Blogger Favorites For Virginia Wine Week

My Virginia Winery Favorites for Virginia Wine Week

Two weeks ago a group of us Virginia wine blogging folk got together to share our favorite Virginia wines in what the group called our Top 20 Virginia Wine lists.  Even more so than the aggregated data which revealed several notable wine data points, I found others personal wine preferences interesting.

Soon after posting our Top 20 Virginia Wine lists, Allan Liska, writer of CellarBlog, contacted the group to suggest that we post a winery-specific list during Virginia Wine Week.  Each of the group members provided suggestions to Allan, and he organized and trimmed down the list.

As with all ranking systems, it’s nearly impossible to name the ‘top’ of any particular category, but below are my two or three favorite wineries in each category:

Most Dog-Friendly:
This is not one I can answer from a lot of personal experience since I’ve only taken our pups (mini dachshunds – Nathan and Lucy) to a few wineries – Chatham Vineyards, Chyrsalis Vineyards, and Swedenburg Vineyard.  Both Chatham and Chrysalis were very welcoming and doggie friendly.  Although I’ve never taken our pups to Keswick Vineyards, I have been there on a quick visit during their ‘Yappy Hours’ events – a chance for pooches and wine enthusiasts to relax and make new friends – that takes place every Sunday in May through October.

Most Family-Friendly:
With a baby due in May, we’re about to start exploring this option much more.  In my opinion, I have always found most Virginia wineries to be family friendly.  It seems the wineries with the most open space to for kids to run around and tire out are the best for families with small children.  In this category I’m going with Breaux Vineyards and Doukenie, with an honorable mention going to Gadino Cellars (those bocce ball courts make a difference).

Best Winery to Take a Date:
I’ve never taken a ‘date‘ date to a winery, but my wife and I have been to many of wineries on quasi-dates.  For a romantic time, I would say a tasting and then dinner at Barboursville‘s Palladio Restaurant.  King Family Vineyards offers Polo matches on weekends throughout the summer months that would make a neat place to take a date.

Best Winery to Hear Music:
I’ve only been to music events at a couple of wineries, and I would have to say that Notaviva seemed best suited for music.

Best Winery to Bump Into Owner/Winemaker:
Since many Virginia wineries are small, the chances of bumping in to an owner or the winemaker are good.   Each time I’ve been to Chatham Vineyards I’ve run in to owners Jon or Mils Wehner, and have also seen Fritz Repich on each of my visits to Mountfair.

Best winery for Someone New to Virginia Wine:
Jefferson Vineyards, which is so close to so much history, offers a nice range of wines for someone new to Virginia and ‘location’ makes for a cool experience.  I would also say that Ingleside Plantation Vineyards with their large selection is sure to have something for all palates.

Best Views:
Like most other categories, there is no shortage of amazing views from tasting rooms throughout Virginia.  There are a few dozen wineries that could be listed here.  The decks at Bluemont Vineyard offers amazing views, as does the back patio at Chester Gap.

Best Place to Visit With a Big Group:
Linden Vineyards – The bigger the bus the better the treatment.  I hear groups over 20 are allowed exclusive use of the deck on the backside of the tasting rom.  ;)  I kid.  For those literal types, I should note that Linden, like a growing number of Virginia wineries, does not accept buses or groups over 6 (which is the way I like it).  For big groups rolling in a tour bus, I would say that Prince Michel seems really well suited for the really large groups.  For groups of six to ten, Breaux Vineyards is really well suited, and on a nice day Hillsborough Vineyards has nice outside seating (get there early to get one of those spots though).

Best je ne sais quoi/indefinable quality that makes it special:
With all the buzz right now, it seems to be RdV Vineyards.

Best Winery to Laze Away the Afternoon:
There are a large number of wineries that provide a great opportunity for lazing an afternoon away.  In the winter months, Afton Mountain and Veritas provide a cozy environment for lazing away an afternoon with good friends and a glass of wine.  In the warmer months, the Adirondack chairs adjacent to the Glen Manor tasting room make a nice place for a book and a glass of wine.

BONUS Category – Wineries I Have Yet To Visit But Plan To Soon:
Annefield Vineyards
Foggy Ridge Cidery

I look forward to reading other’s lists – especially my friends at Virginia Wine Time, Swirl Sip Snark and Virginia Wine In My Pocket who have each visited well over 100 Virginia wineries.  Thanks Allan for suggesting this idea and pulling this together!

