Tag Archive | King Family Vineyard

Memorial Day Weekend Festivities at Virginia Wineries

May24

Planning something entertaining for family in town this coming weekend? Check out some of the featured events at Virginia wineries. Whether you have friends or family visiting for weddings, graduations or considering moving to our lovely Central Virginia; here are some excellent wineries to consider:

King Family Vineyards & Roseland Polo

Current Match Status: The 2012 season will begin on Sunday, May 27th.

Polo Player

This Sunday! Polo Season kicks off at King Family. This is an extremely well-attended event so you may want to arrive early. Check out King Family’s website for tips to enjoy the afternoon. Best Tip: Bring some form of umbrellas for shade! Polo matches are held every Sunday from Memorial Day weekend through mid-October, weather and field conditions permitting. Matches begin at 1:30 pm and typically last about 1 1/2 hours. Matches may be cancelled depending on field conditions, rain, excessive heat or any number of reasons.

May I recommend the lovely venue listed below- Afton Mountain Vineyard boasts beautiful views and soft breezes due to their location just below the mountain pass. With the large pavilion complete with ceiling fans and now with a bar to purchase wine, bring your picnic basket and head towards the Blue Ridge Mountains in northern Nelson County. Weather forecast says we’re going to be HOT this weekend.Afton_Mountain_Vineyards_Pavillion

Afton After Hours at Afton Mountain Vineyards

Live music from 6:30pm to 8:30pm featuring Eli Cook.
Glass and bottle sales only – no tastings.
Bring a chair, bring a picnic and blanket, and enjoy a beautiful evening in our beautiful vineyard setting! Light picnic fare available in the tasting house. (Inclement weather: music will be held under cover in our Pavilion!)

Glass House Memorial Day Weekend Tailgate Also, if you love tailgates, creativity and a fun crowd, head to Glass House and sharpen up your culinary and artistic flair for a winning wine weekend. YES! There are prizes and everyone wins just by virtue of a great time in the “Tropics of Free Union” This Sunday afternoon starting at 12 p.m. Reservations highly suggested.Glass_House_Winery _Conservatory

  • Prizes Awarded For:
    Best Display of ‘GHW Team Spirit’ (strong focus on GHW & GHW WINES)
    Best Single Pairing Food With a Glass House Winery Wine
    Best Indoor/Deck Spread (table set-up)
    Best Outdoor Spread (car-tailgating set-up – B.Y.O.-grill)
    Judging based on decoration/theme, food, entertainment, and overall spirit.
    Prizes:
    Winery tour for four with barrel tasting, 1 Bottle of GHW Wine,
    1 GHW T-shirt, and 4 GHW etched logo glasses.
    Two tickets to the June 12th “Taste This!” at the Boar’s Head Inn,
    1 Bottle of GHW Wine, 1 GHW T-shirt, and 4 GHW etched logo glasses.
    1 Bottle of GHW Wine, 1 GHW t-shirt, and 4 GHW can koozies.
    1 Bottle of GHW Wine, 1 GHW t-shirt, and 4 GHW can koozies.
    Questions?
    Contact Linda Hahn, Events Director at events@glasshousewinery.comRESERVATIONS SUGGESTED:Email to Events@glasshousewinery.comInclude name, phone number, table size for indoor tailgate (4’x4’ or 4’x8’) or number of cars for outdoor (tent space available behind cars, byo-tent)

2012 Festival of Wines in Wintergreen, VA on May 26 and 27

On Saturday, May 26, Virginia wines will be featured, and on Sunday, May 27, international wines will take center stage. Celebrate the Memorial Day Weekend at Wintergreen Resort on the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Proceeds support the extensive performance and educational activities of Wintergreen Performing Arts.

Location: The Evans Center at Wintergreen Resort

Dates: Saturday, May 26, 2012 – Virginia Wines and Sunday, May 27, 2012 – International Wines

Time: Noon-5:30 pm both days

Ticket Price: $20 per day includes souvenir glass; Two-day pass: $35; food will be available for purchase

Phone: (434) 325-8292 or visit: www.wintergreenperformingarts.org

Email: info@wintergreenperformingarts.org

Saturday, May 26 only

Price: $20.00

The 1st Taste of Monticello Wine Trail Festival

Apr16

Oh, no! A conflict (unless it rains of course!) between spending time in beautiful Nelson County at the Blue Ridge Oyster Festival or heading to our own Charlottesville nTelos Pavillion for the first ever Taste of Monticello Wine Trail Festival. Two totally different experiences and I guess one could attend both but the idea of relaxing and being in the moment as compared to rushing to make both events leads me back to selecting only one. Sunday is the rain-date for the Blue Ridge Oyster Festival in case you want to gamble on rain.

