Fire pits, cigar bars, photo booths – each generation of starry-eyed lovers ties the knot a little differently, and the current crop goes for less pomp, more play.

Bridal couples are opting out of churches and formal, seated dinners, and wineries have emerged as one of the new go-to spots for out-of-the-box weddings. Sunset ceremonies overlooking the vineyard are followed by receptions that flow with personality, like “toasting” with marshmallows over an open fire, or hiring sommeliers to lead vintage wine tastings or wine-pairing dinners.

Even for the simplest weddings, during spring’s bud break or fall’s grape harvest, no other venue can match the rustic romance, the views, and the sense of renewal and rebirth of a wedding among the vines.

Read more here.

The three wineries featured here can fill up a year in advance, so plan ahead. And if your first choice is already booked, keep looking: Virginia has nearly 90 wineries that want to help you say “I do.”

Winery Weddings is a post from: Virginia Wine In My Pocket

First in a series

Looking for something different in Virginia wine country for 2012? We can help with that. But first: take this quick personality assessment.

Which of the following best describes you?

1. First in. Early adopter. You love a mystery, and once you get a tip on an emerging anything, you like to get there before the masses. You love finding hidden gems. Once the secret’s out, though, you move on to the next adventure.

OR

2. No surprises. First-class predictability. You let someone else be the pioneer. You don’t mind paying a little more, and you don’t mind crowds. You never travel without your GPS.

If #2 sounds like your speed, head to the Monticello Wine Trail in Charlottesville, where you’ll find lots of predictably happy people drinking predictably good wine. (They’ve been at it a while.)

But if you self-identify as a gem hunter, point yourself toward the Northern Neck in 2012, part of the Chesapeake Bay Wine Trail.

“Where’s that?” your friends will ask. (See, you’re cool already!) Mentioning Ingleside Vineyards usually gets a glimmer of recognition; after decades of pouring wine for passersby, the popular winery has become as much a part of the Northern Neck as blue crabs, oysters, corn and soybeans.

The quiet Neck is the unpretentious, hospitable sibling in a loud Virginia family full of decorated war veterans and decked-out grande dames. But don’t mistake its congenial nature for lack of depth: it’s the homeplace for not only the nation’s first president, but also two signers of the Declaration of Independence, the Commander of the Confederate Army of Virginia—Robert E. Lee—and perhaps the first true success story of Virginia wine-making, Charles Carter. Carter—a forebear of Philip Carter Strother of Philip Carter Winery in Northern Virginia—is credited with the first recorded history of successful grape production in Virginia with European vines.

Read more about Northern Neck history in this little volume written by the founder of Ingleside Vineyards, Carl Flemer. Birthplace of the Nation

The Wines
Today, Old World grapes continue to thrive at the Northern Neck’s ten wineries. Growing conditions for vinis vinifera seem to favor stalwarts such as merlot and cabernet franc. Ingleside, The Hague Winery, and the new General’s Ridge Vineyards are also working with the Virginia up-and-comer, petit verdot, and you’ll see sprinklings of cabernet sauvignon, sangiovese, syrah, and pinot noir.

Whites branch out to include both Old World and hybrids, including chardonnay, chardonel, and vidal blanc. Vignoles also makes an appearance, and petit manseng blossoms at Ingleside, along with muscat in The Hague’s Cynthia dessert wine. The new Jacey Vineyards has ambitious plans to add albariño and sauvignon blanc.

Next installment…Northern Neck wine tour itinerary, part 1

2012 Virginia Wine Tour Itineraries – Northern Neck is a post from: Virginia Wine In My Pocket

Here are two options your friends and family will thank you for, and only $3.99 each!

Click on the link to go to the iTunes store, and select “Gift this App” from the drop-down menu. You’ll be able to enter an email address, and your friends will receive a lovely little gift card via email saying you’ve gifted them an app! (It’s helpful if they have an iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch – we’re still not on Android yet, grrrrrr.)

Virginia Wine in My Pocket app (travel guide to Virginia Wine Country)

Rehoboth in My Pocket app (travel guide to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware – the best little beach town around!)

And if we don’t talk before then, have a wonderful week, get some great naps, and don’t forget the Virginia wine!

- Rick & Nancy

Va Wine App Gift Cards – what a great gift! is a post from: Virginia Wine In My Pocket

We stopped by Sweely Saturday, Dec. 17th and we’re surprised to find out they’ve been SOLD. They’re closing Dec. 24th for a  few months to remodel! The GOOD news… They’re selling their wine for $77.00 per CASE!!! What a deal!! They’re hoping to reopen by the. End of March 2012.

For more background on the Sweely transition, check out Washington Post wine writer Dave McIntyre’s recent report on the purchase of Sweely Estate Winery by AOL founder Steve Case and his wife Jean.

