This month we visit wineries with special events, including St. Patrick’s Day celebrations!

Click here to hear a sample of Cool McFinn’s music!

Here are a few events of note at wineries on our tours:

March 12: Willowcroft Winery St. Patty’s Day Celebration
From noon to 4 p.m., a special tasting includes Wine Tasting & Irish Stew, crackers and breads. $15 per person.

March 12: Bluemont Vineyard features Cool McFinn Live
From noon to 4 p.m. the Celtic music combo plays traditional music with American drive and energy.

March 26 Sunset Hills Vineyard: Life’s a Beach
From noon to 5 p.m., enjoy live calypso performances and wine-a-ritas!

Next month, Reston Limousine resumes monthly day trips to Charlottesville, including visits to two Charlottesville-area wineries and to Downtown Charlottesville for some shopping or a bite to eat.

For a full schedule of our upcoming weekend wine tours, click here to visit Reston Limousine’s online Calendar.

Reston Limousine’s weekend Wine Tours are packed with award-winning wineries that continue to garner recognition for their efforts. Most recently, two wineries on our upcoming schedule of wine tours brought home silver and bronze medals in the 2010 Governor’s Cup (Red) Wine competition:

Sunset Hills Vineyard brought home two silver awards for the 2008 Cabernet Franc and 2008 Petit Verdot, and three bronzes for the 2008 Reserve Cabernet Franc Reserve, 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon and 2009 “Sunset Red.”

Notaviva Vineyards took home a silver for its 2009 “Cantabile” Cabernet Franc and a bronze for the 2008 “Johann” Petit Verdot.

Fortuitously, we’ve already paired this winning duo on upcoming wine tours scheduled for Feb. 19, March 6 and 26! To schedule your Reston Limousine wine tour to Notaviva and Sunset Hills Vineyard, visit our Calendar page at www.restonlimo.com.

To view the complete list of 2010 Governor’s Cup Red Wine medal winners, visit www.virginiawine.org/news.

You can explore this Purcellville winery on one of Reston Limousine’s weekend wine tours (next one is Sept. 5) or have us customize your own private tour that could include wine educators for special tasting presentations, winemaker talks, and tours of the vineyard, stone spring house, and winemaking processing lower level.

During your visit, you’ll be able to taste and purchase some of their award-winning wines, such as the 2009 Viognier, which won a gold medal at the 2010 International Eastern Wine Competition and double gold at the 2010 Finger Lakes International Wine Competition.

Not up for wine tasting on the Labor Day weekend? Let Reston Limousine spare you the driving on these other events around the DC Metro area:

Kennedy Center Page-to-Stage Festival
From Sept. 4-5, more than 25 local theater companies will perform free readings and open rehearsals of plays and musicals that will prepare you for the 2010–11 theater season.

Abbey Road on the River – Beatles Tribute Festival
September 2 – 6, 2010.
The Gaylord National Resort at National Harbor hosts a Beatles fest like no other, with more than 50 bands from around the world performing Sept. 2-6.

DC Blues Festival
Enjoy this free festival featuring live music by local and national musicians from 1-7 pp.m. on Sept. 7 at the Carter Barron Amphitheater.

For more Labor Day Weekend events, visit About.com’s Washington DC section.

Following are the Gold Ribbon winners on our weekend wine tour schedule:
Casanel Vineyards: Chegada Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
Notaviva Vineyards: Cantabile 2008 and Calor 2009
Pearmund Cellars: Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, Riesling 2009, and Petit Manseng 2009

Silver Ribbon winners include:
Notaviva Vineyards: Verano 2009
Paradise Springs Winery: Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2008
Pearmund Cellars: Viognier 2009
Sunset Hills Vineyard: Sunset Rose 2009 and Viognier 2009

In the category of Label Designs, some of our winning wineries were:
Individual Label Design: Paradise Springs Winery, 2nd place, Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2008
Best Use of Whimsy on a Label: Notaviva Vineyards, 3rd place, Cantabile Cabernet Franc

