Who says you have to go to Napa or Sonoma to get a tour of wine county? One of the great things about living in Washington is that we have some terrific wines right in our own backyard. Need something to do for a weekend? Why not consider a Virginia wine tour?
The DC area has its share of wine festivals where local wineries bring their wines to a central location such as the National Harbor, Middleburg or Laurel Raceway. Crowds gather for a day of sampling wines from many vineyards. While these can be an excellent way to try a variety of labels, it can be more rewarding to actually go to the wineries themselves. During a wine tour, not only do you get to sample some terrific wines, you can have the opportunity to see how and where the wine is being produced.
Virginia has some terrific wines and in about an hour, you can hit some fantastic wineries. Right in Loudon County, you can sample award-winning wines while enjoying lush countryside views on gorgeous vineyard estates. The tasting rooms have knowledgeable staff that is excellent in educating the novice wine drinker while graciously accommodating the more experienced connoisseur.
One the best ways to embark on a wine tour is to enlist a limousine service. Companies such as Reston Limousine offer excellent packages to make the most of your wine tour experience. They can help you select the wineries for your Virginia wine tour as well as arrange the tastings. The best part is you can relax and enjoy the ride and not worry about driving under the influence.
MensLifeDC had a chance to experience one of the tours on a recent Sunday and it was an ideal way to head out of the city and spend an afternoon with great friends. Our itinerary included lunch, tours and tastings at three 868 Estate Vineyards, Breaux Vineyards and Tamara Winery. Each stop was very different but each was lovely and great examples of Virginia wine.
We started at wineries 868 Estate Vineyards which boasts a wonderful restaurant, Grandale. Lunch was here and we enjoyed wonderful dishes that paired terrifically with their wines. At Breaux Vineyards, along with our tastings we were treated to a private tour of the vineyard. Our final stop was a seated tasting at Tamara Winery. Another fantastic tour and incredible cheese and charcuterie platters were the perfect ending to a marvelous tour.
