Virginia Wine Weekend Getaway Towns: Part 4

Continuing with our six-part examination of getaway spots in the Commonwealth where you can partake in Virginia's finest, and explore an interesting town while doing it, we move closer towards the Shenandoah Valley and focus on a town more famous for a cave than the town itself: Luray.

Luray Caverns needs no introduction. The most famous public cave on the East Coast (and some would argue the country), the caverns have left millions of visitors breathless. Virginia boasts several caverns in the state (Skyline, Shenandoah, and Dixie to name three others), and all of them offer photo ops galore. Luray is the most popular mainly due to its relentless advertising since the 1960s, and location other attractions affiliated with the tourist spot, including an auto museum and "Singing Tower Park," which features a carillon, directly across from the caverns.

The town was formerly (as recently as the early '80s) rather downtrodden, but the world popularity of the caverns and a vigorous town Chamber of Commerce publicity campaign starting in the mid '80s has allowed to town to prosper and grow into a best-kept secret destination with art galleries, charming stores, and farm to table restaurants.

If you add nearby Stanley (off U.S. highway business route 340), which has Americana small town charms of its own, you the makings of a terrific holiday weekend (heads up: one such holiday weekend is coming up!) There is a fine selection of restaurants in these two towns. Our favorites include Uncle Buck's, The Speakeasy, Gathering Grounds Cafe, and Countryside in Stanley.

Which leads us to the wineries. The first two are on the other side of Shenandoah National Park from Luray; if you approach Luray from the east, via U.S. highway 211, you can hit these two wineries on your way to the town. If you visit Luray via Interstate 81 on the west, these two wineries are a pleasant (and extremely scenic) 30 minutes from the town.

Sharp Rock Vineyards resides on our list of the most relaxing wineries in the Commonwealth. The Hughes River, which you cross via a one lane bridge leading up to the winery, is a favorite of fly fishermen/women, and the owners (Jimm and Kathy East) offer picnic tables, hammocks, and even an overnight cottage with a balcony over the river, for interested guests. The tasting room resides in a cozy cabin, with a nicely appointed sitting area outside. The views at this winery are, in short, breathtaking. Old Rag Mountain sits behind the winery and hikers gather in the tasting room after day hikes.

Sharp Rock Vineyards - one of the most scenic spots in the state:

Jimm owns one of the original Virginia wineries; we have been visiting his spot since the early '00s. He makes incredible wine. Rosé is our usual choice for our visits, however his Chardonnay, with green apple notes, and "Synergy" (his blend of Petit Verdot and Merlot) are noteworthy. Jimm or Kathy will keep you entertained during the tasting with stories about eccentric neighbors.

Sharp Rock Vineyards is a tough place to leave, but after spending a few hours here, you won't have far to go for the next location: DuCard Vineyards:

DuCard is situated in a "mountain cove," meaning you are surrounded by mountains on three sides. Like Sharp Rock, you are truly one with nature in another irresistible mountain location. The tasting building is eco-friendly green, and a bit slicker than the rustic cabin at Sharp Rock, but the tasting process is equally intimate at DuCard. Standout offerings include the Signature Viognier, with its honeysuckle and melon notes; Gibson Hollow White, off-dry and refreshing and a perfect summer cookout wine; and the Popham Run Red blend, a Meritage-like blend with bold notes of cherry and pepper.

More from DuCard Vineyards:

The final winery in this spotlight is a truly one-of-a-kind location near the town of Stanley. Wisteria Vineyard is a working farm, complete with free-roaming chickens and roosters and several sheep, with a European-meets-Woodstock (New York) feel. Acoustic live bands frequent this spot, which is off the beaten trail but well worth a visit. The property extends through the vineyards to several picnic areas, all with incredible views:

The varietals change here from year to year, it seems. Typically, Viognier and Chardonnay are styles offered. This is also one of the only Virginia wineries that offers a "Carmine" red; peppery and mineraly, similar to a fine Cab Franc, but smokier.

The vineyards give way to remote picnic areas near a creek - if you want to get lost at a winery, this is the place to do it.

As for overnight accommodations, Luray is well-covered. Several national chains have locations here, as well as the original Luray Caverns Motels (two locations in the town). For a "throwback" feel, try the Hillside Motel, a modest, clean motel with a spectacular view, east of town on route 211.

Plan a long weekend trip to these easily accessible (from Washington DC and Northern Virginia) towns and wineries this summer!
And be sure to visit our previous entries on Virginia Wine Weekend Getaway Towns.

Virginia Wineries Proudly Going to the Dogs

Dogs and vineyards are made for each other. Just look at the number of coffee table photograph books devoted to winery dogs - especially Virginia wine dogs. Dogs serve a function both inside the tasting room, and in the vineyards. In the tasting room, they greet guests with tails wagging and affection, and then of course show up when any guest takes a seat and pops open a bottle, and brings out the baguette and cheese or meat, or crackers, or cupcakes (we suspect the resident canines are not very interested in the vino....)