These winning wines will be showcased at the Black Tie & Boots benefit gala on Sept. 22, when the “2010 State Fair of Virginia Best of Show” ribbon will be awarded. Winning wines will be on display during the State Fair of Virginia from Sept. 23-Oct. 3 at The Meadow Event Park. To view a complete list of the winners, please visit www.statefair.com/pdf/AwardsFINAL2010.pdf

But you don’t have to wait for the State Fair to enjoy these award-winning wines! Here are our upcoming wine tours to these wineries:
Saturday, Aug. 7: Notaviva Vineyards and Sunset Hills Vineyard
Saturday, Aug. 21: Casanel Vineyards & Corcoran Vineyards
Sunday, Aug. 29: Pearmund Cellars & Paradise Springs Winery

For a complete schedule, please visit Reston Limousine’s online Calendar at http://restonlimo.com/imscart/index.php?page=shop/events_calendar.

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.

Guests on our Dec. 12 public wine tour, for instance, can enjoy fine wine and fine jewelry at The Winery at La Grange’s showcase featuring Debra Fabian’s unique creations. The wine tour begins at Pearmund Cellars, followed by a visit to its sister winery, The Winery at La Grange. Visit our online Reservations page to book your seat!

But you don’t have to wait for one of our public wine tours to enjoy the wineries’ daytime or evening events; Reston Limousine also provides private wine tours that cater to parties from couples to large groups. Please call 703-478-0500 and press 1 for sales to inquire about private tours.

Following are some of the most inviting winery events coming up this month:

Saturday, Dec. 12
Annual Champagne, Sparklers, & Hors d’oeuvres
Willowcroft Farm Vineyard provides gourmet hors d’oeuvres to compliment its fine champagnes and sparkling wines. Please call 703-777-8161 to make reservations.
Time: Noon-4 p.m.
Cost: $12 per person

Hunters Run Wine Tasting Barn

Santa comes to Hunters Run!
Santa will be at Corcoran Vineyards’ wine tasting barn, Hunters Run, for pictures with the kid; parents can enjoy a glass of wine by the fire while the kids chat with Santa and receive a treat.
Time: 1-4 p.m.

Brogue Rogues – Live Music!
Notaviva Vineyards hosts perennial crowd favorite The Brogue Rogues, a high-energy band that performs traditional Celtic music with a Blue Ridge Mountain flavor.
Time: 2-5 p.m.

Sunday, Dec. 13
Barrel Tasting
Sunset Hills Vineyard offers guests the opportunity to join winemaker Nate Walsh to sample future award-winning wines developing in the barrel before anyone else. The barrel tasting will be followed by a private reception in the upstairs loft (food and wine will be provided).
Time: Tastings take place at noon, 2:30 and 5:30 p.m.; limited to the first 25 guests.
Cost: Tickets are $39 per person.

Sundays Dec. 13, 20 and 27

Sunset Hills Vineyard

Rockin’ Holiday Sundays
Sunset Hills Vineyard offers live holiday music, complimentary samples of Amish Cheese, warm oven baked chocolate chip cookies, and their special holiday mulled wine every Sunday this month. Holiday gift baskets available for purchase.
Time: 2-5 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 18
Chili Night
The Winery at La Grange will help you beat the chill with a bowl of steaming hot chili and a glass of one of their classic wines. Bring family and friends to play games, or if you just can’t leave work behind, bring a laptop – they offer free Wi-Fi. For adults.
Time: 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Cost: $15 per person includes one glass of wine and all the chili you can eat!

Saturday, Dec. 19
Christmas Around the World Wine Maker’s Dinner
Pearmund Cellars celebrates the holidays with Ms. Clause, Kristen Parsons.
Time: 6:30-9:30 p.m.
Cost: $99 per person, plus tax and tip

David La Fleur Photo by Cheryl Mansley/Scott Anderson

Saturday, Dec. 26
David LaFleur – Live Music!
Notaviva Vineyards hosts David LaFleur, who has been performing his unique mixture of folk, Appalachian, blues, and bluegrass for more than 20 years.
Time: 2-5 p.m.