Virginia – Where History and Wine Intersect

For U.S. history buffs and wine enthusiasts, the Commonwealth of Virginia could be the perfect place for these passions to intersect.  Not only is Virginia rich with Colonial, Revolutionary, and Civil War history, our state has a long history with the grape as well.

Last summer, I endeavored to learn more about the intersection of US history and wine in Virginia by spending a great deal of time researching and reading about Thomas Jefferson’s early wine experiences.  The result of this summer reading project was a daily blog series – 30 Days of Thomas Jefferson on Wine – intended to chronicle and share some of the information I learned.

Aside from being reminded that Thomas Jefferson’s life and wine are infinite subjects, I learned that Jefferson was not the lone ranger of our nation’s early wine years.  As it turns out, Jefferson certainly played an important role in the early days of wine here in America, but he was certainly not alone in his passion for the potential of wine in America.

Soon after publishing the first post of the 30 Days of Thomas Jefferson on Wine series, I was contacted by Philip Carter, owner of Philip Carter Winery, about another notable figure in the early days of wine in Virginia – Charles Carter.

Below is a short history of Charles Carter and his role in the early days of wine provided by Philip Carter.

Our History is Wine®

Virginia’s wine industry dates to the early seventeenth century when the first English settlers planted vines and made wine at the Jamestown Colony around 1608.  The first settlers made wine with grapes from England, but the colonists soon became determined to grow their own grapes on Virginia soil.  In 1623, the Virginia House of Burgesses enacted a law that required every householder to set aside a quarter-acre of land yearly for the purpose of growing grapes and making wine.

In 1759, a committee of the Virginia assembly was formed and charged with the question of economic diversification, a question made urgent by the depression in the tobacco trade.  As its chairman, Charles Carter entered into correspondence with Peter Wyche in London, chairman of the agriculture committee for the Society for the Encouragement of the Arts, Manufacture, and Commerce (now the Royal Society of Arts), which offered awards for various desirable enterprises in the colonies, among them vine growing and winemaking. Carter’s correspondence reveals that the prospects and methods for the cultivation of the grape in Virginia were an important subject.

Charles Carter, 5th child born of Colonel Robert “King” Carter and Elizabeth Landon-Wells was born in Lancaster County, Virginia, and resided in Lancaster and King George County, Virginia.  “King” Carter’s wealth came from service as land agent for the English Proprietor, Lord Fairfax.  As such, he collected rents on the millions of acres owned by Fairfax in Virginia. Politically active and instrumental in the development of trade and commerce in the colonies, the Carter family at one time owned over 300,000 acres and built numerous estate homes in Virginia, many of which remain as historic landmarks today.

By 1759, Charles Carter (as well as his brother, Landon, of Sabine Hall), had already begun grape growing at his plantation, Cleve®, located in King George County, where he made wines from both native and European grapes, and it was natural that he should have chosen commercial winemaking as one of his proposals for economic reform in Virginia.

The London Society took an encouraging view of Carter’s proposals and recommended various vines and practices, including the trial of distilling brandy from the native grapes. In 1762 Carter, who by then had 1,800 vines growing at Cleve®, sent to the London society a dozen bottles of his wine, made from the American winter grape (“a grape so nauseous till frost that the fowls of the air will not touch it”: probably Vitis cordifolia is meant) and from a vineyard of “white Portugal summer grapes.”  These samples were so pleasing to taste—“they were both approved as good wines,” the society’s secretary wrote—that the society awarded Carter a gold medal as the first person to make a “spirited attempt towards the accomplishment of their views, respecting wine in America.”  These were the first internationally recognized wines of America.

The following year, in 1763, Royal Governor Francis Fauquier, current governor of the Colony of Virginia, certified that the Carter family was successfully growing European vines at Cleve®.  This is the first recorded history of successful grape production in Virginia with European vines.

In 1769, the General Assembly passed legislation called “An Act for the Encouragement of the Making of Wine.”  The Carter family was instrumental in the passage of this legislation.  Our country’s Founding Fathers and Sons of Virginia, Charles Carter, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison, all contributed to the development of a wine industry in Virginia through their interest in viticulture and enology.   In 1773, Jefferson allowed Italian winemaker Filippo Mazzei to plant vinifera grape plants on two thousand acres adjacent to Monticello.  Jefferson and Mazzei’s initial success was thwarted by the Revolutionary War and ultimately never reached fruition.

