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Blog on Wine and
Beer
Kim Chappell is a
graduate from the Realtor Institute and is an
agent with Wintergreen Resort Premier
Properties, the official real estate office of
Wintergreen Resort. Kim also lists and sells
property in beautiful Nelson County. Contact
Kim Chappell at
kim@ExperienceNelsonCounty.com or
434-238-2430. The Free Daily Blog is posted on
both
www.ExperienceNelsonCounty.com and
www.ExperienceWintergreen.com
The Red, White and
Brew Tour of Nelson County
Today, I am going to start
a review of Nelson County’s Red While and
Brew…that’s red wine, white wine and
micro-brew. Wintergreen Resort offers Nelson
County wine tours, but you can easily plan your
own tour. Nelson County has been advertising
with a Red, White and Brew theme for a year, so
we decided to take our own tour. We spread out
our tour over several days and always had a
designated driver.
Here are a few tips for
planning a winery tour in Virginia (from the
Virginia Wines web site)
It's always a good idea to call before
visiting. Many of our wineries are small,
family-owned operations and may be closed for
various family-related activities during the
time that you are planning to visit.
If you are planning to visit a winery in a
group of eight or more, always call ahead of
time to help the winery prepare for your visit
and to make sure they can accept groups.
Most of the Nelson County wineries have grape
cluster highway signs within a ten-mile radius
pointing the way to the winery. Many of these
signs now also will tell you how many miles you
have to go before reaching the winery.
Below are some of the
Vineyards and a Micro-Brewery that we will be
visiting over days in early April.
Afton Mountain Vineyards
234 Viney Lane
Afton, VA 540-456-8667
Blue Mountain Brewery & Hop
Farm
9519 Critzer Shop Road
Afton, VA 540-456-8020
Cardinal Point Vineyard and
Winery
9423 Batesville Road
Afton, VA 540-456-8400
DelFosse Vineyards and
Winery
500 DelFosse Winery Lane
Faber, VA 434-263-6100
Devil’s Backbone Brewery
200 Mosbys Run
Beech Gove, VA
434-361-1001
Flying Fox Vineyard
27 Chapel Hollow Road
Afton, VA 434-361-1692
Hill Top Berry Farm &
Winery
2800 Berry Hill Road
Nellysford, VA 434-361-1266
Lovingston Winery
885 Freshwater Cove Lane
Lovingston, VA 434-263-8467
Mountain Cove Vineyards
1362 Fortunes Cove Lane
Lovingston, VA 434-263-5392
Veritas Vineyard and Winery
145 Saddleback Farm
Afton, VA 540-456-8000
Wintergreen Vineyard and
Winery
462 Winery Lane
Nellysford, VA 434-361-2519
Tomorrow, we visit Blue
Mountain Brewery and their hand-crafted beers in
Afton, VA.
Blue Mountain Brewery
We are going to begin our
tour with the only micro-brewery on the list,
Blue Mountain Brewery. (check out their web
site at
www.bluemountainbrewery.com) Open to the
public, Blue Mountain Brewery brings
hand-crafted beer to Nelson County. This
brewery is easy to find on Rt. 151 in Afton,
Va. It is about 1.5 miles south of Rt 250. The
phone number is 540-456-8020.
We visited on a Sunday
afternoon and had dinner at Blue Mountain. I am
allergic to gluten and therefore beer. My
husband did enjoy the Full Nelson, which is
their flagship Strong Pale Ale. They also had
Blue Mountain Lager, Rockfish Wheat and Dark
Hollow—all named after Nelson County landmarks.
The best deal was the Blue Mountain sampler for
$5 and included a sample of each micro-brew.
They also serve wine by the
glass and some lite fare. We shared a meat and
cheese plate that came with 4 types of cheese,
three meats and some crusty French bread. I
followed that with a salad and Bill had the
Virginia ham sandwich. All the bread was
local-made and Bill reports that is was all very
tasty.
We think that the interior
of the brewery is a great place to meet
friends. There are several large tables as well
as some comfortable sofas and club chairs. Also
a bar with several seats. So, we will be
inviting some friends to meet us at Blue
Mountain Brewery soon. (looks like they could
have some outdoor seating in the warm months—all
with great views of the Blue Ridge Mountains)
They also have some beer to
go and you can also find their beer locally,
wherever beer is sold.
Wintergreen Winery
Visit
First, I want to dispel the
rumor that Wintergreen Winery is in Wintergreen
Resort. If you are looking for Wintergreen
Winery, it is near the intersection of Rt. 151
and Rt. 644 (Beech Grove Road and the Ski Barn
with the bright blue roof) Until October,
Wintergreen Winery is open from 10AM-6PM, seven
days a week.