On Saturday April 21st, the Taste of Monticello Wine Trail Wine Festival – Presented by Brown Mercedes-Benz, will take place at the nTelos Wireless Pavilion on Charlottesville’s Downtown Mall from 2-6 p.m. Special early VIP entry from 1pm – 2pm.
Attendees will be able to sample from over 90 wines from 24 Trail members.

For $75 Special VIP packages include parking, early access, exclusive catered lunch provided by C&O Restaurant, opportunity to sample select wines not available to general public and a chance to mingle with wine-makers. For $25 VIP Designated Driver tickets are available.

The wine education classes offered in 30 minute segments by Wine Made Simple look very interesting! Wine Made Simple specializes in unique wines less than $20, wine education classes and special events.  The shop opened last year and is located at the Townside Center on Ivy Road in Charlottesville.  

Reading a Wine Label  - 2:30 

They say you can’t judge a book by its cover, but there’s no better place to start. The graphic designs, photography and illustrations on a wine label are the first thing to catch your eye, but they are the least important. The important stuff is all there on the label and you’ll learn how to discern the information that you will need to make an informed decision and find a wine that suits your palette.

Tasting and Describing Wine – 3:15

You don’t have to be a wine expert in order to taste and evaluate wine properly. We all have out personal tastes, but objective standards for determining the quality and character of wine are helpful. Learn the seven key characteristics of wine, and improve your tasting skills and descriptive vocabulary.

Old World vs. New World Winemaking – 4:00

The “Wine World” can be divided in two important poles: Old World Wines and New World Wines. Tradition and terroir in each style produces very different wines. For instance, New World vineyards are generally in hotter climates and the grapes tend to be riper, more alcoholic and full-bodied.

Pairing Wine with Food – 4:45

 You need not always heed traditional advice, i.e., white wine goes with white meat and vice versa. Wine and food from the same region are meant to be enjoyed together, remember….what grows together, goes together. Discover the general rules that will help you make the best pairings and impress your guests.

The Relevance of Price When Selecting Wine – 5:30

The selling price of a bottle of wine is not necessarily an indication of its quality or of its potential to be enjoyed. Understand the economic and marketing issues that underscore the prices we pay for the wine we drink, and the many sensibly priced and affordable wine options available.

Author Richard Leahy

I think this is really cool! Richard Leahy will be selling and autographing newly published copies of Beyond Jefferson’s Vines, a hardback book with over 200 pages detailing the history of Virginia wine since 1619 but focuses on the last decade, with visits to wineries statewide. I met Richard at the 2011 Wine Bloggers Conference just prior to the book going to print. Hmmm, Mother’s Day Gift idea? Wink!

Proceeds will benefit Jeffersonian Wine Grape Grower’s Society.  Event sponsors: Brown Mercedes-Benz – NewsRadio 1070 WINA – C&O Restaurant – redstar Merchandise – Monticello Wine Trail.

TICKET PRICES:

$29 – Advance  $35 – Day of Event

$75 – VIP $25 – VIP Designated Driver ticket

$10 – Designated Driver ticket

$10 – Ages 13-20 Kids 12 and under FREE

Participating Wineries/Vineyards:

Answers to Stump The Winos! See 7/19/2011 Post

Jul25

A. Pollak Vineyard -View towards the Pond and Mountains

B.Glass House Winery-When the Raccoon ate the Pineapple

C.Flying Fox Winery-Quaint Cottage Entrance

D.King Family Vineyard-Polo Pony

E.Mountfair Vineyard-Barrel Room

F.Keswick Vineyards-Cherub Sculpture at Tasting Room

G.Blenheim Vineyards-Sign to Tasting Room

H.Pippin Hill Farm Vineyards-View from the Patio

I.Barboursville Vineyards-Ruins

J.Sweely Estate Winery-Sculpture

K.Afton Mountain Vineyards-Artwork

Just for Fun, How many did You get right?

“3″ A Triple Play for Virginia Wine

Mar2

If you can’t break away on Thursday March 3rd at 3:33, all is not lost!  There will be tastings of “3″ at Pollak, Veritas and King Family Vineyards on March 6th.  This is an opportunity for a unique gift or collectable bottle of wine, all you oenophiles! I’m looking forward to tasting this on Sunday myself!  Below is the official press release and a bio on the winemakers. Enjoy!

Three's A Charm!

King Family-Pollak-Veritas Three Virginia Wineries Create “3″

Feb22

"3"

Get your calendar out and checkbook ready!  A collaborative effort of three local winemakers: Matthieu Finot- King Family, Emily Hodson Pelton- Veritas and Jake Busching- Pollak will be released next week.  Apparently the three winemakers contemplated the idea while sipping beer . They decided to combine three varietals from each of  their three wineries to create one special wine.  Pollak Vineyards was chosen for their Petit Verdot which they have won several awards for in the past. Veritas Winery provided the Cabernet Franc, also an  Annual Atlantic Seaboard Wine Association award winner. King Family Vineyards contributed the Merlot grapes which they are well known for to complete the wine.  The blend is equal percentages, 33 1/3%  of the three varietals.  There are only 150 cases and each winery will have 50 case available for sale.