More recently, between 2005 and 2007, Philip Carter Strother, a direct descendant of the pioneering Carter family, was instrumental in the passage of The Virginia Farm Winery Zoning Act, a law intended to promote the economic vitality of the Virginia Wine Industry by restricting the ability of localities to regulate activities at farm wineries.  Since 2005, the Virginia wine industry has grown from 125 wineries in 2005 to just under 200 wineries today.  Within a decade of its passage, it is expected that the affect of the law will be to increase the number of wineries in the Commonwealth by over 100%.

In 2008, the Carter family returned to the production of wine in Virginia, when Philip Carter Strother founded Philip Carter Winery.  Philip Carter Winery is located in Fauquier County, the namesake of Governor Fauquier®.  In the spring of 2008, 1,800 vines were planted on the Philip Carter estate in symbolic remembrance of the 1,800 vines that Carter grew in the 1700s.  In July of 2009, two dozen bottles of Philip Carter wine were shipped across the Atlantic and received by the Royal Society of the Arts, UK.  These wines were declared to be of the same high quality as those received by RSA in the 1700s from the Carter family.  In August 2010, during an official visit to Philip Carter Winery by the First Lady of Virginia, the First Lady was presented with a gold plated, sterling silver replica of the 1762 RSA gold medal.

2012 will mark the 250^th Anniversary of the first internationally recognized fine wines produced in America. Our History is Wine®, Cleve®,  and Governor Fauquier® are registered trademarks of Philip Carter Winery.

Thanks to Philip Carter for sharing his family history.  Readers, if you find yourself on the Virginia Wine Trail near Hume, be sure to stop in and taste through the PCWinery line up and chat with Philip (4366 Stillhouse Road
Hume, Virginia 22639).

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Questions, Comments, Complaints, Random Observations? Contact Me Here

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Wine Bloggers Conference Logistics and Resources

WBC 11 Resources – Charlottesville, VA – A Primer

This post is a follow up to Part I - WBC11 Virginia Must Follows and Resources      (winery, VA bloggers, and other VA wine industry Twitterers to follow).

As the 2011 Wine Bloggers Conference (WBC) in Charlottesville, VA nears, I’m getting more questions about airports, transportation and things to do in the Charlottesville area.  From the emails I’m receiving, it seems as if many WBC11 attendees are bringing their family along and are going to make a summer vacation out of the trip to Virginia.

I suspect there will be more detailed logistics and travel related information posted on the Wine Bloggers Conference (WBC) website in the coming weeks, but in the meantime, I am providing the following Twitter, travel, logistics, and ‘to do’ information for the early planners.

The information below is by no means inclusive of all things Charlottesville – instead this is intended to provide basic travel information and a general overview of what to do and see in Charlottesville:

I.              Virginia Wine Tweeters to Follow
II.             Travel – Getting to Charlottesville
III.            Lodging in Charlottesville (hotels, rental homes, resorts)
IV.            Things to do in Charlottesville (history, running, golf…)
V.              Virginia Wine’s Cousin – Virginia Cider at WBC
VI.            Where to Eat
VII.           Basic Virginia Wine Stats

Picture credit: VirginiaWine.Org

I. – WHO TO FOLLOW?
There are a number of Virginia wine Tweeters that WBC attendees should follow to learn more about Virginia wine leading up to the conference.  I previously posted a list of Virginia wine bloggers, Virginia wineries, and industry folks here (Part I – Va Wine Must Follows).  Since the number of Virginia wine bloggers and tweeters seems to grow on a weekly basis, this list does not include everyone, but does provide a great starting point (apologies if I left someone off the list – please let me know via email or Twitter: @DrinkWhatULike ).

II. – GETTING TO WBC11 in CHARLOTTESVILLE:
Virginia Airports

• Charlottesville Albemarle Airport (CHO). CHO is a smaller, regional airport with a limited number of flights, but a great option if you can manage it because it’s only 10 miles away from the WBC11 host hotel.
• Richmond International Airport (RIC). Approximately 73 miles from Charlottesville, under 90 minute drive to downtown Charlottesville.  RVA is a smaller airport, and much easier to get in and out of than Dulles and Reagan.
• Washington Dulles Airport (IAD).  Approximately 105 miles from Charlottesville, about a two-hour drive.  Since I pass through this airport on a near weekly basis, IAD has a special place in my heart *sarcastic font*.  The advantage of IAD is the number of flights, and most importantly, there are two VinoVolo wine bars in the airport, which make long layovers or flight delays more palatable.  The original VinoVolo is located by gate C4, and the other is located in the middle of concourse B across from Chipotle.   Another advantage of flying in/out of Dulles is the proximity to the wineries of Loudoun County – just a 45-minute drive.  For those interested in participating in a pre/post-conference tour of Loudoun County, please email me.
• Washington Reagan Airport (DCA). About 115 miles from Charlottesville, over two-hour drive (could be considerably longer depending on traffic).  One of my least favorite airports in the US due to the human congestion element – choose this as your last resort. One upside of flying in to DCA is the public transportation option for those not renting a car.  You can take the METRO from DCA directly to Union Station train station and then take Amtrak to Charlottesville.  See below for more details.