Before you go to
Wintergreen Winery, I suggest that you stop by
Basic Necessities, Ambrosia or the Blue Ridge
Pig in Nellysford to pick up supplies for a
picnic lunch. Wintergreen Winery has a great
outdoor area, right next to the Rockfish River.
It is a great location for an afternoon picnic.
The winery not only has a
tasting room but also a great gift shop
including gourmet snacks, chilled wine plus
kitchen and wine items. It is a great place to
put together a wine gift basket. (A hint for a
great Mother’s Day gift) If you want to take a
gift to someone with the name Wintergreen, this
winery makes a great stop on your way home from
Wintergreen Resort. I often stop by to pick up
a quick gift.
One of my favorites at
Wintergreen Winery is the Raspberry wine ($15).
This is a great dessert wine when served with a
chocolate cheesecake. For a great Truffle
Torte recipe, go to the Wintergreen Winery web
site,
www.WintergreenWinery.com and click on Food
and Wine. It is also a great web site for their
blog.
Other wines range in price
from $15-$20. There is a Chardonnay, A Viognier,
Three Ridges White, Thomas Nelson White, Three
Ridges Red, Merlot, and some apple wines.
Veritas Winery &
Vineyard in Afton, VA
Veritas Winery and Vineyard
is open Monday through Friday from 9:30-5:30PM
and Saturday and Sunday from 11AM-5PM. To learn
more about their wines, I suggest their web site
at
www.VeritasWines.com. They have a
newsletter and a Wine Club. If you are planning
a Nelson County wine tour and will be visiting
Veritas with a group larger than eight people,
call in advance for special assistance.
Not only does Veritas have
some wonderful wines, they throw some beautiful
events. A few of the events coming soon
include:
May 2nd: Look
for Bill and I at The Magic of Music Ball, a
Black Tie Optional event to support Wintergreen
Performing Arts. It’s an auction, a
three-course wine-paired meal and then dance.
$100 per person before April 20th.
Call 434-325-8292 for reservations.
May 11th:
Mother’s Day Winemakers Brunch at 12 PM. It’s a
four-course, wine-paired Mother’s Day Brunch.
$60 per person inclusive of the meal, tax and
gratuity. Make reservations by calling
540-456-8000 X 108.
Starry Nights The
Starry Nights events are some of our favorite
summer events. Join us for wine and live music
under the stars from 7PM-11PM. Admission is $10
at the door and includes a Veritas wine glass.
We always bring a picnic to these events but you
can purchase dinner on-site with a reservation.
(call 540-456-8000 X108) We look forward to
these events and already have them on our
calendar. It’s a great way to get together with
friends in Nelson County. This year’s events
are on these dates:
June 14th with
King Cadillac with some retro Rock N Roll
July 12th with
Abbey Road—Beatles Cover Band
August 9th with
TBD
September 13th
with TBD
Hill Top Berry Farm &
Winery
Hill Top Berry Farm &
Winery is a family-owned business in Nelson
County and was one of the first local wineries
to produce specialty wines. They are open for
tastings Wednesday-Saturday from 11AM-5PM and
Sunday 1PM-5PM. (Closed Easter, Thanksgiving,
Christmas Eve/Day and New Year’s Day) They
welcome tours, and if you call ahead they can
customize your visit.
Directions: Take 64 West
to the Crozet Exit #107, Turn Left onto 250
West, Turn Left onto 151 South, go 10 Miles,
turn left onto Rt. 612, Go across the bridge and
up the hill. The winery is on the left at 2800
Berry Hill Road. This is in the heart of Nelson
County and is a beautiful drive.
On a side note, Berry
Season is July 19th-August 17th.
We love going here for fresh berries.
Another side note is that
Hill Top has both indoor and outdoor meeting
rooms. The outdoor meeting area has a wonderful
Nelson County view. We love visiting and
sitting with some wine and the view.
The web site is
www.hilltopberrywine.com and is the best
place to go to view their wine list.
Afton
Mountain Vineyards
Afton Mountain
Vineyards is located at 234 Vineyard Lane in
Afton, Virginia. They are open for Spring and
Summer Hours each day, except Tuesday, from
10AM-6PM. This is a beautiful location for a
visit to Afton, VA and to learn about winemaking
in Virginia.
