The Local Flavor

I had a cold. That is my excuse.

But I'm back, now.

I've lived in D.C. for 8 years and had never visited a local winery until this past Sunday. I can't believe what I had been missing! I mistakenly thought that all the good wines were made in California or France and to have a true vineyard experience, I would have to hop a flight to Napa. Not so!

We set out on Route 66, about an hour and 15 outside of the city. Destination: Linden Vineyards in Linden, Virginia. The scenery was breathtaking. Atop the Blue Ridge Mountains, we passed through rolling hills and valleys en route to the winery. The parking lot, surprisingly, was packed although we decided later that the guests must have been on the tour, because once inside, we felt like we had the place to ourselves.

Our afternoon started with a tasting of the five wines that are manufactured at Linden:

A dry 2006 Seyval with the aroma of white grapefruit and lemon zest tinge. Citrusy and fresh.

A medium bodied 2004 Chardonney. Crisp and very pleasant with hints of pear and vanilla.

A delicious 2005 Cabernet Franc, full of flavor. Raspberry and truffle aromas.

A hearty 2003 Claret that would be great paired with a dense stew. Notes of mint, sage and blackberry.

And finally, a sweet, but not too sweet, Reisling (2006). It almost had a spritz on my tongue and had a fruity finish of grapefruit, peach and orange peel.

We settled on a bottle of Chardonnay and retreated to the porch, overlooking the rows and rows of grapes in the vineyard. Linden Vineyard offers a selection of local cheese and sausages to pair with your wine selection, with the most delicious, warm and crispy baguettes.

Good food, good wine, good company. It added up to the perfect Sunday afternoon.