#Virginia Vineyards

[washington-dc-bus-tours]

Virginia Wine Tour Adventure: Discover the Magic

Virginia wine country easily becomes unforgettable and embraces into its arms all wine lovers, nature enthusiasts, and anybody else in search of luxury. Beautiful rolling hills to the Appalachian Mountains, Virginia, has over 300 wineries, each offering something special. Independent journeys along Virginia wine tours ensure not only an indulgence in some of the finest wines on the eastern seaboard but also a wondrous journey through a breathtaking landscape, historic places, and friendly towns.

Why Virginia Wine Country is a Must

Virginia is seldom taken into consideration with the considerations between Napa Valley and Sonoma but it definitely has its reasons to be exceptional. Well known for over 400 years of winemaking, the winemakers of Virginia have mastered this art of grape growing and making, growing proud award-winning wines that almost give competition to those wines from more known regions.

Wine Regions in Virginia

Virginia is divided into a number of unique wine regions, each offering its own terroir and wine styles. Among some of the notable wine regions are:

Northern Virginia Wine Region: Outside Washington D.C., this is one region that is home to most of the state's renowned wineries. With rolling hills and proximity to the nation's capital, it's a popular day-trip destination.

Shenandoah Valley Wine Region: Sandwiched in between the Blue Ridge and the Allegheny Mountains is this valley. Next to the topography of this locale is experienced great wines, which mark the greatness of Rieslings and sparkling wines.

Central Virginia: Named for Jefferson's estate, "Monticello", Jefferson was known to be one of the great rabble-rousers for American winemaking and planted some of the first vines in this area. Now, Central Virginia is known to produce a lot of Cabernet Franc, Viognier, and Petit Verdot.

Eastern Shore Wine Region: Nestled along the Chesapeake Bay, the Eastern Shore provides a most unique coastal wine experience. The maritime climate means it produces excellent white wines of a crisp, refreshing nature, yet also regales with wines light-bodied and fruity.

Planning Your Virginia Wine Tour

A Virginia wine tour offers so much more than just a day of wine tasting—it's an experience you can tailor to your preferences. Whether you're looking for a romantic getaway, a weekend with friends, or even wandering solo, Virginia wine country has something for everyone.

What Wineries to Visit

Virginia boasts over 300 wineries, and planning a visit may sound pretty overwhelming. Focusing your trip in the regions that interest you the most will allow you to create a travel plan highlighting the best that Virginia has to offer. Just a few of the must-visit wineries are outlined below.

Barboursville Vineyards – Central Virginia

Notable for its Italian heritage, Barboursville is one of the oldest wineries in Virginia. One of the world-renowned wines of this winery is their signature—Octagon—which is a Bordeaux blend.

Stone Tower Winery, Northern Virginia: From every angle at Stone Tower Winery, one gets a panoramic view of the countryside in Loudoun County, which gives the place its rustic yet stylish feel. Their estate blend, in particular the Meritage, is outstanding.

Bluestone Vineyard, Shenandoah Valley: Bluestone Vineyards rests in the middle of the beautiful Shenandoah Valley, containing a very wide range of wines. Their award-winning Viognier and Petit Verdot should not be missed.

Chatham Vineyards – Eastern Shore: Located on Virginia's Eastern Shore, Chatham Vineyards offers this unique, coastal wine experience. Their Chardonnay, produced in Church Creek, is vibrant and crisp, with bright fruit flavors.

Best Time to Visit Virginia Wineries

Though they are open year-round, the best months to visit Virginia's wineries are during the fall harvest season, from September through November, which boasts cool temperatures, colorful foliage, and winning activity in the vineyards. The Fully blossomed vineyards and mild weather also make spring a picturesque time for visiting.

One of the most important aspects of planning your Virginia wine tour is transportation. For that reason, it's best to leave it to someone else to navigate the winding country roads and ensure safe and appropriate transport is available after multiple tastings. Transportation is always an element to wine tour options, so a visitor can fully relax and enjoy guided tours of some favorite wine tour experiences. Options are available for :

Hire a Private Chauffeur Service: If the touch of a human hand is what you are into, then the private chauffeur service is among your options. They will be able to craft a special itinerary involving your likes and dislikes. This option will be great for couples or just small groups who want this exclusive tour for themselves.

Group Wine Tours: Here is a more social option in case you want to go in groups. These tours come with its transportation to several wineries and tastings. Food may be involved, such as lunch or a picnic.

Self-Guided Tours: Those who love the open road can always enjoy the implemented freedom of a rental car with a customizable itinerary; just be sure to bring along a designated driver or use one of the many designated driver services available.

What to Expect on a Virginia Wine Tour

A Virginia wine tour is so much more than just wine tasting. It becomes an opportunity to get lost in the state's rich past, to enjoy breathtaking scenery, and to meet the passionate winemakers who put their hearts and souls into every bottle.