Sweely Winery Closed Temporarily is a post from: Virginia Wine In My Pocket

New Years Wine Dinners? is a post from: Virginia Wine In My Pocket

The bags are lovely, the prices are low, and we guarantee you won’t find these in stores this holiday shopping season. Here’s our “friends & family” price list and photos of each bag, but be sure to order now – we have a limited quantity until monsoon season passes and weaving can begin again.

Price List: Buri Bag Project Friends and Family Holiday Price List

Know a local (DC/MD/NoVA) coach or teacher looking for a unique fundraiser? To be considered for the Buri Bag School Fundraising Pilot Program in spring 2011, contact Nancy Bauer by December 31 at Nancy@BuriBagProject.com. Only three local schools will be invited to participate!

Let the Shopping Season Begin with Buri Bags! is a post from: Virginia Wine In My Pocket

Chris Pearmund and friends at City Square Cafe

Pairing Pearmund Wines with Great Food: A Review of the 7th Annual Autumn Wine Dinner at City Square Café in Manassas

Guest post by Tim and Celia Miner (contact: VAWineNDine@aol.com )

(October 27, 2011: Manassas, Virginia) We are privileged to have a passion and a hobby that allows us to enjoy great food that is paired with fantastic wines, and tonight was such a night. For those who haven’t had to pleasure to dine at City Square Café , you are missing something special in Northern Virginia. CSC is owned and managed by Robert and Susana Barolin , who have a wonderful culinary history and a long relationship with Manassas. We have frequented CSC many times on a Friday evening for a pitcher of sangria and several of the best tapas in the state, and we have attended some of the quarterly wine dinners here and have always enjoyed the food immensely. The food at CSC is thoughtfully selected by Robert and by Chef Scott, who is a master in the kitchen as far as we are concerned. Tonight was special though.

Tonight the guest of honor was Chris Pearmund, managing partner at Pearmund Cellars , Vint Hill Craft Winery , The Winery at La Grange , and several other “projects.” It isn’t often one can get wine notes directly from the owner. Chris related that he started his journey with a vision to marry his love of wine production with good food to be created in his own restaurant. While the restaurant never happened, he has been a leading figure in Virginia wine, especially in the Northern Virginia area. During his introductory remarks, Chris mentioned several of his latest projects to produce historic wines for Virginia. First he talked about the new “Winery at Bull Run” which will produce wines without electricity using techniques from the 1860s. Next he talked about using old oak trees legally obtained from the Bull Run battlefield to produce the barrels that will age a wine in honor of the Sesquicentennial of the Civil War. Chris added his comments between courses on each of the wines that were paired with the meal’s food. Again, this was a rare and wonderful treat.

The first course was an “Autumn Squash Pot Pie” paired with the Pearmund 2010 Viogner. This sweet dish consisted of slices of acorn, butternut, and sweet potato squash cooked in abundant pumpkin gravy and topped with a thin puff pastry. We were pleased with the food for its uniqueness and its good taste. The Viogner pour, like all pours tonight, were abundant three or four ounces. Robert raved about the Pearmund Viogner as the “best Viogner wine outside of France.”

The second pairing for the night was the Pearmund 2009 Cabernet Franc with a Buttermilk Fried Quail with a ginger-spiced sweet potato mash. Once again, the sweet potato mash gave the entrée an overall sweetness that the Cabernet Franc grape stood up to quite nicely. The pairing was excellent, but it was during this course that we noticed that none of the reds used during the meal were decanted. We asked Chris what he thought of decanting and he told the story of how he always takes a drink of the red wine he will serve with a meal while he was cooking—first because the cook deserves it and second because it gives the wine time to breathe. We heartily agree.

The third course was, by far, the best pairing of the evening. Pearmund’s award-winning 2007 Ameritage was served with medallions of roast tenderloins with a chili pepper and blackberry glaze. Personally we are very big fans of cuvee wines and Pearmund’s blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot, and Merlot grapes really stood up and complemented the spicy-sweetness of the peppers and blackberries in the sauce. In his comments, Robert told how it was this wine, served at the official dinner for the sesquicentennial of the First Battle of Bull Run, that inspired the dinner we were enjoying tonight. This course got “two yums” from us.

The fourth and final course for the evening was a pairing of the 2009 Snort from The Winery at La Grange with a slice of pumpkin cake roll topped with a nutmeg-spiced homemade ice cream. The “Snort” (sounds like “port”) wine was very good with the sweetness of the dessert and was a great complement to the wonderful food. During his course notes, Chris challenged everyone to come up with another name for “port-style” wine, saying the official designation of “fortified wine” was just too boring. “Game on” now for all you creative blog readers.

Full house at City Square Cafe

Overall, the meal was outstanding with the pairings appropriate and tasty. The final bill was about $90 per person with tip and taxes, which is a little below average cost for a dinner where four or five wines are served especially with such generous pours. Robert, Susana, and Scott designed a superb menu of foods for the different courses. They were original, very satisfying and there was a good variety of textures and tastes. We are advocates for smaller portion sizes at restaurants, since we believe the average person should be able to appreciate the last course as much as the first without feeling stuffed. Tonight’s meal was right on.

