The dust has settled from the Mt. Vernon wine festival and I finally have time to organize my thoughts on the evening as well as relay some recommended regional wines. The event hosted 17 different wineries from around the state of Virginia, with catering provided by the Mt. Vernon Inn Restaurant (menu) and bakery items provided by one of the local bakeries.
image courtesy of thedctraveler.com
As I stated before, my two favorites of the evening came from Williamsburg Winery, the Arundell – a dry Cabernet Sauvignon, and the Gabriel Archer, and mellow full-bodied red. The Three Fox vineyard provided an excellent choice in its Sirius meritage blend – a bite of cherry and dark chocolate. Other notables included the Fabrioli Cellars, Chateau Morrisette, and Horton Cellars.
The food included pulled chicken bbq sandwiches, salami and olive plates, fruit and cheese samplers, baguette, and more.
The event also featured live blues music and candlelight tours of the Mt. Vernon estate. The Washington wine cellars are also opened for the event, as well as the outhouses, gardens, and memorials. The vendors are aligned along the walls of a giant tent and visitors are free to wander from booth to booth and sample either the entire collection (~102 different wines) or take your pick of the offerings. After picking your favorites, the wineries encourage you to purchase a bottle, or a case, or several and set up chairs or blankets along the front of the estate, facing the Potomac River. From there, all you need to do is sit back and enjoy the wine, scenery, and music.
For those in the region, buy your tickets early as they sell out quickly, this event is one of the best opportunities you will every have to taste the wines of the region – and thoroughly enjoy yourself in the process.
East Coast by West 