Wine Tastings and Pairings

Most Virginia wineries offer tasting flights where you can enjoy their wine creations. The tasting flights usually feature whites, reds, and rosés, along with dessert and sparkling options. A great number of wineries offer food pairings to match the wines they serve. The culinary experience further enhances your level of interest in wine touring, with options for farm-to-table meals to complement your wines, as well as artisanal cheeses and charcuterie boards.

Vineyard and Winery Tours

In most wineries, there is a provision for touring around the vineyard and sometimes at the place where the wine is produced. This practice gives an individual the golden chance of getting to understand the entire wine production process right from the growth of the grapes through to the final packaged wine. All through, one gets educated about the peculiar terroir of the regions, the challenges of growing grapes in the Virginian climate, and effort and talent that is truly put into the project.

Festivals and Special Events

Throughout the year, many special events and festivals are held in various Virginia wineries that make half the fun. Some of these most popular events are: Virginia Wine Month. Celebrate Virginia Wine Month with special events, tastings, and promotions at wineries across the state.

Wine & Garlic Festival (Amherst, VA): Celebrating a strange pairing – wine and garlic, complete with live music, artisan vendors, and of course, food and wine.

Harvest Parties : This goes on for a number of weeks, so many wineries host harvest parties that include the ancient art of grape stomping, live music, and spunky food.

Tips for a successful Virginia Wine Tour

Plan Ahead: So many wineries have schedules; it's preferable to plan your roadmap beforehand. Do not forget to look at the time and dates of opening.

Pace Yourself: Wine tasting can be an all-day event, and that means you slightly have to pace yourself. It's wise to start lighter with the wines, including whites and rosés, then move on to heavier reds.

Stay Hydrated: Make sure to drink water throughout the day to stay hydrated and cleanse your palate between tastings.

Don't Be Afraid to Ask Questions: Virginia winemakers are very enthusiastic about what they do. Do not be shy to inquire about such things as the winemaking process, the history of the winery, or foods they suggest pairing.

Conclusion

A wine tour in Virginia is fabulous, with the mix of wines and the Ebullience beauty and history of the area. Virginia wineries have much to offer to every palate, whether an experienced wine enthusiast or willing greenhorn. There is much to take in, from the rolling hills of Northern Virginia to the coastal charm of the Eastern Shore, where you can enjoy much great wine and fantastic views.

[paulpingminho]

[eopederson]

No Outside Alcohol Permitted - No Smoking Anywhere on Property, Carter Mountain Orchard, Albermarle County, 2017.

[wildwithlight]

[david6of7]

Shenandoah Vineyards

Photography by David Velez

#davidvelez #david6of7 #travel #place #nikon #d3x

#virginia #shenandoahvineyards #wine #vineyard

#vino

[haybug1]

Wines of Virginia ~ Wines of the Week

It may be easy to fall into only enjoying wines from the typical states we may think of for producing quality wine in America, like California, Oregon, or Washington. However, every state in the country is crafting wine of some sort today, either from fruit grown in that state or imported, of which much is of high quality, like many options from states like Texas, Colorado, New Mexico, and…

[winerywedding]

Blog Home - Wine and Country Weddings

Virginia Wine & Country Weddings is a uniquely beautiful magazine to help you plan your elegant wedding in the heart of Virginia Wine Country. Vineyard Wedding

[joehaupt]

Wisteria Farm & Vineyard In Stanley, Virginia (November 2022) by Joe Haupt

[extinctionstories]

Once, there was a bird called a Heath Hen. It lived all along the coast of New England, from Virginia all the way to Maine. More abundant than wild turkeys, these grouse-like birds fed Americans native and colonist alike; some believe that it was actually heath hen that graced the table of the first Thanksgiving.

Yet countries grow, and so does the demand for food. Like the passenger pigeon, the bounty of heath hens seemed inexhaustible…until it wasn’t. By 1870, the heath hen was gone from the mainland, occupying only a tiny oasis on the island of Martha’s Vineyard; by 1900, there were only 70 in the world.

But humans had begun to notice the animals vanishing around us—to realize that there steps we could take to make it stop. Protections were put in place, and the birds began a recovery. In 1915, at least two thousand heath hens called the island home.

During the following nesting season, however, after years of misguided suppression measures, a wildfire ravaged the preserve, devastating the ground-nesting birds. Now lacking shelter, birds that survived the fire were easily picked off by predators. Efforts were made to rebuild yet again, but there just weren’t enough birds left. The final heath hen died in 1932, after having been alone for 4 years.