October is Virginia Wine Month, and you can celebrate locally along Loudoun’s Wine Trail and beyond with Reston Limousine’s public and private wine tours.

Sunset Hills Vineyard

Oct. 17:  Fabbioli Cellars & Lost Creek Winery
Oct. 18: Notaviva Vineyards & Sunset Hills Vineyard
Oct. 24: Loudoun Valley Vineyards & Corcoran Vineyard
Oct. 25: Willowcroft Vineyards & Casanel Vineyards
Oct. 31: Pearmund Cellars & Winery at La Grange

Choose your closest pick up location (West Falls Metro Station, Dulles Town Center and Lansdowne Resort) and relax on your way to two of Virginia’s fabulous wineries. Cost is $35 per person, inclusive of transportation and complimentary water throughout the 7-hour tour.

Pearmund Cellars

Catered boxed lunches are available to purchase for $15. Your lunch will contain a choice of sandwich or salad listed below served with chips, a pickle spear and a fresh-baked cookie. All sandwiches come with lettuce, tomato, red onion and provolone cheese.

Price does not include winery tasting fees or driver gratuity. Tasting fees vary based on each winery and group size. Wineries subject to change without notice.

To book your tour now, please click here to visit Reston Limousine’s new Online Checkout!

The results are in from the 5th Atlantic Seaboard Wine Competition, and Reston Limousine’s Public Wine Tour friends have collected their fair share of medals!

The competition, sponsored by the Atlantic Seaboard Wine Association, took place July 18th and 19th at the Regency Country Club at Dominion Valley in Haymarket. More than 100 wineries in 11 states entered their best products, and here are some of our northern Virginia winners:

Chrysalis Vineyards
Best Of: 2005 Reserve Norton Locksley
Gold: 2005 Reserve Norton Locksley
Silver: 2008 Albarino, 2008 Barrel Select Norton , 2005 Estate Bottled Norton, 2008 Viognier

Fabbioli Cellars
Best Of: 2007 Chambourcin
Silver: 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, 2007 Chambourcin, 2007 Reserve Cabernet Franc
Bronze: 2007 Tre Sorelle

Hillsborough Vineyards
Silver: 2005 Bloodstone
Bronze: 2006 Garnet, 2005 Ruby

Pearmund Cellars
Best Of: 2007 Petit Verdot
Gold: 2007 Petit Verdot
Silver: 2007 Cabernet Franc
Bronze: 2007 Ameritage

Sunset Hills Vineyard
Best Of: 2007 Reserve Cabernet Franc, 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon
Gold: 2007 Reserve Cabernet Franc, 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon
Silver: 2007 Petit Verdot

Veramar Vineyard
Silver: 2007 Estate Club Merlot, 2007 Norton
Bronze: 2008 Seyval Blanc

Veritas Winery (on Reston Limousine’s Charlottesville Day Trip)
Gold: 2006 Kenmar Dessert Wine
Silver: 2006 Othello, 2007 Reserve Cabernet Franc, 2008 Reserve Sauvignon Blanc, 2008 White Star
Bronze: 2008 Harlequin Chardonnay, 2007 Petit Verdot, 2008 Viognier

Willowcroft Farm Winery
Silver: 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon

If you’d like a visit these award-winning wineries, visit www.restonlimo.com for a schedule of our upcoming Public Wine Tours !

Unique Winery Opens

Vint Hill Craft Winery, the latest project by Chris Pearmund of Pearmund Cellars and Winery at La Grange, recently celebrated the first weekend of its month-long Grand Opening with educational wine tastings and tours.

“This is all about you through a customized experience specifically tailored to your interests” Chris says. “Taste wine with us and we’ll show you how the professionals do it and what they look for. Choose to make wine with us and it will be crafted to your specifications, in your style with your name, a label of your design and of course, your story behind it.”