This small restaurant is one of the gems of eating in Old Town Manassas and we would recommend it anytime. Wine dinners take place quarterly and their website is the place to keep track of the upcoming special events. All meals “officially” begin at 7 pm with the first group welcome at 7:30 and the first wine and food served at 7:35 to 7:40 pm. The wines used during the dinners are sold by the restaurant at below the rates charged at the wineries. The seventh annual Autumn Wine Diner at City Square Café rates two “yums up” (YUM+YUM) from us.

Thank you for reading our review and stay tuned for news of more fine wining and dining in Virginia. If you have comments or suggestions for events and locations of upcoming wine-dinners, please contact us at VAWineNDine@aol.com.

City Square Café
9428 Battle Street, Manassas, VA 20110
703.369.6022
www.citysquarecafe.com
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Wine dinners held quarterly

Review: Autumn Wine Dinner at City Square Café, Manassas is a post from: Virginia Wine In My Pocket

Tim and Celia are avid travelers who enjoy pairing good wines and good beers with different foods. They literally “walk” the world with the International Marching League (www.imlwalking.org) and the International and American Volkssports Associations (www.ava.org). While traveling, they hunt down the best in local wines and beers. They are both aviators and meteorologists and veterans of the United States Air Force. They are also owned by a snarky cat, named Jynx. Tim grew up as the grandson of raters for the Mobil Travel Guide and he took on several assignments for that publication before entering the military. When they came to Virginia in 2000, they used the new “Virginia Wine Guide” travel stamp program to learn about the state. Their motto is “life is too short to drink bad wine and beer!” You can contact them with suggestions and event locations at VAWineNDine@aol.com.

Tomorrow… Tim and Celia’s review of the 7th Annual Autumn Wine Dinner at City Square Café in Manassas.

Welcome Tim and Celia!

31 Ways to Love Va Wine: Way #15 – Wine Dinners is a post from: Virginia Wine In My Pocket

“Visited the newly remodeled tasting room just around the corner from Blenheim. What an enjoyable time. Not a traditional tasting. Sat outside on the patio on a sunny warm day. The server brings your selected tasting in a 6 oz acrylic cone carafe. Very cool. The sparkling wines were a great surprise, especially the blanc du blanc. It tasted like traditional french champagne. The Sauvignon Blanc was also a nice surprise. The Cabernet Sauvignons were juicy but big soft tannins. Quite different from other lighter body VA cabs. No surprise…Trump is doing it right. ”

Our friend and Virginia wine expert Richad Leahy reports that “wines immediately for sale will be labeled as the Kluge Estate Vineyards products carried over from the previous ownership,” so that’s what we presume our commentor was trying out.

We haven’t visited yet, but it sounds like the Trumps are keeping some of the more interesting elements of Kluge’s former tasting room operation - those tasting cones were cool, and after weeks of standing at tasting bars during our 150 winery tour, we appreciated the option of a self-guided tasting out on the patio.

We’d love to hear others’ experiences at Trump Winery – leave a comment below.  Best thing since sliced bread? Just okay? Let us know…

Update 10/30/11: This comment just in from our app – what’s YOUR Trump Winery experience?

When I visited the newly opened Trump Winery recently, I left a bit less impressed than I’d expected, given the hype that had been generated. The flights offered were generous but more expensive than any surrounding wineries. The Kluge wines were higher priced than the Albemarle flight (of only 3 wines) and the self-guided tasting can end up seeming very impersonal. While the Albemarle wines were enjoyable, it is the unique Kluge Cru (100% Chardonnay fortified with brandy) that will be my only reason to make any return visits.

Additionally, most every other area winery offers some discount to industry personnel. To *not* offer any discounts is a slight to those who work so hard at their own wineries. Apparently this is standard procedure by Mrs. Kluge, so the Trump take-over hasn’t had an effect, but it’s certainly something that should be revisited. Creating good will among wineries can be much more helpful than anyone outside the industry could imagine…

31 Ways to Love Va Wine: Way #14 – Give Trump a Try is a post from: Virginia Wine In My Pocket

Oh, and those fabulous organizers and motivators at Drink Local Wine!

We’ve just learned that we are among the winners of the Regional Wine Week 47-word essay contest!

We invested veritable minutes on our long, boozy journey to the top of the pantheon of Drink Local Wine essays. We are humbled, appreciative…thirsty.

So, a toast! To Morgan Goodman (the big winner!), our co-winners, Jeff Siegel and Dave McIntyre for launching Drink Local Wine, and to the happy-to-have-their-lives-back essay judges.

And to everyone who drinks wine from their own backyard.

Isn’t it time you discovered your own local crush?

Drink Local Wine picks our 47-word essay as a Regional Wine Week Winner! is a post from: Virginia Wine In My Pocket