One of the stories that always sticks in my mind about heath hens comes from the people who went out searching for survivors after the fire. They spoke about finding female birds, burnt or suffocated by smoke, still sitting on their nests—their last act, to shield their young.

Those charred hens had no way of knowing that the eggs they guarded were some of the last the world would ever see—no conception of the ideas of rarity or foresight that might cause a human to go to lengths to protect such a nest. For them, it was enough to be a mother, whose child would always be as precious to her as if it had been the only one in the world, worthy of protecting with her life.

An epitaph of Jane Seymour, third queen of Henry VIII, who died in childbed, went, “Here lies a phoenix/by whose death/another phoenix life gave breath”. My above art was painted in clear acrylic medium blended with ink and the ashes of burnt feathers, and is titled ‘There Were No Phoenixes on Martha’s Vineyard’.

[mybeingthere]

Sabina Puppo grew up amongst artists and is herself the 7th generation of artists in her family. Her art education started under the tutelage of her parents and grandparents.

Sabina lives in the Town of Leesburg, in the Virginia Piedmont. She finds herself at ease in the historic countryside where rolling hills and vineyards adorn hallowed landscapes, streams roar free, and the open sky sets no limit to the imagination. Sabina actively supports the arts and the natural environment through donations and auctions that benefit these causes.

Recalling American academic, writer, and artist Caleb Ives Bach’s words, “Sabina’s paintings transport the viewer far from the banality and bombast typical of the larger world. Sabina’s paintings, whimsical yet profound, celebrate the simple pleasures of working the land, living harmoniously with nature, and spending time with people dear to us: visual salve guaranteed to comfort even the most savaged soul.”

[libraryofmoths]

Moth of the Week

Eight-Spotted Forester

Alypia octomaculata

[Right | Left]

The eight-spotted forester is a part of the family Noctuidae, the owlet moths. It was first described in 1775 by Johan Christian Fabricius. It is predictably named after the 8 spots on its wings.

Description This species has a black body with pale yellow patches of tegulae (sclerites above the base of the costal vein/the top edge of a moth wing). The legs are black with the front and middle legs having orange hairs. The forewings have two pale yellow or white spots on both sides, and the hindwings have two white spots on both sides. It also can have a yellow and white patten on the back of the abdomen (middle to lower body).

Wingspan: 3 - 3.7 cm (≈1.81 - 1.45 in)

The larvae is lavender with orange bands breaking up each segment. In between the orange bands are thin black lines over the visible lavender. The enter body is sprinkled in black bumps and thin white hairs. The head is orange.

Caterpillar length: 2.54 - 3.81 cm (1 - 1.5 in)

Diet and Habitat Larvae of this moth eat the underside of the leaves of wild grapes, cultivated grapes, Virginia Creeper, and peppervines. Adult moths eat nectar from flowers of herbaceous (no wood stems above ground). Adults specifically eat from sweetleaf (Symplocos tinctoria).

This moth is native to Canada and can be found in eastern and central Northern America from Nova Scotia to Florida and South Dakota to Texas. It is also found in Mexico according to Moth Identification. They inhabit wooded areas that meet open fields as the fields have flowers to feed the adults and the wooded areas have grapevine and Virginia creeper to feed larvae.

Mating This species are univoltine (one brood a year) in the north, mating from April to June. In warmer climates there may be two to three broods a year, mating in April to June then in August. Eggs are lain on grapevines and Virginia creeper in the summer. Pupae overwinter in soil or wood cracks.

Predators This moth is preyed on in all stages of life and are dinural (active during the day). Larvae spit an orange tinted liquid when threatened and escape by attaching a line of silk threat to its perch from its mouth, then falling off the perch.

Fun Fact

The larvae of this species can be considered pests to commercial and decorative vineyards.

This moth has two subspecies: Alypia octomaculata octomaculata (Fabricuis, 1775) and Alypia octomaculata matuta (H. Edwards, 1883)

This species pupae can go into a dormant state while called a “diapause” where development is delayed. The longest recorded time for this species is 4 years. The reason this species exits a diapause is unknown.

(Source: Wikipedia [1][2][3], MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION, Moth Identification, MarylandBiodiversityProject)

[pixelplayground]

HAAAIII PXL!!! What is your inspiration for The Magnolia Residences in Brindleton Bay? The Magnolia Residences are giving Neoclassical Parisian vibes. Brindleton Bay gives me Martha's Vineyard/Cape Cod vibes. What is your take?

Hello @lunaglammora,

The Magnolia residencies are in Magnolia Promenade but definitely Neoclassical / Georgian inspired. The newest townhouse I’m working on is leaning the same way but I haven’t thought of a name for it yet. Brindleton has always felt like an East Coast world to me that’s versatile in how it can be styled. Cape-Cod, Colonial, Low-Country, etc.

