The Fundraiser Wine Trail

The following wineries will be represented at my fundraiser and I cannot thank them enough for their generosity!
Keep checking back on this post as more wineries are added.....

 

 

Chateau O'Brien
See the first spotlight post of this blog for more information on Howard and his fabulous winery!! Thanks again, Howard!
http://chateauobrien.com/


Otium Cellars
http://otiumcellars.com/

Want a beautiful view, lovely staff and delicious unique wines?
Otium is the place!



I have been to Otium four times and it is one of my absolute favorite Virginia wineries. I spent my birthday last year in Purcellville with my parents and one of my best friends. We went to Otium and  then to Magnolia's for lunch. It was a fantastic afternoon.

Home to several German varietals, Otium is a step above the rest in the Loudoun County wine world. Its name alone is almost enough - meaning "peace and tranquility".





Barrel Oak Winery
http://www.barreloak.com/
Barrel Oak Winery, BOW, is known for being extremely dog friendly. In fact, I don't know if any other winery aside from Chateau Morrisette in Floyd, VA is more dog friendly!  BOW is big and beautiful and has a ton of wines for you to try - you're bound to find something that you like!  The first time I ever went to BOW I fell in love with their barrel-fermented Chardonnay. Oh and then there are the firepits - that's always a draw! I am extremely grateful to the owners, Brian and Sharon, for being so generous with their donation for the silent auction.



Ingleside Vineyards
http://www.inglesidevineyards.com/

Ingleside Plantation Winery in Oak Grove is one Virginia's oldest and largest wineries. It happens to be about 12 miles from my family's summer home in Colonial Beach and we just visited Ingleside for the first time last summer. What a beautiful place! I was honored to hear from Kerri Beroza (who lost her grandfather to prostate cancer a few years ago). Many thanks to Kerri for her generous donation for the fundraiser. This place is such a hidden gem!















Pearmund Cellars
http://pearmundcellars.com/

Pearmund Cellars in Broad Run is always worth the trip. If you're lucky, Chris Pearmund will be there and make your visit even more special. No matter what vintage it is, I always fall in love with his Old Vine Chardonnay.  Whether you like sweet wines or dry wines, I promise you'll find something you enjoy at this winery.  The most recent visit I favored the Petit Verdot (which I never like unless it's part of a blend) and the Ameritage Reserve.

Paradise Springs
http://paradisespringswinery.com/

I remember going to Paradise Springs in Clifton when they first opened.  The tasting room was in a small log cabin-like house and it was so quaint. Not many years later, they built a huge tasting room/production facility and it is quite the sight. Three years ago when I was hospitalized with a glandular virus, I "lost" my taste for wine for six months. Whether it was white or red wine it all tasted the same - like gasoline and acid.  White wine eventually "came back" and then my taste for red wine came back when I was with two friends at Paradise Springs! It was quite an afternoon when I realized that wine tasted like wine again! Paradise also has a really good port-style wine with a fabulous name, Swagger.  Many thanks to Victoria for her donation to the fundraiser!


Potomac Point
http://www.potomacpointwinery.com/

I have been to Potomac Point quite a few times but definitely not enough. It is in North Stafford and a short 20 minutes away and I always wonder why I don't go there more often because I love it when I'm there! Along with their wine tasting is an olive oil tasting and a wonderful gift shop. The landscape and tasting room is beautiful and the cellar and grounds are perfect for weddings and special events. No matter what vintage it is, I always seem to love their Chardonnay! Potomac Point is dog-friendly and the resident aussie shepherd, Chianti, will happily greet you. Spring and Fall are perfect times to visit and enjoy the rooftop terrace or courtyard while dining on delicious snacks from their on-site bistro! Many thanks to Cindi for her gracious donation in support of Denny's Shotgun Riders!

Many thanks to my good and longtime friend, Russ, for personally donating wines from the three establishments listed below.

Thanks to Russ, these wineries which are not far from his home in the Henrico, VA area will also be represented!

 

Cooper Vineyards

http://www.coopervineyards.com/

Named Virginia's favorite tasting room for 2013 by Wine Lovers Magazine, Cooper Vineyards is in Louisa County. In 2011, Cooper announced the opening of its new "green" tasting room and event facility which includes a spacious tasting room with custom concrete bar, a large covered deck with wonderful views of the existing vineyards and pond, outdoor bar, a private tasting room and deck for parties of up to 20 guests! Cooper Vineyards is nestled amongst rolling hills in a traditional farming community. The goal of the winery founders and current owners, Jeff Cooper and Jacque Hogge, was to create small lots of unique wines that expressed varietal character and would be recognized as quality wines. Graham Bell, the winemaker since 2002 is known as "a true artist of wine". He handcrafts all of the wines from 100% VA grapes and has been able to create a number of distinctive wines that appeal to varying tastes. Fortunate for us, and thanks to Russ, we will have access to Cooper's nationally-acclaimed Noche, their almost-cult-status chocolate infused red dessert wine!


James River Cellars Winery
http://jamesrivercellars.com/

James River Cellars is a family-owned and operated winery offering a blend of urban convenience and quaint rural appeal. James River Cellars is conveniently accessible to major highways and while I haven't been there, every time I travel to the Outer Banks I see the signs for it and want to take a quick detour!  James River Cellars is known for the grape on which the winery was founded - Gewurztraminer (which I fondly refer to as "girls-are-meaner") and its top seller at the tasting room, Chambourcin. Thanks to Russ, a lucky winner at the fundraiser will be going home with one of these wines!



Barboursville Vineyards
https://www.bbvwine.com/

I have always wanted to go to Barboursville Vineyards and haven't made it yet. I want to bask in the glory of their Octagon wine (their most famous and the only one I've tried to date!) while dining at their Palladio Restaurant. I know I'm excited about these wines that Russ has donated for the fundraiser.Won't ya'll join me and make this a friendly competition all for the sake of acquiring good wine and raising money for prostate cancer awareness!!?