Virginia Wine Weekend Getaway Towns: Part 1

In this series, the Notebook will examine six Virginia towns and cities perfect for a fall or winter getaway. From the ocean to the bay to the hills and mountains - these towns offer something for everyone. All of the locations are in close proximity to Virginia wineries, of course; but for simplicity sake, we will just choose two wineries per location. We'll also offer some dining and lodging options (and although we are not B&B fans, we'll stick in a link to the local B&B directory for those looking for a romantic getaway).

Part 1: Chincoteague

We'll start in the extreme eastern section of the Commonwealth; extreme northeastern, to be exact. Chincoteague is so close to the Maryland border that a few reviews for dining establishments on Yelp place the restaurant in Chincoteague, MD. Chincoteague is well known to fans of literature and history for its wild ponies (actually the ponies live on adjacent Assateague Island, which does jut into Maryland - in fact 2/3 of the island is on the Maryland side).

Chincoteague is a town first, resort second. The beach is actually a 10 minute drive away, through a National Wildlife Refuge, so vacationers in the summer book here for the atmosphere first, beach second. The town is stuck in a time warp, in a good way. The mini golf courses and frozen custard stands with neon lights remind one of a bygone era. An anti corporate vibe is apparent here; you won't find Starbucks (in fact, blogger John has a vacation home on the island, and while we were imbibing in Vavino one night, we came up with a bumper sticker: Chincoteague: 200 Ducks. 0 Starbucks).

Ducks, ponies, and chickens rule the island - one thoroughfare is actually called Chicken City Road. The small, approximately three block downtown section, on the bay side, offers a wonderful wine and cheese shop that offers several Virginia wines, Wine, Cheese and More. However as two Virginia wineries are in the plans, pick up a few bottles here in the morning and head "off the island" to the Eastern Shore.

A left turn onto U.S. highway 13, the main highway on the Eastern Shore, will take you to the wineries. The first one is about a 30 minute drive south, to the town of Nassawadox. Once you arrive in the town (really a village), Holly Grove Vineyards is a relaxing 10 minute drive from the main highway.

The Eastern Shore has growing climate and soil similar to the north fork of Long Island, where Chardonnay rules supreme. As this is a very laid back, uncrowded and unpretentious location, Jonathan, the owner and winemaker, will most likely pour for you. His chardonnay was superior, crisp and dry, with apple and fig notes. His High Tide Traminette was a great complement to the Old Bay seasoned peanuts we picked up - a good balance of spice and pineapple notes. His rosé is an off-dry winner with notes of raspberry and cranberry. Finally, for the bold red fan in your group, the Merlot: Hungarian oaked (larger than normal barrels), zesty and dry.

In warmer months, you can rent kayaks and take a bottle (or two, or three) out into the nearby creeks and really vegg out. For cooler weather, you can bring a picnic and relax by the water.

Entrance to the Holly Grove tasting room:

Be sure to call Holly Grove before you visit, especially during the cooler months, to make sure someone can meet you in the tasting room. Website URL: http://www.hollygrovevineyards.com/

The second winery is a leisurely drive northbound on route 13, heading back to your weekend getaway in Chincoteague. This winery is named after the town it resides in: Bloxom Winery.

Owners Robert and Francesca Giardina planted their vines in 2000 and opened their doors to the public in 2004; they are the oldest of the three wineries on the Eastern Shore (not to snub the third location, which we also love - Chatham Vineyards). As you can tell from the owners names, this location is rooted in Old World Europe. The soil on the Eastern Shore has more in common with the soil in France and Italy compared to the mainland of Virginia, and especially the soil in California, Oregon, and Washington (the "New World" growing region of the U.S.) The soil is sandy and loamy, and very bold reds such as Merlot and Cab Sauv thrive here, as well as the aforementioned Chardonnay.

As the case with Holly Grove, there are not a huge number of wines here, but even with their limited wine list, you are bound to find something for every palate. The Merlot is deep, with notes of plum and currant. The Chardonnay is a bit more oaky than the offering at Holly Grove, but still smooth and perfect with brie cheese. Their biggest sellers are their sweeter styles: Some Like it Blush and Red Kiss. The winery is very close to the main highway and the owners explained that Salisbury, home to a few colleges, draws the "wine newbies" nearly every weekend.

In the spirit of the Mediterranean flavor of Bloxom, artisan pizza is prepared in a wood fire stove every Saturday. Sit yourself down in the enclosed patio off the tasting room and you will feel as if you've been transported to Tuscany:

The entrance to the winery is rather nondescript, but it is quiet here, and you are surrounded by vineyards.