Visiting this
winery is also a history lesson in Nelson County
wine. The vineyards original vines were
planted in 1978 and 1979 and their Cabernet
Sauvignon vines are among the oldest in
Virginia. They opened their tasting room in
1991, one of the first in Nelson County.
In addition to their tasting room, they have
a picnic area with beautiful views of the Blue
Ridge Mountains. They have picnic supplies
available for purchase such as cheese and
spreads or see below about a trip to a Farmers’
Market prior to visiting the winery. If you are
looking for a great place to host an event, this
picnic area would be the place.
If you are looking for a gift idea, I
recommend a membership in the Afton Mountain
Wine Alliance. ( This would make a great
Mother’s Day gift) Alliance members receive the
following:
Two bottles of wine shipped to your door four
times a year
The shipments include recipes for food to
pair with the wine
Special invites to three Alliance Events per
year
Spend the
Day at DelFosse Winery in Nelson County
As part of our
Red, White and Brew Tour of Nelson County,
today’s stop is at the DelFosse Winery. This
truly is a winery where you can spend the whole
day. Take a wine tour, picnic by their lake or
take a hike (or bike ride) on their 5.5 mile
trail.
When visiting,
notice that this is one of the only Virginia
vineyards with terraced vines. The elevation
provides beautiful views and many photo
opportunities. Check out their web site for
some great photos,
www.delfossewine.com
Currently, the
winery is open Wednesday-Sunday from 11AM-5PM
and there is no charge for tastings. Contact
information includes:
DelFosse Vineyard & Winery
500 DelFosse Winery Lane
Faber, VA 22938
tel: 434.263.6100
Premium wines include Chardonnay Reserve,
Viognier, Cabernet Franc, Rosé, Merlot and
Meritage. Add a cheese plate to your picnic
from their bistro menu.
DelFosse Winery was showcased on the PBS
special “The Endless Feast”. This winery has
become widely known for their food and wine
pairing. DelFosse has become known for its
multi-course wine paired dinners and theme
events. The next theme event will be there
Spring Food & Wine Pairing on April 27th.
This event will be from 1PM-5PM.
On May 3rd, the winery will host
their annual Cinco De Mayo dinner. They really
are the masters of theme events. So, check out
their web site for upcoming dinners and make
reservations early.
Another popular event is the winery’s
“Fridays on the Patio”. These warm-weather
events start on Friday, April 25th
from 5PM-8PM. Call DelFosse for more details.
If you are looking for a great Nelson County
get-away, be sure to check out the DelFosse
“great escape” including a stay at the Orchard
House B&B in Lovingston, VA. The package
includes mid-week accommodations, a VIP Reserve
Tasting, two wineglasses, a corkscrew and
discounts on wine purchased. You can also add a
visit to Jefferson’s Monticello. For more
information, call the Orchard House at
434-263-7747.
Also on their web site, sign up for their
free wine club or to receive RSS news feeds.
I hope to see you on the DelFosse patio one
Friday soon.
A Hike in
Fortunes Cove and the Mountain Cove Winery
The Fortunes
Cove and Mountain Cover area is another one of
my favorite areas in Nelson County. My family
has roamed this area since the 1700s. Family
members were still farming apples in this area
until the 1980s. When heading over to Fortunes
Cove and Mountain Cove Winery, be sure to take
your time on Mountain Cove Road and enjoy the
scenery of Nelson County apple trees. I will be
blogging about Nelson County orchards later this
year.
The
Fortunes Cove Preserve
has hiking and
biking trails across 755 acres that stretches
along the crest of Woods Mountain. The preserve
is the home to a wide variety of flora and
wildlife. This preserve is open daily from dawn
until dusk.
There are
5.5 miles of hiking trails that take hikers
through a loop around the preserve. There is a
stream along the base of the trail that is
filled with blooming wildflowers during the
summer months.
The 5.5-mile loop trail climbs steeply from
the parking area, gaining some 1,500 feet in
elevation before reaching its highest
point. Hikers should be in good physical
condition and should allow six hours to complete
the entire loop. A gravel parking area and kiosk
with trail map are at the preserve entrance;
there are no restrooms
The Fortunes
Cove Preserve is also home to many birds. You
will probably see pileated woodpeckers, northern
cardinals, Carolina wrens, warblers, tanagers,
American restarts and scarlet tangers.
Other wildlife
that lives in the preserve includes Black
bear, bobcat, white-tailed deer, red fox,
raccoon, and box turtle.
