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Flying in and out of a smaller airport on a near weekly basis, flight delays become part of the rhythm of life.  I am convinced the airlines are in collusion and have me atop a  ‘Make Sure This Guys Flight Is Delayed’ list. No doubt about it. I have more flights delayed, for one reason or another, than flights on time.  Ok, this may be a slight exaggeration, but perfectly logical considering that as I type this, I’m just ten minutes in to a two-hour delay.

Today’s delayed flight happens to be at Dulles airport, and as any self-respecting traveling wine enthusiast knows – Dulles is home to two VinoVolo Wine Bars.  The presence of a VinoVolo makes a delay more palatable, figuratively and literally.

Unlike most other delayed flights, I was not made to suffer during this delay.  The airline practiced the oft forgotten art of mercy today and provided advance notice, even before I boarded my originating flight in ORF (normally, I learn of delays as I’m sitting on the plane with no where to go but the lav).  Though I still despise the delay and hold the opinion that this is all part of some airline conspiracy to test my ability to maintain sanity, I do appreciate the advance notice because this means I can enjoy a relaxing dinner and wine without pacing back-and-forth at the gate waiting for the gate agent to tear him/herself away from airline gossip or US Weekly to make the next proclamation (i.e. – delay announcement).

Serenity Now – In the spirit of embracing today’s delay and celebrating Virginia Wine Month, I go with the Gadino Cellars 2009 Viognier – one of the three Virginia wines on the list:

Gadino Cellar 2009 Viognier (~ $19 at winery):  Holy peach and pear batman – this is a very expressive example of Viognier that I would highly recommend if you find yourself passing through the Dulles airport – especially this month. I’ve had Gadino’s Viognier many times at VinoVolo and I applaud the Dulles location for supporting the Virginia wine industry by having a Virginia wine flight on the menu.

Having a wine on the list at a place like VinoVolo that has such a high volume of wine ‘drinkers’ passing through seems like a great way to consistently introduce wines to a new audience.  I wonder if this ‘potential new audience’ directly translates in to new customers for wineries featured on the VinoVolo list? Perhaps Derek at Gadino will weigh on this one.

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