Congratulations to Governor’s Cup Winners
Congratulations to the Northern Virginia wineries that recently took home medals in the 2010 Virginia Governor’s Cup Competition, which took place at Lansdowne Resort!
Unlike previous years, only red wines were tasted at the Jan. 23 competition; Virginia white wines will be judged later this year and announced in conjunction with October Virginia Wine Month.
The following wineries on Reston Limousine’s public wine tour schedule were judged among more than 200 entries from 61 wineries from around the Commonwealth.
Silver
- Pearmund Cellars 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon
- Sunset Hills Vineyard 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon
- Notaviva Vineyard LLC 2008 Celtico (Chambourcin)
- Veramar Vineyard 2008 Ameritage
- Dry Mill Vineyards & Winery 2008 Merlot
- Pearmund Cellars 2007 Petit Verdot
- Pearmund Cellars 2007 Amentage (Red Table Wine)
Bronze
- Notaviva Vineyard LLC 2008 Cantabile (Cabernet Franc)
- Veramar Vineyard 2008 Cabernet Franc Free Run and 2008 Cabernet Franc
- Fabbioli Cellars 2008 Cabernet Franc Reserve and 2008 Cabernet Franc
- Veramar Vineyard 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon
- Casanel Vineyards 2007 Chegada Cabernet Sauvignon
- Dry Mill Vineyards & Winery 2008 Chambourcin
- Fabbioli Cellars 2008 Tre Sorelle (Meritage Red)
- Veramar Vineyard 2008 Merlot Free Run
- Casanel Vineyards 2007 Chegada Merlot
- Casanel Vineyards 2008 Batucada Norton (Rose)
Sunset Hills Vineyard
Pearmund Cellars
Dry Mill Vineyard & Winery
Casanel Vineyards
To visit these wineries and sample their award-winning wines, book a seat on one of our upcoming public wine tours every Saturday Sunday. To view a schedule of wineries and reserve your seat online, please visit our online Calendar at our Web site at www.restonlimo.com.
Blogger’s Wine Tour Part 2
After visiting Casanel Vineyards and Dry Mill Vineyards, the Reston Limousine Blogger’s Wine Tour resumed our travels to our next destinations on the Loudoun Wine Trail’s Harmony Cluster.
Bill Hatch offers tastings at Zephaniah Farm Vineyard
Our group arrived at Zephaniah Farm Vineyard, Loudoun’s smallest winery and open only by appointment. Bill Hatch and his wife, Bonnie Archer, led us into the wonderful 1830 manor house that serves as one of the most unique tasting rooms we’ve visited. At the entry, Bill showed us a black and white photograph that included his great-grandfather, Zephaniah Jefferson Hatch, for whom the winery is named.
Barrel tasting with Zephaniah winemaker Bill Hatch
The home’s rich history was evident in the antique furniture and photographs placed throughout the tasting room, which once served as a parlor. Following the tastings of their Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, Bill was joined by his son and fellow winemaker, Tremain, in explaining his family’s winemaking process downstairs as he offered barrel tastings for the group.
Willowcroft Farm Vineyards' collection of medals graces its tasting room
We could easily have spent the entire day at Zephaniah, but the final stop on our our tour awaited: Willowcroft Farm Vineyards, Loudoun’s original winery. Celebrating 25 years this year, the award-winning Willowcroft is a popular destination on the wine trail and often hosts celebrations such as the bridal shower taking place that day.
Tasting at Willowcroft Farm Vineyards
Tastings take place in a historic red barn, and when the heights on Mt. Gilead aren’t shrouded in mist and light rain as it was on Saturday, great views of the Blue Ridge Mountains can be had from the picnic area. The weather dissuaded us from taking self-guided tours of the farm, unfortunately.
Flush with the tastings of the day, we headed back to the bus and our driver, James, and admired his handiwork in creating our names out of copper wire. If you ever meet him on the Reston Limo DC tour, be sure to ask him for a song!
Joe Roberts, Tammi Marcoullier, Audrey McGill, Dezel Quillen, Kathy Sullivan and Terry Sullivan
We’d like to thank Tammi Marcoullier, Audrey McGill, Dezel Quillen, Joe Roberts, and Kathy and Terry Sullivan for joining us on our first blogger’s tour, and to Casanel Vineyards, Dry Mill Vineyards, Zephaniah Farm Vineyard and Willowcroft Farm Vineyard for hosting the bloggers on Saturday.
If you would like to schedule your own private tour of the Harmony Cluster of the Loudoun Wine Trail or other regional wine trails, please visit www.restonlimo.com for more information.