After hiking
in The Fortunes Cove Preserve, head next door to
the Mountain Cove Winery. The Mountain
Cove Winery is one of the oldest continuously
operated wineries in Virginia. Most of the
vineyard was re-planted in 1997 and the winery
is in full modern production. There is a sales
and tasting room that includes a selection of
wine gift items. The vineyard now
includes Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc,
Norton, Chambourcin, Villard Blanc and
Traminette.
Be sure to bring a picnic to the Mountain
Cove Winery. There is plenty of outdoor seating
available in their wine garden and beautiful
views. Visiting this winery is like visiting a
traditional Nelson County farm.
The Grape Escape
The tour is sponsored by
Wintergreen Resort. For full details, see their
web page at
www.WintergreenResort.com Note that this
tour would make a great addition to a spa
package weekend for couples or friends.
This tour is also perfect
for the novice wine drinker who wants to learn
more about the craft of winemaking and
drinking. You can also customize this tour so
that it fits your tastes. Wintergreen Resort
will provide a wine expert guide and private
transportation, including the driver. You will
also be treated to dinner at the Wintergreen
restaurant of your choice.
Full Day Grape Escape:
Transportation to wineries
Tastings at five different
wineries with a wine expert
Lunch
Dinner at your choice of
Wintergreen restaurants
Access to the Aquatics and
Fitness Center with sauna, steam room, whirlpool
and indoor and outdoor pools.
$209 per person
The half-day Grape Escape
is the perfect package to add to a half day spa
package. I also suggest that it is the perfect
package to add to The Evening With The Arts with
Wintergreen Performing Arts. I will be
discussing upcoming events with Wintergreen
Performing Arts in upcoming blogs.
Half Day Grape Escape:
Transportation to wineries
Tastings at three different
wineries with a wine expert
Dinner at your choice of
Wintergreen restaurants
Access to the Aquatics and
Fitness Center with sauna, steam room,
whirlpool, indoor and outdoor swimming pools.
$179 per person
If you would rather plan
your own winery tour of Nelson County, read the
blogs in April. The blogs in April will provide
enough information to plan a complete weekend
around winery events and tours. (plus hiking,
biking and picnics at some of the wineries)
Great Beer in Central
Virginia
A Beer Trail could be
coming to Central Virginia in 2009.
Last year, the big beer
news in Nelson County was the opening of Blue
Mountain Brewery in the Afton region. (For
stories about Blue Mountain Brewery, visit my
Blog Archive at
www.ExperienceNelsonCounty.com, click on
Blog Archive for a library of topics) Visitors
and residents of Nelson County have enjoyed
visiting Blue Mountain over the past year, and
we can’t wait for the Devil’s Backbone to open
in November 2008.
For years, Nelson County
has been a popular Virginia Wine Tour county.
With ten local, county wineries, Nelson has
become a popular “wine destination vacation”.
(Virginia has over 100 wineries and October is
the official Virginia Wine Month) An article
in the Nelson County Times in August has locals
excited about the possibility of a Central
Virginia beer trail. Marketing of a beer trail
may even begin as early as 2009. Marketing of
the trail will be sparked by Nelson County’s own
Maureen Corum who is the Director of Economic
Development & Tourism. This office has already
been marketing Nelson’s Red, White and Brew
industry with great success. A beer trail would
just add to Nelson County as a visitor’s
“destination”. Sounds like the State of
Virginia will even help with the marketing of
Virginia’s fist beer trail.
Other breweries that could
be added to a Central Virginia Beer Trail would
be Starr Hill Brewery in Crozet and South Street
Brewery in Charlottesville. Starr Hill Beers
that are popular across the region include Jomo
Lager and Dark Starr. (You can even find these
for sale in the stores in Wintergreen Resort)
Starr Hill and Blue Mountain both bottle their
beers for retail sales.
Devil’s Backbone
Brewery is Open
The Devil’s Backbone
Brewery is now open in Beech Grove, close to
Wintergreen Resort. It is not just a brewery,
but a full restaurant open for lunch and dinner
every day. The brewery has in-house brews as
well as guest beers from Nelson County and
Charlottesville.
The menu has everything
from nachos to a great Cowboy Steak. The pub
menu is available all day, including some
steaks, with a full entrée menu after 5PM.
Currently, six custom brews
are available in the brewery and you can take
several to go with their “growler” program.
Right now, the in-house
brews include:
Ale of Fergus Scottish
Brown Ale
Blackrock Oatmeal Stout
Eight Point IPA
Gold Leaf Lager
Vienna Lager
Wintergreen Weiss
Devil’s Backbone has a lot
of live music that is enjoyed by all. I post a
weekly Live Music Watch on my free daily blog. |
