Sometimes a visit to one winery, if it is the right one,
makes for a great day. We headed east to
the Northern Neck and The Dog and Oyster Vineyard. We visited the location a few years ago when
it was White Fences Vineyard and that was an okay visit so I am glad that we
decided to go back and check out the new ownership. Owner
Dudley Patteson was on site and welcomed us as if he were welcoming guests into
his home. The tasting room is a wonderful
screened in porch with ceiling fans spinning overhead. On a hot Virginia day that might not be
enough, but Saturday was cool and it was perfect comfort on that porch. The winery has been under the new ownership for
only a short time, so along with their own Chardonnay and Merlot, they served
several Ingleside Plantation wines. We
did not like our visit to Ingleside so it was okay to taste their wine without
having to go there! Just after we
arrived a dad and his 2 daughters rode up on their bikes. They were staying at the Tides Inn on a break
before the daughters went back to their grad schools then a couple drove up for
a tasting before their headed back to New York after a visit at the Hope and
Glory Inn, the Inn that also owns the Dog and Oyster. So the 7 of us sat at this long table in
these cute, vintage looking mismatched chairs on this cool summer afternoon
sharing a tasting and our host, Dudley, did it well. It was a fun group dynamic and personal
tasting as well. Good job Dog and
Oyster!
Little background on the Dog and Oyster – the name is after
the rescue dogs they have to patrol the grapes and keep out the deer and other critters. We met one of the rescue dogs - a lovely
hound. And the oysters, well sitting
there you are not that far from the bay!
