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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. |
