Its been awhile since Mickey and I have had a whole day to do one of our most favorite things: visit wineries! And what a glorious day we were given to do so. The weather was divine, the crowds were low (probably due to area college graduations), and we honestly did not taste a bad wine all day!
This post is going to be unduly short, considering the breadth and quality of our visits…..but I am headed to Hawaii tomorrow, and wanted to be sure I get this post up before I start operating on ‘island time’! 🙂 Mickey may add his take on the wines themselves in the near future…..but he is about to be on ‘rat race time’ as single dad to the boys and our furbabies for a week, so that post may or may not materialize!
First up: Michael Shaps Wineworks. This is really all you need to know: the wines here are incredible. Top to bottom on their tasting list, the best wines in Virginia in our opinion. We have heard the name Michael Shaps over and over again during our travels to vineyards, as he is a consultant to many winemakers across the state. And, in tasting his wine…..there is no wonder why! It is high time we finally got around to making a trip to his vineyard and taste for ourselves.
The newly opened tasting room at Wineworks
The tasting room at Wineworks is brand new, and the whole facility is in the midst of additions and modifications. The setting is not fancy or ornate, and there are not all kinds of winery events to draw people in. You go here for the wine. Which is not to say that they are not doing some really neat and innovative things. For starters, as Michael Schaps also owns a winery named Charmelieu in Meursault (Burgandy) France. So, when you visit Wineworks, there is the option to do a tasting of wines from that location as well.
Wineworks is also only VA vineyard to offer up a ‘growler’ of their wines, in both a red and white option. The first time purchase is $35 for the bottle and what ends up being about 2.5 bottles. You can go back and refill for $25. And they are the first VA vineyard to ‘box’ their wine: $40 gets the equivalent of 4 vacuum sealed bottles that can last up to a month in the fridge once opened. We bought one of each…..the growler, just because. And a box of Chardonnay for a future, and yet to be planned dinner party But, really, what else needs to be planned? We have got the wine!
Our growler being filled
Wine boxes – what a value
To illustrate how much loved the wine at Wineworks, and to put it in perspective; we usually just pick out our favorite wine from each winery when we visit. From the Michael Shaps collection, we took home this:
We could not recommend a visit to Wineworks any more. In addition to their fabulous wine offerings, Wineworks has one of the most knowledgeable tasting room staffs we have encountered. You will leave there knowing more about wine….and perhaps a tad bit of French as well.
**As a sidenote, and for your planning purposes, you will pass First Colony Vineyard on your way to Wineworks. We did not stop because we were intent on also going to Keswick on this trip and knew it was a pretty good distance away. But, since we need to refill our ‘growler’, we will for sure hit it up on our next trip back to Wineworks.
Keswick is a gem of a vineyard
Keswick: We have not been to Keswick in years, yet have always remembered it fondly. It is on the far end in length of a day trip for us, so while we have wanted to get for some time…..we just had not made the time until now. And just as we remembered, it is a real gem of a vineyard. The grounds are beautiful, the tasting room is comfortable, the tasting room staff is knowledgeable and friendly….and the wine is wonderful. It is well worth a visit.
Sliders and fries from the food truck. Yum. I enjoyed a glass of sangria made from Keswick wines. A nice paring!
On Saturdays for the near future, Keswick rotates in local food trucks and musicians for added enjoyment. It was Mickey’s first experience with a food truck, and now he is hooked. Which is good because a number of them have popped up in Harrisonburg. We have plans to check a few out over Memorial Day.
The beautiful view at Keswick for our lunch
As previously discussed, Keswick is a pretty good drive for us….and once we got there, we realized it would be just as close to head home over 33, as opposed to getting back on 81. Incidentally, the area and landscape around Keswick is stunning, and well worth the time just to take a drive, taking in the beauty!
We could not pass Horton Vineyards by – it was too inviting!
As we made our way home, we passed right alongside Horton Vineyards, and could not pass up the chance to stop! Horton has been serving up its wine for close to 30 years, and its owner is a very influential figure in the VA wine world. We struck up a conversation with our wine tasting partners at Keswick who told us there is a book about the Norton Grape and its history in America. And how, Dennis Horton is credited with brining the Norton Grape back to Virginia, where it has favorable growing conditions. The book is entitled, The Wild Vine, and apparently it is a really good read! I am thinking it might be a good download for my kindle on one of the 9 1/2 flights to or from Hawaii.
All the wine options to taste at Horton!
Horton was full of fun little wine trinkets. Like this stem less glass I just had to get…..because it is so true with J-Wow and Stevie the Wonder Dog!
We have been at Barborsville a handful of times in the past, and it is no secret it is one of the crown jewels would say that number puts Horton as the VA vineyard which produces the most kinds of wine, certainly the most of any we have visited. It was very fun to peruse the list and decide which wines to taste. Because everyone is making their own decisions on which wine to try, there is not a whole lot of commentary on the wines by the pourers but the unique ‘chose your own advernture’ tasting experience overrides that downside. I tasted heavily on the dessert wine side, which was quite fun.
We have always said 3 vineyards is the limit on any trip. By then, the wines all mix together and you get a little ‘wined out’! But, we were in the neighborhood of Barboursville, and they have one of my favorite VA wines, Phielo – and the day was still a little young, so why not stop?
The view from the Barboursville Vineyard Library 1821
A peak inside the Library 1821
We have been at Barborsville a handful of times in the past, and it is no secret it is one of the crown jewels of Virginia Wine. But, one thing we have always felt lacking is the limited space there to just enjoy a glass of wine after, (or instead of ) a tasting. Well, we are happy to report that that issue has been addressed. Barboursville has opened a wonderful new space called the Library 1821, just off their barrel room. In this location, you do flight tastings and order glasses or bottles to enjoy with charchterie and cheese plates. If this interests you, be sure to ask to be directed to the Library. Trust us on this, it will be quite a treat for you. Mickey and I enjoyed our time there immensely. The Phielo was lovely, Mickey sample the famous 2010 Octagon; and on a whim, we ordered a cheese plate that just might rank #1 on the best cheese plate we have ever had the pleasure to devour.
Mickey and I enjoying our Phileo and Octagon, and the Library 1821 at Barboursville Vineyards.
Wow! What a cheese plate!
This visit to Barboursville has rekindled our interest in eating one day at the Palladio Restaurant onsite at Barboursville. Check out this beautiful herb garden. A big inspiration for mine!
So, there you have it….our most recent wine trip written up in a fast stream of consciousness. Four unique and worthy Virginia Vineyards made for a picture perfect day.
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