Double the LOVE in Harrisonburg

Oh how do I love the VA LOVEworks signs,  let me count the ways…….

Well, for now 2 times in Harrisonburg!!!!!  Yes, that is right, in our hometown 2  LOVEworks signs currently reside.  And just about 3 blocks apart, nonetheless.

The first is our permanent one, located at the Harrisonburg Farmers Market.  From our archives, here is more info, not only on ours but a few others in the state that shared this post:

http://virginiavinesandtrails.com/2013/10/10/virginia-is-for-lovers/

But, now we have another temporary one, located just in front of the courthouse.   It appeared just before Valentines Day, 2015.  Just in time to spread the love!

Check out this glorious picture of it during our biggest snowstorm of the season, courtesy of our local Meteorologist, Jay Webb’s facebook page:

The state of Virginia has a few traveling signs, and I have attempted to do some research on how long the signs stay in one place, and where this one will go next.  But, to no avail.  If any of our readers have any more information on this process….let us know in the comment section.

I get to pass this sign a few times per week heading to our church (located just behind the courthouse) for various engagements, and it always gives a little bounce to my day.  I wish it could stay here forever, but will enjoy it for as long as it blesses us with its presence.  I have a plan formulating in my head to take some family pictures there this spring….with our new puppy, Stevie Wonder.   If my plan formulizes….of course,  I shall share those pictures right here.  I hope it does not disappear before I get my act together!

Cheers to Valerie Hill Vineyard!

Well, I had really hoped to be writing up a fun review of the Valerie Hill History and Hauntings event today.  Mickey and I have  wanted to do this experience since we first visited Valerie Hill over a year ago.  For on that trip, we fell in love with Valerie Hill.  We first thought the wine was fabulous; and in fact at the time, Mickey declare it the best reds in Virginia!  Check out this post from our archives on our first visit to Valerie Hill….and Mickey’s first facebook post extoling its virtues:

http://virginiavinesandtrails.com/2013/09/03/north-mountain-vineyard-and-winery-and-valerie-hill-vineyard-and-winery/

On that visit in 2013, we learned just enough of the history of the establishment (including the civil war significance and tidbits of the ghost stories) to want to delve deeper into both.  And, we were thrilled to learn a few months later that Valerie Hill started offering an enticing event to do both:  Their History and Hauntings evenings.

Here is a link to find out more about the offering:

http://www.valeriehillwinery.com/historyhauntings.html

Well, being located over an hour away from the vineyard, and with most of the dates of the H&H being offered during the week, which we found hard to fit into our family and work schedules;  we bided our time and planned well in advance to attend.  We were lucky enough to score tickets for a special offering on Valentines Day 2015, which happed to fall on a Saturday night:  a major score for us.  And, we recruited two other couples to join us, regaling them with our expectations of the evening.

Everything went according to plan….until about 20 miles into our trip, when winter squall descended upon us on 81, and the driving conditions went from bad to worse in as short of time as I have ever experienced.  So, we got on route 11, hoping the change of scenery would help our pursuits.  It got worse.  We tried a back road, hoping for less traffic as a hindrance.  It got worse.  And finally, we had to call Valerie Hill and tell them we would not make it that evening, unfortunately.  And you know what they did……just about 15 minutes before their evening event was to begin?  The refunded our money, saying it was not our fault we did not make it.  And they did this without us even asking.  So, cheers to Valerie Hill.

One other thing I really noticed and loved on our one and only trip to Valerie Hill thus far was the customer service.    And it still stands out over a year later.   In the case of our missed History and Hauntings experience,  their customer service  shone through again.  Making us an even bigger fan of this vineyard.

We will plan ahead (we have to, because they sell out) for one of these experiences in fall,( **Note, they do not offer the H&H evenings in the summer, and the rest of their spring dates are full) and report back on it to all of our VW&T readers once we have attended.  But, for now….I wanted to give a big shout out to Valerie Hill,  and recommend it highly to anyone interested in one of the most unique vineyards in Virginia!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Early Mountain Vineyards

The Early Mountain Vineyard logo, with a tagline I just love: Place, People, Passion, Portfolio, Purpose

We had some friends in town over the holidays and wanted to go on a wine trip, leaving it up to us as to which to visit.  Mickey and I did not hesitate in our suggestion:  Early Mountain Vineyard.