Getting to WBC via Train:
For those that enjoy scenic (semi-scenic) rides on the rail, there is an Amtrak station located in Charlottesville (CVS), a short walk from the downtown mall area.  The host hotel, Omni Charlottesville, is located at the far west end of the downtown mall.  Although the Amtrak station is about a 10-minute walk from the Omni hotel, I wouldn’t recommend this particular walk in July unless you enjoy extreme sweating as summers in Virginia can be hot and very humid.  There are always cabs readily available outside the Amtrak gates.  One-way tickets from Washington Union Station to CVS, cost between $22 – $38, and the trip will take about 2 1/2 hours.

III. – WHERE TO STAY:

• Omni Hotel. As the host hotel, this is clearly the most convenient option in terms of being in the ‘middle of it all.’  There are a number of other hotels near the downtown mall like the Courtyard Marriott.  I would recommend Hotels.com for a complete list.
• Rental Homes. For those who need more space than a hotel offers, there are many rental cottages, lofts and homes in the area in close proximity to the downtown mall.  This is our lodging option of choice so we can have a place to spread out and cook meals if needed (and host a small gathering).   Two primary resources for rental homes: VRBO and College Weekends
• Resort Option. If you’re bringing your entire family to Charlottesville or traveling with a spouse who’s not in to wine (I can’t imagine such a thing), the resort option may be the way to go.  The only resort I’m personally familiar with is Keswick Hall.  My wife and I stayed at Keswick a few years ago to celebrate our anniversary and had a great time – beautiful rooms, amazing setting, and stellar service.  A second option is The Boar’s Head Inn.  Although I’ve played golf at The Boar’s Head many times, I’ve never stayed at the Inn, but have heard great things.  Both places have a full spa, swimming pool, on-site golf course, tennis courts, and restaurants.

IV. – WHAT TO DO IN CHARLOTTESVILLE:
For History Buffs:
Virginia is rich with history, and the Charlottesville area provides a number of historical sites worth visiting:

• Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello – No visit to the Charlottesville area is complete without a visit to Monticello (I believe there will be a WBC event there).  Jefferson’s architectural masterpiece and beloved mountaintop home, Monticello is the only home in America recognized by the United Nations as a World Heritage Site.  Guided tours of the house are offered daily throughout the year; outdoor gardens and plantation tours are offered daily April-October.   For more information about our nation’s first oenophile’s wine exploits and habits, check out ’30 Days of Thomas Jefferson on Wine.’
• James Monroe’s Ashlawn-Highland – Home of our fifth President, this 500 acre estate, highlighted by peacocks running around the grounds, is a must visit.
• Edgar Allen Poe Room – Author and poet’s room restored to 1826 time period, when he was a student.
• Small Special Collections Library – A must visit for ‘bookies.’  Over 12 million manuscripts and 300,000 rare books.
• University of Virginia – Founded by Thomas Jefferson, a walk around the historic and beautiful campus is highly recommended.
• Carter Mountain Orchard – Ownership of this land dates back to 1729, when the honorable John Carter acquired 9,350 acres of land by way of a land grant.  Today, the ‘pick your own’ Carter Mountain orchard is a great place for a day of family fun picking apples, enjoying expansive views of Charlottesville below, and enjoying perhaps the worlds very best, fresh baked cider donuts!

Political Epicenter:
If you’ve never spent time in our nation’s capital, perhaps a trip to Virginia for WBC11 is the chance to make time to visit Washington, DC.  Growing up in Virginia, school trips to Washington, DC were part of our history and political science classes.  I’m always surprised at how few people take advantage of the educational experience provided by visiting Washington, DC.  While in Virginia this summer, give consideration to spending a day or two in DC to take in the sights – the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, or contact your member of Congress for a tour of the Capital or the White House (especially if you are traveling with school age kids).

For Runners:
There is no shortage of running trails in Charlottesville.  Given the Virginia heat and humidity in July, I highly recommend early morning runs.  The University of Virginia campus provides a lovely backdrop for an early morning run, or Run.com lists a number of running trails and loops near UVA.

