Time for Wine Part 2

Posted on by goldenlifemusings

Just about a year ago, my favorite traveling buddy and I took a trip down US-29 to one of our favorite road trip destinations – Charlottesville, Virginia. Considering our affinity for fall foliage and our love of good vibes, views, and vino, our return trip was a no-brainer. (If you haven’t yet read or need a refresher on my blog post from our first visit, check out Time for Wine Part 1.)

Even if you aren’t wine aficionados like me and mom, don’t stop reading! This region, and even the wineries, in particular, have a lot to offer anyone who can appreciate the tranquility of the charming countryside. If you are looking for a quiet, hassle-free getaway with dope views and good vibes, Virginia Wine Country should be on your list.

Veritas Vineyards and Winery

Our first stop this time led us to Veritas Winery, which is in Afton, VA, about 20 minutes west of Charlottesville. Out of the four wineries I’ve been to in this area, I would rate this one #1 as far as total experience. Not only were the wines delicious, but the scenic views were breathtaking, and the friendliness of the staff and the overall warmth of the surroundings made Veritas feel like home. In addition to the inside fireplace, we also loved the fire pit stations looking out to the lawn and vineyard, which is where mom and I decided to set up shop for the day. And what a gorgeous fall day it was!

Now onto the vino! Each winery offers different tasting options. Most commonly they serve flights, which offer small amounts (typically 1-2 ounces) of a selection of wines to try. Veritas offered two different types of flights, called the Classic and Reserve, both serving 4 selections (two red and two white, or a rose replacing one of the whites). The Reserve was slightly higher in quality, so if you know us you can probably guess our choice. This time the Sauvignon Blanc stole my heart, so much so that it came home with me. 

I absolutely loved the attention to detail they offered in the description of each selection in the flights, which they called Taste in Place. In fact, I found myself serving as our makeshift sommelier by reading aloud the detailed descriptions as we sipped, which mom and I both got a kick out of.  

We also enjoyed the food menu, which consisted of an assortment of cheeseboards, sourdough toasts, salads, and sandwiches, to accompany our wine selections. They also allow you to bring in outside food and non-alcoholic beverages.

Last but not least, if you are a person like me who appreciates good photo ops, this place is a winner! From the flower-adorned vineyard to the tree-lined frame, this vineyard offers a little bit of everything for everyone.

Keswick Vineyards

This beautiful vineyard is located about 15 minutes from downtown Charlottesville in the heart of Virginia Wine Country. According to its website, it is “part of both the Monticello Wine Trail and the Route 231 Trail, a protected tourism corridor running along the Southwest Mountains and proclaimed as one of the most beautiful drives in America.” 

Keswick has an expansive vineyard, which made for some great photo ops as well.

It also happens to have the best of all the wines I tasted during my visits to the region thus far. At the other wineries, I loved one wine and enjoyed the rest, but I loved every one of the Keswick wines I selected. One of the things I appreciated most about this winery was that it offered build-your-own flights. The tastiness of all the wines made it difficult to choose, but the red medium-bodied Norton was the ultimate winner for me. I recommend the Viognier here for anyone who prefers sweet wine.

This winery doesn’t have many substantial food options, so bringing in your own food is ideal if you want to spend a day there. They offer light snacks like an assortment of cheese and chocolate, and they just so happen to have the best white cheddar popcorn we’ve ever tasted. You’re welcome!

Additionally, I want to offer a special shout-out to Ron, who assisted us. He offered mom a few complimentary tastes in order to select her glass of wine, and even made a special blend for her. 

It’s also important to note that we visited this winery on a particularly crisp fall day and they did not have fire pits or a working fireplace at the time. Sitting in the sun made the cooler fall temps more bearable, but we also had to compete with some pretty aggressive bees for the sun. By the time we return, they plan to have their heated glass-enclosed area in place and a propane refill for their outdoor fireplace. 

Considering there are more than 40 wineries in the area, we still have a lot of ground to cover, but we’re happy to continue to do the research for you. Stay tuned for part three coming soon!