Most breeds of dogs are people pleasers, and love to be in the center of the action, which makes a busy tasting room a happy home. In the vineyards, they keep deer, foxes, crows and even bears away from the grapes. You would be hard pressed to find a winery in the Commonwealth that isn't ruled by a dog or two (or three, or four). And many locations also welcome guests to bring their dogs along - leashed, or even unleashed.

The Notebook has many favorite dog day wineries. Because dogs are such a mainstay at so many wineries, we'll narrow our favorites to five. These locations not only have memorable dogs, they actively encourage folks to bring their favorite pets along. And some have built the dog theme into the promotion of their wines.


5. Reynard Florence Vineyard (north of Charlottesville)

One of the newer wineries in the Monticello AVA, Reynard Florence is home to several surprising twists on the usually too sweet (for our palates) Petit Manseng. Another unusual (for Virginia) red found here is Grenache, a hearty bold varietal popular in Argentina and Chile. Most likely visitors will be welcomed by Ray, the corgi. Ray will hang around your feet during the entire tasting process, hoping for a taste of the wine, or better yet, a palate cleansing biscuit you may drop (by accident, or on purpose).

We were completely knocked out by our tasting experience here late last year; the wines are beautiful and the views of the foothills are what you come to expect in this area of the state. We can't wait to return in warmer weather and hang out with the owners, and Ray of course, again.

4. Unicorn Winery (west of Warrenton)

The resident dog at Unicorn is Franc, named after one of Virginia's most popular varietals. A standard schnauzer, Franc is mellow and quiet; unusual for one of the blogmasters used to the more hyperactive behavior of the terriers. Franc has been won best in breed in local dog shows and it's easy to see why. He exudes class, like the wines at Unicorn.

If you bring your own dog to Unicorn, there is ample room to let him run free. Walk down the hill and experience the narrowest sections of the Rappahannock River. Your dog will love jumping around in the river while you toast the day with a bottle of Unicorn Meritage, our favorite wine here.


3. Sharp Rock Vineyards (near Sperryville)

Another winery with lots of open space, perfect for dogs (leashed or unleashed), is another one of our favorites in the state: Sharp Rock, on the edge of Skyline Drive (you can see Old Rag Mountain from the property). Like Unicorn, the winery borders a river (the Hughes River in this case, which flows into the Shenandoah), and some visitors have taken to fly fishing while imbibing in Jimm and Kathy's wonderful creations (our current favorite is their Rosé Noir).

An entire page of their website is dedicated to their dogs, some sadly having passed. But there are always four legged friends to be found romping around the fields here.

http://www.sharprockvineyards.com/dogs.html


2. Chateau Morrisette Winery (off Blue Ridge Parkway near Floyd)

If you've picked up a bottle of Chateau Morrisette wine at Whole Foods or Harris Teeter (they are mass producer; one of the biggest wineries in the state), you will be familiar with the dog motif on the bottle. This is the original dog winery in Virginia; they have been crafting their canine-themed wines since 1982. Being situated a few steps away from the Blue Ridge Parkway guarantees a great view. And despite the vastness of the property and tasting room, every guest is treated like a member of the family here.

The owners call the location "The Winery that Dogs Built." Proceeds from the sales of certain bottles of their mass produced wine goes to animal rescue foundations. So you're imbibing in a good cause here. Their dog history is outlined on a dedicated page of their website:

http://www.thedogs.com/visit/the-winery-than-dogs-built.html


1. Barrel Oak Winery (Delaplane)

Those who've been to Barrel Oak Winery (or as they like to be called, BOW) will agree: There is no bigger dog fanatical winery in the state. Chateau Morrisette paved the way for the dog theme and BOW takes it to the hilt. Three of their resident dogs (Birch, Justice, and Peanut) actually serve as "avatar tourguides" of their website. And since our last visit, two new four legged buddies have entered the scene: Shell and Simba. Apparently none of the resident pups have issues with sharing their lair with the hundreds of dogs that visit BOW every week (sometimes all during the weekend).

Peanut:

Regardless of season, every weekend is a party here, and owner Brian Roeder is usually in the tasting room, making a point to say hi to every visitor, regardless of how busy they are. Our favorite season has to be summer - they are one of the few wineries open until 9 PM on Friday and Saturday night during the summer. Imagine being at a mini Wolf Trap, with emphasis on wine over music (although music is always in the air, audibly and visually confined to the property, whether an excellent local band or an iPod with a great mix of classic), and you have the general idea. And dogs, dogs, dogs.....everywhere.

Birch:

A responsible dog owner will know whether her dog is fit for a social environment at BOW, or any of the canine-friendly wineries in Virginia. So most likely, the dogs (whether heeling or running free) at a winery will be friendly. It's damn near impossible to leave BOW without a big smile on your face. And the wine isn't too shabby either, our favorites being their Norton and the table Bowhaus Red.

We hope you take a cue from these animal loving locations and visit Reynard Florence, Unicorn, Sharp Rock, Chateau Morrisette or Barrel Oak this weekend.

And be sure to check out the top Virginia winery cats! Click here for the cats.

What's your favorite dog day winery?