For Golfers:
Charlottesville is home to a number of excellent golf courses, with two notable must play courses if you bring your clubs – Keswick Hall Golf Course and Birdwood Golf Course, both about a 15 minute drive from downtown Charlottesville.

Calendar of Events:
There are a ton of community events happening throughout the summer in Charlottesville.  CvilleCalendar.com is an excellent source of event information for the Charlottesville area.  If you are traveling with your pooches, Keswick Vineyards hosts ‘Yappy Hours’ each Sunday.  Aside from great wine and one of the friendliest tasting room staffs in Virginia wine country, Yappy Hours at Keswick Vineyards provides a great chance for you to enjoy a glass of Virginia wine while your dog sniffs and socializes.  For the more refined or curious, take in a Polo match at King Family Vineyards each Sunday throughout the summer.

For Beach Goers:
A three-hour drive from Charlottesville is my ‘hood – Virginia Beach, VA.  Arrive a few days before or stay a few days after WBC, and visit Virginia Beach to enjoy the waters of the Atlantic Ocean.  Aside from vegging out on the beach, there are a number of ‘touristy’ things to do in Virginia Beach like visiting the Virginia Marine Science Museum.  If you plan a visit to the Virginia Beach area, I would recommend that you fly in/out of Norfolk International Airport (ORF).   We need the tax revenue so please consider a visit to Virginia Beach.

V. – VIRGINIA HARD CIDER:
Not only will WBC attendees have the opportunity to taste the finest wines of one of the most promising wine regions in the US, conference goers will also be introduced to Virginia hard apple cider.   As an adjunct to a thriving wine industry, Virginia is home to a blossoming apple cider industry.  Two Virginia cideries will be participating in WBC11 – Foggy Ridge Cider and Albemarle Cider Works.  For those new to hard apple cider, please check out ‘Virginia Cider 101‘ article by Foggy Ridge cider maker, Diane Flynt.

VI. – WHERE TO EAT:
Charlottesville is home to a number of excellent restaurants – too many to do justice here, but below are a few that I highly recommend that are relatively close to downtown.

• C&O Restaurant.  Located on the downtown mall, one of the most established restaurants in the area. My restaurant in Charlottesville.
• Fossett’s Restaurant at Keswick Hall.  Highly recommended, most excellent.  You’ll need a reservation.
• Hamilton’s at First & Main.
• Ivy Inn Restaurant.  Locally-inspired seasonal American cuisine.  Always excellent.
• There are also a number of quick, but good places to eat on the downtown mall.

VII. – VIRGINIA WINE STATS:

• Virginia is the 5th largest wine producing state.
• Virginia is home to over 180 wineries, and growing quickly.
• Six American Viticultural Areas (AVAs)
• Over 2,500 acres under vine.
• Chardonnay is the most planted white varietal in Virginia.
• Cabernet Franc is the most planted red varietal in Virginia.
• Though the subject of much debate and opinion, the varietals that seem to thrive here in Virginia are Cab Franc, Petit Verdot, Viognier, and Petit Manseng.

I hope this post provides some useful information for those coming to WBC11.  I look forward to meeting everyone that I’ve connected with via Twitter! If you have any specific questions about Virginia, Virginia wine, or this post, please do not hesitate to contact me.  Cheers!

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Questions, Comments, Complaints, Random Observations? Contact Me Here

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30 Days of Thomas Jefferson on Wine – Final Thoughts

Day 1 – Thomas Jefferson, A Primer
Day 2 – The First Wine of Record, Claret
Day 3 – Jefferson and Madeira
Day 4 – Jefferson’s Favorite Wines Available Today
Day 5 – Monticello Pictorial
Day 6 – Monticello Vineyards
Day 7 – The Monticello Cellar
Day 8 – Thomas Jefferson—Orchardist and Cidermaker (Part 1)
Day 9 – Quotable Jefferson
Day 10 – The Curious Philip Mazzei
Day 11 – Jefferson Vineyards
Day 12 – What Would Jefferson Think?
Day 13 - Thomas Jefferson—Cidermaker and Scientist-Farmer (Part 2)
Day 14 – Jefferson in Paris - A Pictorial of his Travels
Day 15 – Jefferson in Paris - Pictorial
Day 16 - Jefferson’s Wine Travels Through France and Italy
Day 17 - Jefferson’s Memorandum Notes on Journey Through France and Italy
Day 18 - Monticello Wine Festival
Day 19 - Jefferson in France, Thoughts on Bordeaux
Day 20 - Jefferson’s Paris Wine Cellar
Day 21 - Jefferson in Burgundy – Random Notes
Day 22 - Germany and Champagne, Jefferson’s Route
Day 23 - Jefferson in Champagne
Day 24 – Jefferson, The Wine Consultant
Day 25 – President Jefferson and Wine, How Much Did Jefferson Spend On Wine?
Day 26 – President Jefferson, Wine Factoid
Day 27 - Wines Provided at Washington
Day 28 - Retirement, The Vintage Years
Day 29 – Jefferson and The Billionaire’s Vinegar