Time for Wine

Posted on by goldenlifemusings

After several weeks of fall travel, I figured it was time to sit my behind down and get to musing. In September, mom and I decided to take a road trip down US-29 to one of our favorite places – Charlottesville, VA. This charming, college town, is not just home to my alma mater, the illustrious University of Virginia, it is home to more than 40 wineries within 25 miles driving distance. And fall happens to be one of the most beautiful times of year for this road trip.

I should mention that as I’ve gotten older, I’ve developed a bit of an affinity for wine. This coupled with the realization that I had not visited one winery in the area in the two decades since my matriculation, meant that it was well beyond time.

Jefferson Vineyards

Our first stop was Jefferson Vineyards, which was about a 15-minute drive outside of Charlottesville. This small but lovely vineyard offered two seasonal flight options that each included four varieties. (Note: If you’re not familiar with the lingo, the term flight is used by wine tasters to describe a selection of wines.) I opted for the white and mom opted for the white and red combo, which came with a rose. They also gave the option to purchase cheese, charcuterie, and chocolate snacks to accompany your wine selection. Out of all the wines I tasted, including some of mom’s reds, I enjoyed the 4 Gold Medals Viognier the best. Never mind that it was the most expensive (insert sigh here), but my taste for wine is somewhere right in the middle – not too sweet and not too dry. 

What mom and I loved most about this particular vineyard though was the scenery. The little flower gardens that included seating perfect for social distancing had an undeniable calming effect. They also offered abundant seating on an expansive field that included a large tent and umbrellas for larger parties and smaller tables and chairs that overlooked the rolling green hills.

Merrie Mill Farm & Vineyard

Our next stop led us to the Merrie Mill Farm & Vineyard in Keswick, which was another 15 minutes or so down the road. This one had me at the long, rolling driveway lined with grapevines. Though still charming, this vineyard was much larger than the first, and included a sit-down restaurant on the property. The outdoor restaurant seating offered a beautiful view of the vineyard we saw on our drive in and seeing the sun begin to set beyond the hills was another great treat.

The taste offerings at Merrie Mill were much more generous than the first winery. Additionally, they only provided one flight option to purchase that included a combination of red, white, and rose varieties. This tasting was enough for two people unless you’re a heavyweight in the wine department. Merrie Mill also offered heavy snacks that included charcuterie and cheese platters, as well as salads. My favorite wine here was the rose, of which I purchased a bottle to take home. It was crisp, refreshing, and had just the right amount of fruitiness without being sweet. 

Overall I enjoyed the vibes, views, and vino of both wineries and I would recommend them both. I’ll be heading back to Charlottesville soon and will keep you updated on more wineries to try.

Here are some other tidbits to consider:

  • As our time only permitted us to travel for a couple of days during the week, we were limited to the wineries that were open on Wednesday. Note, most wineries are open Thursday – Sunday. 
  • If you’re familiar with Golden Life Musings, you know I’m not fond of dining at restaurants I have back home. This trip led us to a few new great finds for dining. If you love burgers, check out Burger Bach in the Shops at Stonefield shopping center right off of 29. I enjoyed the lamb burger, featured in the pic below, and mom ordered the traditional cheeseburger. Both were delicious.

We also thoroughly enjoyed Sedona Taphouse, which served arguably the best stuffed shrimp I’ve had.

On our way back up the road, we wanted something quick, hot, and delicious and Angelic’s Kitchen did not disappoint. Both the fried fish and fried chicken were delicious. The mac n’ cheese wasn’t the best I’ve had, but the greens (not pictured) were on point. And I’d be remiss not to mention that this one was black-owned. 

  • While you’re in town, take some time to stroll down the quaint, downtown Charlottesville area. This is me and mom’s favorite part about Charlottesville. They have some really cool small businesses and local street vendors that could use our support, especially in these times. Ten Thousand Villages, where I actually bought a couple of Christmas gifts, is a unique store with a phenomenal cause behind it. There are actually more than 50 of these stores around the US that sell fair-trade items from dozens of disadvantaged artisan groups in 30 different countries around the world.