Early Mountain Vineyard is everything I love about a vineyard:  The grounds and tasting room are inviting and comfortable, the service is warm and friendly, they serve food (delicious, I might add) and the wine list is some of the best in Virginia.   That is by design; for in addition to serving their own wine, they also feature some of the best wine in the state from OTHER vineyards.  Yes, you read that right.    Because the stated goal of Early Mounatain Vineyard is to promote the entire wine industry in the state.  We have blogged about our love for EMV before, and probably will again.   Back in 2013, we raised EMV to our #1 Virginia Vineyard, and though we have yet to do a full on ranking change since the inception of this blog, I am confident it shall regin at top for the foreseeable future.  Here is a link to our earlier post:  http://virginiavinesandtrails.com/category/early-mountain-vineyard/

In my opinion, any time is a perfect time to visit Early Mountain, but especially if you have out of town friends who want to explore Virginia Wines.  Or if you have in town friends who want to get a start in the wine trip hobby.  Or if you just have friends who enjoy wine.    Yep,  perfect for any occasion.   But, back to our visit with our out of town friends.  Actually, these friends used to live in Virginia and were instrumental in Mickey and I forming our wine habit early on, with some memorable and fun trips all around the ‘vines of VA’.   Then they up and moved to Tennessee.  (See here when we visited them in Nash-Vegas, and they took us to their favorite Tennessee vineyard, owned by Kix Brooks of Brooks and Dunn fame:  http://virginiavinesandtrails.com/2013/05/31/arrington-vineyards/

With them and a third couple, we self-indulgently call ourselves ‘The Good Time Wine Club’.     Self-indulgent, but true!   But, again….I digress.    Our whole group is very familiar with Virginia vineyards and wines.  And as such on the ride to EMV, our Tennessean friends were telling us they had read and article about the Thibaut-Janison vineyard out of Charlottesville that specializes in  sparkling wines (side bar discussion:  wines they cannot be called Champange if they are not crafted in that region of France).  Apparently this vineyard is making quite a splash,  having had their bubbly  poured at State Dinners; and generally lauded about in wine circles in, and beyond Virginia.   And how, said friends, on their next visit,  wanted to check said vineyard out.  Well, we get to Early Mountain, and guess what?  Thibaut-Janison  is being poured in a few flights!

Early Mountain was beautifully decorated for Christmas. And the GTWC had a ‘good time’ visiting it, and with each other. We call ourselves the GTWC in jest. But seriously, I could have fun with group in a box!

See, that is why Early Mountain is so good for the consumer.  You get to taste a variety of wines in one setting that would typically take you a few trips to sample.  Now, I love a good wine trip and love to experience the vineyard as much as the wine itself when we visit various establishments.  But, having such a selection so easily accessible to us allowed us to sit back and enjoy the company as well as the wine and food all afternoon.   Which was exactly our intent.

And,  Early Mountain Vineyard is good for Virginia Vineyards too, giving them extra exposure.  For instance, based on our recent samplings at EMV, I know want to visit both Chatham Vineyards on the Eastern Shore, and Ankida Ridge near Charlottesville very soon.  The GTWC really loves Chardonnay.  And both these vineyards had a wonderful offering that we all enjoyed.  (So, look for posts on those places in the future!)

I want to make sure all this talk of the wine of other VA Vineyards does not overshadow a very important point, and that is that Early Mountain is producing some pretty fine wine themselves.  I had the pleasure of tasting a wide variety of  EMV’s offerings with my first food course, the wine flight.  This paired 5 EMV wines with locals cheeses and accoutrements.  A fabulous choice, if I do say so myself.  Look how beautiful:

The Cheese Flight…..I was in heaven!

I could go on and on about the food, about the wine about the entire experience, but I think you get it:  Early Mountain Vineyard is the bomb.  If you haven’t been….go.  And if you  have, go back because they probably have changed their flights since the last time you visited…..and their food offerings.

We were to busy having a ‘good time’ to take to many pictures, but here are a few random fun ones:

The view from the front of the tasting room. Beautiful, even on a cold winter day!

 

 

Another sampling I loved: Pork Belly sliders!

 

 

 

 

 

 

We started a fun new GTWC tradition when we get together: everyone signs a cork from the vineyard we visited as a memento.  I told you we are a ‘good time’!

Don’t mind him, he is from Tennessee! Trying to get a good picture of the Early Mountain Tasting room. Actually, I don’t blame him, its beautiful!