We took the Friday before Valentines Day and hit up two new (to us!) vineyards, as well as one of our very favorite spots that we take any and all occasion we can get to revisit.
Our first priority was DuCard vineyards in Madison County, Virgina. I put it on ‘my list’ after reading about it on a list of ‘best tasting rooms’ in Virginia. The promise of a nice, cozy tasting room can draw me to a vineyard probably only second to a LOVEWORKS sign. So imagine my surprise and delight when this gem greeted us at Ducard:
I took this as a wonderful omen that we would LOVE our visit to Ducard. Which we did! It is a fabulous place with so much charm. The tasting room lived up to its billing, the wine was solid, and we had the pourer all to ourselves. She was quite knowledgeable about wine and DuCard, and she even poured us a few samples of wines they had not quite released yet. Ducard is a winery just coming into its own. They started out as a vineyard, growing grapes for other wineries. And, then decided to make a go of it themselves. They are doing quite well for themselves.
Our fun Valentines day lunch was made even better along a toasty fireside.
After our tasting, we enjoyed a nice picnic inside alongside a lovely fire. The day we visited was quite cold, with some lingering snow on the ground from the blizzard ‘Jonas’ a few weeks prior so the fireplace was quite appreciated. The stark winter setting was fitting for the day, and we enjoyed the barren mountain views. But, I imagine visiting Ducard is an even better sight to behold in the other three seasons. Especially since they have a really unique set of event offerings: Shakespeare in the Vineyard, a murder mystery dinner, and stargazing parties to name a few. No doubt we plan to head back there in the future.
Ducard is in Etlan, Virgina. In Madison county, right at the base of Old Rag Mountain. In fact, those mountain views I spoke of are of Old Rag. It is an area probably not easy for many people to get to. But, it is well worth the drive. Madison County is scenic and charming, and quite less traveled part of the state. It is not overly populated with people or establishments. But, whats there is worth visiting. Etlan would be a great weekend visit. Find yourself a nice Bed and Breakfast and explore. Old Rag hike is often mentioned at the top of ‘to do’ hikes in Virginia. Also near by is White Oak Canyon Falls hike which boasts six waterfalls and swimming holes. This hike can be accessed from Skyline Drive, which is how we have experienced it; or from the base of the mountain which I am longing to try. After a morning hike, why not ‘un-wined’ on the patio of Ducard? There is also another nice vineyard in the vicinity as well: Sharp Rock. Billy and I actually stopped there just after completing our first (and to date only) time we hiked Old Rag. It was a nice reward for our efforts.
This is from Early Mountain’s website. An breathtakingly beautiful place.
In a circuitous route back to Harrisonburg, we stopped at Early Mountain Vineyards. Our rave reviews of this place continue, and we have often mentioned it on this blog. It boasts an amazing facility, fabulous service, tasty food and some of the best wines in Virgina. The reason for that is twofold: they pour wines from other Virginia vineyards as part of their mission to promote the wine industry in the state. And because Early Mountain wines are becoming increasingly impressive in and of themselves. Each time we visit, their own wines become better. Couple that with a chance to taste flights from all over Virginia. And that makes Early Mountain my go to vineyard in Virginia. Meaning if I were to recommend just one to visit, it would be Early Mountain. If I had out of town guests and wanted to introduce them to Virginia vineyards, it would be Early Mountain. And I would say after this visit, if asked the question, “Who produces the best wine in Virginia”, I could be pretty accurate in saying, Early Mountain!
Just outside of Harrisonburg, we ended our wine tasting day at the Purple WOLF vineyard on the ground of the White Oak Lavender Farm. I have been in awe of the White Oak Lavender Farm since they first opened. Visiting White Oak Lavender Farm is an experience in and of itself. And I have watched in great admiration over the years as they continue to expand and grow and add new experiences to their farm and business.
So, I was just thrilled with the knowledge that they were opening a tasting room on their grounds this year. The name is derived from the color of lavender (PURPLE of course) and then WOLF spells out White-Oak-Lavender-Farm. The tasting room is its own small structure in the middle of the Lavender Fields. The porch of the tasting room has an unobstructed view of Massanutten Mountain. A painter could not even dream up a better setting. Inside the tasting room is decorated tastefully in all things purple. Which is fabulous for me, since purple is far and away my favorite color. Currently, the grapes for the wine are being grown elsewhere, but made their own by their very own winemaker.
Purple WOLF currently offers five different wines, as well as the opportunity to taste their Chambourcin before and after it is infused (with of course!) Lavender! Grapes have already been planted onsite, and they look to continue to grow in their winery efforts over time. We were already pleasantly surprised with what they are currently offering. And having witnessed over time the way they have grown and expanded all of the rest of their farm and business, I expect great things out of the Purple WOLF vineyard in the future.
Needless to say, our Valentines Day Wine Tasting excursion was a success. Three very distinct wineries and three fabulous visits. It will be hard to top, but stay tuned for our efforts!
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