Aptly, the Release Party for “3″ will be the third day of the third month at 3:30 p.m. and will be priced at  $33.30 a bottle. I’ll do the math for you:  the party will be at Pollak Vineyards on  3/3/2011 at 3:30!  No bottles will be sold prior to that date and they will definitely go fast!

Valentine’s is For Virginia Wine Lovers!

Jan27

                                        Call me Cupid!

Need some ideas for your special sweetheart this Valentine’s Day?  Check out some of our local wineries and  revel in chocolate and wine, an indulgence for all your senses! Pick out a sentimental card and a rose and you have the ingredients for a very romantic weekend!

DuCard Winery Valentine’s Sunday Brunch
Sunday, February 13 2011 11:30 AM seating
Here’s an elegant idea for you and your special Valentine to enjoy at their Madison County tasting room.  Charlottesville personal chef Cindy Shepard will be serving a gourmet brunch featuring local ingredients (click here for menu) and paired with DuCard Wines (of course!).  Vicky Lee will set the mood with her harp (victorialeemusic.com) $40 per person.  Seating is limited – for reservations contact scott@ducardvineyards.com or call 540.923.4206.

Glass House Winery

Mark your calendars for Sunday Feb 13th, when Glass House welcomes acoustic rock musicians The Lost Souls to Glass House.  2-5pm.  No cover. 
Also on Sunday Feb 13th, they will be celebrating Valentine’s Day with cheese and chocolate pairings with their wines!  For $15, they will pair a cheese or one of Glass House Winery’s delectable chocolates with each of their wines for this tasting.  Don’t miss it, as Michelle is dreaming up some new flavors for the occasion.   Regular $5 tastings will also be available.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Keswick Vineyards Be Mine With Wine

Feb 12th, 11am – 4pm
Wine, strawberries, and sweets… Spoil yourself or someone you love with Keswick Vineyards’ special wine, 2 different kinds of hand-dipped strawberries and other sweets for a Valentine’s Day indulgence.  Discover how these luscious confections complement each wine.  After your tasting, enjoy the romantic setting while you savor a glass of wine and take a guess at how many candy hearts are in their  Rosé bottle to win a free future tour and tasting for you and your sweetheart.

The cost is $12 for  wine club members and $15 for non wine club members. Reservations are recommended.

If you’re unable to break away on the weekend, stop by during the week and pick up a bottle of Norton wine for Kris’s homemade brownies!  I borrowed the recipe from the Keswick blog:

Double Norton Brownies

We’ve had a lot of requests for the recipe for Kris’ brownies that we had in the tasting room last weekend, so here it is!  It’s really simple!
 
Just take a regular box of brownie mix (chocolate or fudge) and substitute Norton wine for the water and 1/4 of the amount of vegetable oil that the mix calls for with Norton chocolate sauce.  Mix it together and bake as directed.
The chocolate sauce will make a more fudgy texture so you can use less or more depending on how fudgy you want them.  

To make an extra special treat, we topped them with strawberries dipped in whipped topping (we used equal parts mascarpone cheese and whipped topping, sugared to taste) and rolled in coconut and then drizzled the whole thing with more Norton chocolate sauce! 

 

King Family Vineyards

February 12, 2011 – February 14, 2011Valentines at the Vineyard

Celebrate Valentine’s Day weekend with your special someone at King Family Vineyards! Enjoy Gearhart’s chocolates specially selected to pair with their wines. $15/person includes souvenir glass, glass of wine, and 3 handcrafted chocolates. Reservations are recommended. 11am-5pm Saturday and Sunday, 9am-5pm Monday.

Monticello Wine Festival

Sep18

Tonight on the West Lawn at Monticello!  The Monticello Wine Festival is an opportunity to  sample some of the best wines in our area in a historic setting.  The weather is fabulous today and everyone should have a great time, not sure if tickets are still available at this time, but for  future events, check out the Monticello Wine Trail!  One of my favorites will be represented, Pollak!  Try their Cabernet Franc!Cabernet Franc 2007 Reserve was recognized with gold at the Grand Harvest Awards sponsored by the Vineyard and Management magazine while the 2008 vintage received gold at the Virginia State Fair.

Kluge Estate, Veritas, Keswick, Whitehall, Jefferson,Afton Mountain, Gabriele Rausse and King Family wines will all be available!  Enjoy, I can’t make it but guaranteed I will be there next year! Look for future posts about EACH of these wineries and tips about making the most of your visit to them.