At Vint Hill Craft Winery, individuals or groups will work with expert winemakers from grape to bottle to create a barrel of their own of their choosing. After a year of “hands-on education,” the new winemakers will be rewarded with the juice of their labors – about 25 cases of wine.

Baltimore Wine Travel Examiner Terry Sullivan recently posted that he’ll be making a barrel of Cabernet Sauvignon; read his behind-the-scenes tour of the winery on his site, The Wine Trail Traveler.

Vote for your favorite Virginia winery!

It’s time for fans to head over to VirginiaWineEvents.com and cast your vote for your favorite local winery! The poll ends Aug. 17 and accepts only one vote per computer network, fyi!

At the 2009 State Fair of Virginia Wine Competition, for example, Chrysalis Vineyards, Pearmund Cellars, Sunset Hills Vineyard, and the Winery at La Grange took gold and silver ribbons in a blind tasting of 239 wines from 48 Virginia wineries.

Gold Ribbon
Pearmund Cellars – Ameritage 2007
Sunset Hills Vineyard – Reserve Cabernet Franc 2007
Sunset Hills Vineyard – Petit Verdot 2006
The Winery at La Grange – “Fletcher’s” Chardonnay 2007

Silver Ribbon
Chrysalis Vineyards – Mariposa 2008
Chrysalis Vineyards – Viognier 2008
Pearmund Cellars – Old Vine Chardonnay 2007

Other wineries on our Public Wine Tour also won in the label competition: Hillsborough Vineyards took 1st place for its Bloodstone label, and Notaviva Vineyards and Fabbioli Cellars took 1st and 2nd, respectively, in overall winery presentation. Sunset Hills Vineyard received an honorable mention in that category as well.

The competition, which took place in Montepelier, featured wine varietals of Chardonnay, Viognier, Cabernet, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot.

“We had the most wines entered this year than ever before, and it is nice to see the industry grow and really go forward even from just five years ago,” senior judge George Davis says. “National industry trends reflect lighter, less tannic wines and less use of oak. We saw more un-oaked wines this year and the submissions of un-oaked Chardonnay is a perfect example. Among the reds, the Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot wines had less oak exposure as well. They all were well-made wines.”

The State Fair of Virginia will announce the top winning wine – “Best in Show” – on Sept. 23. The winning wines will be displayed at the 2009 State Fair of Virginia, which returns September 24 through October 4 at The Meadow Event Park in Doswell, Virginia.

Ready for your own tastings of these and other award-winning  wines? Visit www.restonlimo.com for a schedule of the wineries on our upcoming Public Wine Tours !

First stop on the Saturday, June 27, tour is Corcoran Vineyards, where owner and winemaker Lori Corcoran produces around 2,000 cases of award-winning wines each season.

The day of the tour is Corcoran Day at the Vineyard, when you’ll get to meet fellow Corcorans in sampling in a1750 restored log cabin just outside the village of Waterford. Among the wines available are the just released 2008 Viognier, dry white with flavors of peaches, cantaloupe and honeydew melons. And find out why the 2007 Chardonnay garnered the silver in the 2008 Atlantic Seaboard Wine Competition, just one of the latest awards Corcoran has collected over the years.

Next stop is Sunset Hills Vineyard, where owners Mike and Diane Canney oversee their 45-acre property located halfway between Purcellville and Waterford.

Tastings take place in a restored 130-year-old stone and oak barn, which features two-story wraparound decks that boast gorgeous views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Among the new wines to sample is the 2008 Viognier, described as “wonderfully aromatic wine with aromas of pineapple,citrus and honey.” Also on the wine portfolio are the 2007 Reserve Chardonnay and 2007 Chardonnay – the winery’s best Chardonnay, they say!

To book your seat on the June 27 Public Wine Tour to Corcoran Vineyard and Sunset Hills Vineyard, please call 703-478-0500 Option 1. For more information on the tour, please visit our Public Wine Tours Page.