Day 30 – Final Thoughts, Jefferson’s Last Letter, The End

Today marks day 30, the final post in the ‘30 Days of Thomas Jefferson on Wine’ series.  I will end the series as I began it, by noting that I am not a Jefferson scholar, and this 30-day series could not possibly provide complete coverage of Jefferson’s full range of wine experiences.  I’ll leave the in-depth analysis and reporting to historians and authors who have spent years of their lives studying the remarkable life of our nations first oenophile.

My motivation for undertaking this endeavor of 30 Days of Jefferson on Wine is primarily for my own self-education. Personally, I learn more when I collect and organize my thoughts in written form, and the last 30 days represents my attempt to organize information I’ve gleaned over the last few months from reading a number of books on Thomas Jefferson.

Though this series was primarily a selfish endeavor, I truly hope that others following the series have found some (or all) of the posts educational.  I think most wine enthusiasts are aware of Jefferson’s strong interest in wine, but I hope that I shared a few Jeffersonian wine factoids that readers may not have otherwise learned.

Since June, I’ve read four books on the life, times and wine of Thomas Jefferson, along with hundreds of letters and notes in The Writings of Thomas Jefferson (via Google Books online).  With each book or letter, I found myself in a constant state of amazement at Jefferson’s range of curiosities and capacity for details.

Through out his life, Jefferson maintained meticulous cellar records, some of which I’ve shared as part of this series.  As part of the day 7 post I provided Jefferson’s last cellar list, made months before his death.

As an adjunct to Jefferson’s last cellar list – to ‘celebrate’ the final post in this series – below is the final letter Jefferson wrote.  It’s fitting that Jefferson’s last letter was about wine.  Written on June 25, 1826, three weeks before his death, Jefferson wrote to his agent Bernard Peyton directing him to pay 18 dollars for duties and shipping for his annual supply of wines from southern France.

It’s clear from this letter that Jefferson was restocking his cellar and had intentions of living much longer.

Though I consider this 30-day series a success from a personal standpoint, I leave this series unfinished, as I wasn’t able to cover the full range of topics I initially planned to:

• Jefferson’s renewed interest in his Monticello vineyards during his retirement
• Jefferson on beer
• Jefferson’s planned brewery at Monticello
• The Wine Company formed by Philip Mazzei that included partners Thomas Jefferson and George Washington
• More of Jefferson’s wine related letters
• More coverage of Jefferson’s influence on his fellow Founding Fathers

Since I have eight Jefferson on wine posts ‘in process,’ I will likely finish each of them over the course of the next couple of months and post them as time permits.

Before wrapping up, I would like to thank several people who gave their time unselfishly for lengthy conversations.  A special thanks to Chad Zakaib of Jefferson Vineyards for giving up a Sunday morning to meet with me for a tour and history lesson on the land that formally belonged to Jefferson, and to Gabriele Rausse, winemaker at Monticello, who spent an entire afternoon with my wife and I touring the vineyards of Monticello.  I especially appreciate Gabriele’s patience with me as I deluged him with follow up questions via email.

I also appreciate the scholars and authors who have dedicated years of their lives studying the life of Thomas Jefferson.  Hat tip to Jim Gabler, author of Passions – The Wines and Travels of Thomas Jefferson, and to John Hailman, author of the epic ‘Thomas Jefferson on Wine‘ for their comprehensive coverage of Thomas Jefferson’s wine experiences. Both of their books kept me company many late nights through the summer months and proved invaluable references during this series.

I leave this series not only with a little more knowledge, but also with a renewed respect for a man that lived a ‘full’ life.  In addition to his many notable accomplishments – President, architect, revolutionary, statesmen, philosopher, inventor, and musician – I consider Jefferson The Great Enigma.

The end. Thank you.

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Questions, Comments, Complaints, Random Observations? Contact Me Here

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