The first makeover I did was Charleston inspired, this one is a mix of both that and Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard and Northern Virginia/D.C. 🤍

This was a cool question, thanks for asking!

[paulpingminho]

[aziraphales-library]

Hello 🙂

I've got a very specific request please. Do you know of any AUs where Crowley and/or Aziraphale (or one of the other characters, if it's a different ship) are what could be described as "rednecks" (apologies for the term) and/or the fic is set it rural America? I know of "Long Haul", but are there any others?

Thanks in advance!

Hi! I'm not familiar with the USA, so not exactly sure what counts as 'rural America'. Here are some fics set in the US and are very strongly rooted in their location...

Adorable (isn't so bad, when you get used to it) by JoyAndOtherStories (G)

A slice-of-life human AU set in the US Midwest. Aziraphale and Crowley are heading to the farm owned by their long-time friends Anathema and Newt to help them celebrate their newest addition (a new cow paddock). There are a few surprises in store, but all good ones, even for professionally-grumpy Crowley.

H.O.L.Y. (High On Loving You) by Most_Loved_Tragedy (E)

Aziraphale Fell is escaping his abusive partner Gabriel Strong. He has no friends and no family to turn to as his parents died 11 years ago, which led to his moving to the US from London. His last ten years have been ruled by Gabriel who kept him cut off from the rest of the world.

While on the run, he misses his bus and ends up in the middle of nowhere USA. A kind person talks their cousin Crowley into offering Aziraphale shelter in a spare home he has for rent.

Aziraphale learns that even if you've lost one family, you can always find another.

Town Meets Country by Angel_of_the_Dawn (M)

Former preacher Azira Fell moves to a small rural town to work as a librarian and meets Anthony Crowley, former drifter turned farmer. Crowley helps Azira come to terms with his past and face the future.

Under Construction by summerofspock (E)

Crowley has one goal: sell the run-down lodge in the Cascades that his uncle left him in his will.

He doesn't expect to meet someone like Aziraphale, the kind handyman working on his uncle's property who turns out to be more of an enigma than Crowley first thought.

The False and the Fair by Princip1914 (E)

Growing up in the shadow of West Virginia’s Eden Mountain, Aziraphale Wright always expected to work for the family coal mining company. Anthony Crowley, the son of a down-and-out miner, was going to become a pilot and leave town forever. Now, thirty years later, neither of their lives have gone as planned, and an unexpected inheritance brings them back into one another’s orbit. Aziraphale hopes that they can move beyond their shared past, and a high school arrangement that ended in disaster, but he has secrets of his own that threaten their fragile reconnection…

Old Vines by sevdrag (E)

A.Z. Fell, one of the most respected names in wine and food blogging, has been sent on assignment with his assistant Warlock Dowling to spend six months in California Wine Country. Under direction (by his boss, Gabriel) to use this experience to double his blog followers and write a novel, Aziraphale is both excited and anxious about the opportunity.

Anthony J. Crowley is the owner and viticulturalist of Ecdyses, a winery that unexpectedly fell into his lap eleven years ago when he hit rock bottom. He may be in debt, yeah, but he’s paying off his loans — and despite pressure from his lenders and their team of inspectors, Crowley has found a kind of contentment tending his little corner of terroir and producing extraordinary wine. Crowley’s old vines are the heart of his vineyard, and he’s never let anyone in.

Crowley finds Aziraphale intriguing; Aziraphale finds Crowley enthralling. Turns out a famous wine expert and an experienced viticulturalist can still learn things from each other. The summer of 2019 unfolds.

And the one you mentioned...

Long Haul by snae_b (E)

First time he sees him he’s barreling down 40 like a bat out of hell. Thirty miles outside of Flagstaff and six hours behind schedule. The desert looming large on all sides. Red sand and sage stretching out for miles and miles in front of him. Juniper and pine and gray crag behind him. The flora might be changing but that's about it. Same bone-dry air that gives him nosebleeds. Same cute little cottontails and scrawny jackrabbits darting under his tires. Same two lanes separated by white lines... He checks his speedometer. He hasn't downshifted since the city limits. Sheer luck, that. He's coming up fast on another rig. Flatbed with Vermont plates. Bright white cab with gold wings painted on the side.  

Anthony Crowley might have gotten out of Missouri, but he hasn't escaped his past. He wears it like a cloak. When he crosses paths with a guardian angel, he starts to learn how to shed it.

- Mod D

[cosmicanger]

Virginia Berresford

Martha's Vineyard, N/A

Oil on canvas

11 × 21 in | 27.9 × 53.3 cm

[david6of7]

Shenandoah Vineyards

Photography by David Velez

#davidvelez #david6of7 #travel #place #nikon #d3x

#virginia #shenandoahvineyards #wine #vineyard

#vino