Swirl, Sip, Snark’s video of a visit to Philip Carter Winery

Join us for a special wine tour to two award-winning wineries located in Hume, Fauquier County: Hume Vineyards and Philip Carter Winery!

First up on the tour is Hume Vineyards, located 50-acre historic farm dating back to the 1880s. Owner and winemaker Stephane Baldi and his wife, Andrea, opened last July and have been getting great reviews.

Here’s what wine blog Swirl, Sip, Snark had to say in an April 14 post:

The reds began with the ’10 Chambourcin ($19). This is a big red with loads of cooked fruit. It’s high alcohol for VA at 15.1% alcohol, but it’s very well balanced and doesn’t feel hot. Next, the ’08 Detour ($23) made a return appearance. It’s opened up a lot since the last time we had it, and loads of dark fruit and tobacco make an appearance. Oh, and it’s 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot.

We ended with the ’08 Cabernet Sauvignon ($26). I love coffee, and this wine has coffee notes galore and subtle fruit. Good stuff!

Next up on the tour is a winery owned by a family that traces its origins back to 1759,  when Charles Carter began growing grapes at his plantation, Cleve,  in King George County. Carter was awarded a gold medal for his wines in 1762 by the Society for the Encouragement of the Arts, Manufacture, and Commerce (now the Royal Society of Arts) in London — making them the first internationally recognized wines of America, according to the winery’s website.

Today, Carter wines continue to win accolades, and the winery claimed six titles in the 2011 Virginia Wine Lover Magazine’s First Annual “Best of” Reader’s Choice Awards:  White Overall-Chardonnay, Red Overall-Cleve, Cab Franc Overall, Desert-Late Harvest, White (Nova) and Red (Nova).

The tour takes place Saturday, May 28, with pickups at the West Falls Church Metro Kiss & Ride, Dulles Town Center and Lansdowne Resort. Cost is $35 and does not include winery tasting fees or driver gratuity.

To reserve your seats on this special wine tour, click here to visit Reston Limousine’s online Reservations page.

You can book a Reston Limousine Private Wine Tour to be the first to explore the new route that takes you through 10 wineries from Bluemont to Linden!

“These are all family wineries with high quality, handcrafted wines,” Jim Bogaty, owner and CEO of Veramar Vineyard and president of The General’s Wine & History Trail. He notes that while other wine trails are confined within county lines, the wineries along the new are located in seven different counties.

He also offered suggestions for visitors in approaching a complete circuit of the trail:

Part 1: Veramar Vineyard, Bluemont Vineyard, Sunset Hills Vineyard and Lost Creek Vineyard & Winery
Part 2: Three Fox Vineyards, Swedenburg Estate Vineyard and Winery at La Grange
Part 3: Philip Carter Winery, Fox Meadow Winery and Gadino Cellars.

“We have the beauty of Virginia scenery, great wines, and all of our 10 wineries have a unique history,” Mr. Bogaty says. Those Civil History notes are included in a distinctive wine trail passport (they call it the Campaign Journal) that you can pick up at any of the wineries or download at www.thegeneralswinetrail.com.

Visitors earn stars at each winery they visit and can return the journal at the end of the year. Winners will be randomly drawn for a grand prize of a night’s stay at the celebrated L’Auberge Provencale in Boyce, as well as a second prize of a $75 gift certificate from The General’s Wine & History Trail.

Ready to book your Reston Limousine chauffeured tour of The General’s Wine & History? Please call 1-800-LIMO-141 (1-800-546-6141) or book with us online.