridge.  It was breathtaking.  Barren Ridge also has the cutest wine dog, Rascal.