Wine Is My Valentine

For the weekend of love, I ventured to Delaplane to hit up some wineries that I have been dying to visit!

Where to Drink

Our first stop was Arterra. They are known for making high quality, clean crafted wines — they only use native yeast, neutral oak, and no additives. I really enjoyed their reds, specifically their Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Their tasting room is gorgeous with views overlooking their vineyards. Arterra is offering table side service and flights of five wines.

RdV has been on my list for ages. The experience was comparable to a Napa tour and tasting which is unique for Virginia. You begin by taking a tour through their fermentation room and wine cave, then end with a generous tasting of their two reds — Rendezvous and Lost Mountain. Additionally, you get a lavish tasting of Dom Perignon and a charcuterie board to enjoy. The wine and experience is phenomenal. If you are a Virginia wine lover, you need to add this one to your list. Since we visited over V-day weekend, we also got to enjoy their bubbly flight of three delicious champagnes — my absolute favorite was Charles Heidsieck. Tours and tastings are $70 and reservations must be made in advance.

Blue Valley Vineyard was the perfect stop to enjoy the view. They have a vast tasting room with ample indoor seating. We grabbed a bottle of their Cab Franc and enjoyed our Galentine’s picnic while watching the snow fall! At this time, they are only doing glass and bottle sales.

I have been wanting to revisit Delaplane Cellars since my last trip and it did not disappoint. They are offering a flight of four wines and since it was V-day weekend, we got to enjoy a chocolate truffle pairing. Their Petit Manseng and Tannat were my two favorites.

Rappahanock Cellars has been on my list as they have an extensive bubbly list. They have three flight options to choose from when you visit: Bubbly, Red, and White. We decided to share a bubbly and red flight before we hit the road back to Richmond.

Where to Eat

Our first night, we ate dinner at Girasole. Girasole is a charming restaurant that serves authentic Italian cuisine. We ordered a bottle of Chianti Classico and it paired perfectly with Papparedelle alla Bolognese.

Field & Main is an amazing restaurant that offers a farm-to-table experience. Our dinner reservation was cancelled Saturday night due to the ice storm but we were lucky enough to have brunch Sunday morning. I started my day off with the Mystery Red — if you guess the grape, you get the glass half off. I failed…but it still was a fun experience! For brunch I enjoyed the Wine Country BBQ bowl and it was dreamy — pulled pork, braised grape leaves & collard greens, corn bread puddin’, baked beans, coleslaw and cabernet barbecue sauce. I hope to visit again soon for dinner sometime!

Cheers, Paige