Check the website URL before departing: http://www.bloxomwinery.com/Home_Page.php

Back on the Island......

Wrap up your wine getaway on the Eastern Shore with dinner at one of Chincoteague's quaint restaurants. Our favorites include Bill's Prime Seafood and Steak and Maria's Family Restaurant, which has great pizza and fried chicken (which we discovered goes very well with Viognier.)

Plenty of motels and hotels on the island to choose from - Hampton Inn to retro mom and pops. To get a real feel for the island, we suggest a mom and pop, or one of the many B&Bs. Try the Lighthouse Inn, in the heart of downtown, walking distance to restaurants and the bay, with a picnic area including grills for guests to use. For a comprehensive B&B listing, click here.

This charming town and the nearby Eastern Shore await you for wining and dining in the salty air.

Drinking in Virginia's Eastern Shore

Virginia's Eastern Shore, the pencil-shaped peninsula surrounded by the Chesapeake on the west and south, the Atlantic on the east, and the Maryland border on the north, is one of the most unique landscapes on the east coast. Rolling farmlands, creeks, marshes, bogs, and bays share the peninsula with country roads and quaint towns and villages. If you've only experienced the Eastern Shore by traveling north or south on U.S. highway 13, you haven't experienced the Eastern Shore. The peninsula is a land of wild ponies, crab pots, and villagers who still have faint English accents. And now it's home to three wineries - and more are most likely in the future. The Eastern Shore has proven to have rich loamy soil that serve chardonnay, petit manseng and other whites very well - similar to the north fork of Long Island.

You can arrive on the Eastern Shore two ways from the DC area - take the long southern route, through Hampton and Virginia Beach, and over the famous Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, or the shorter (albeit less scenic) route through Maryland. Most folks come out here to visit Chincoteague, Wallops Island and Assateauge Island, or the artsy town of Onancock. For the best tour of the Shore, get off U.S. 13 and follow state highways 318, 178, and county highway 618, through towns with strange names like Parksley, Painter, and Exmore. And if you're coming from the DELMAR (Delaware and Maryland), your first stop to imbibe will most likely be Bloxom Winery, named after the nearby village.

The gentleman who owns Bloxom is French Morrocan, a bit on the gruff side but not unfriendly. Depending on the time of year, you will be offered as many as five wines, or as few as two. His biggest seller is a red, despite the Shore's growing reputation as a white grape region: Merlot. Wonderfully complex yet smooth. His Cab Franc is good as well, if a bit watery compared to the mainland Virginia counterparts. Red Kiss is a sweet wine that is probably his most popular (for those "amateurs" from Ohio and Michigan visiting the ponies in nearby Chincoteague). He has a pizza oven he fires up three seasons of the year, and there is a welcoming sipping patio surrounded by plants.

Driving further south (prepare for about a 45 minute drive), the next stop is Holly Grove Vineyards, an exceptional and very low key spot that hugs a creek that dumps into Chessie. During warmer months, you can actually rent kayaks from Jonathan, the owner and winemaker, but for colder months, most likely it will be just you and the winemaker. He stores his wines in very large European barrels (nearly twice the size of regular barrels), and every wine on his list is exceptional. Genesis, a Bordeaux blend with a nice low alcohol content (translation: You can finish the bottle yourself and not feel utterly trashed), was the favorite red. On the other side of the coin, his petit manseng, at 14.8% alcohol, is delicious but totally creeps up on you. We imagine many overturned kayaks after a bottle or two of this stuff. Of the three wineries on the Eastern Shore, Holly Grove was our favorite. Bonus: You can order online! At blog entry time, he's sold out of Genesis, but we will watch his website with a keen eye.

The final stop on the Eastern Shore trek is Chatham Vineyards, owned by Jon Wehner, a Great Falls, VA native, who rightly deserves the reputation as the Godfather of Eastern Shore wineries. His tasting room is deceiving - he makes a lot of good to great wine here. Let's cut to the chase: The 2010 Steel fermented Chardonnay....hands down the BEST chardonnay we've ever had in Virginia. 2010 was an exceptional year for Virginia wines, thanks to a hot, drier than usual climate in late summer that allowed the grapes to reach maximum potential. The 2009 wasn't too shabby either (according to the website, only the 2009 is currently available). Perhaps he has some 2010 onhand at the winery - you must visit to find out. Other favorites are his merlot and rosé.

Drink in the Eastern Shore this spring, and watch yourself on those kayaks!

Bloxom Winery
Holly Grove Vineyards
Chatham Vineyards