Flowers are blossoming, birds are singing and The Winery at La Grange is bottling your favorite summer whites! No doubt you Cuvee Blanc lovers out there have heard that your favorite blend in the pretty blue bottle is back on our shelves just in time for the heat. The next one to go into bottle is the Pinot Gris which should be released for your drinking pleasure by early summer. We also have a refreshing Rosé coming soon. And, as if all of that weren't enough, May 3rd will mark the first day for those oh-so-refreshing pitchers of our very own amazing Sangria! There is no way you won't have fun here this Spring and Summer!
In celebration of Spring, we have our 2006 Pinot Grigio on sale for $15 per bottle or, even better, $150 per case. Do the math, that's a DEAL! Our Pinot Grigio is steel aged and fermented so it's crisp, it's citrusy and it's the perfect wine to share on a sunny day.
Don't forget to mark your calendar for
Barrel Tasting April 26 and 27. This is such a fun event and the perfect setting to learn more about exactly what is happening in those tanks and barrels. Rob will be on hand all weekend to guide you through the experience and, afterwards, you can purchase your favorites as futures as very special prices.
I told you a few months ago that we were entering our wines in some national competitions. Well, the results are starting to come in and here's how we're doing so far. . . the National Women's Wine Competition gave our lovely 2006 Viognier a Bronze Medal. The New World International Wine Competition brought our 2006 Tannat a Silver Medal and both our 2006 "Fletcher's" Chardonnay and our 2006 Snort a Bronze Medal. That's INTERNATIONAL people - wow! Then there was the Jefferson Cup Invitational Wine Competition where our 2005 Meritage and our 2006 Viognier were each honored. The Jefferson Cup doesn't give the traditional gold, silver and bronze. Rather, we were awarded their "Certificate of Merit" which "respects wines exemplary of their regions and varieties", very nice!
Also worth a mention is our sister winery, Pearmund Cellars, who was awarded the Double Gold, Best in Show for her 2005 Ameritage Reserve. Congratulations, that is quite an accomplishment!!
For those of you who love nature, we've got something new happening on the property. Keith Fletcher is a bee keeper who has built hives that he's been tending at Pearmund Cellars for some time. Well, he split 2 hives there and has started new ones at La Grange. Don't worry, they're safely tucked away from your favorite picnic spots but, if you see a guy all gussied up in a head-to-toe white protection suit, that's Keith tending his bees. Hopefully there's some honey to come.
Have you made your reservation for the May 3rd Winemaker's Dinner yet? It will be a beautiful one with a menu inspired by Peter Martin's wonderful book The Pleasure Garden: From Jamestown to Jefferson. You can see the menu with wine pairings on the "Happenings" area of our website. This dinner will feature all of those new summer bottlings I told you about earlier, yum! If the weather cooperates, we'll have this one on the patio of the Manor House, surrounded by the kind of beauty that Peter Martin clearly loved.
Need a date night with your love? We've got something really special for you. Friday May 9th is date night at La Grange. With your reservation you'll get a picnic basket and a bottle of your choice of our wine to share. Bring a blanket, get cozy on the back lawn as the sun sets over the vineyard. And, we'll have a movie for
you; "A Good Year" will be shown outdoors on a large screen for those of you
who want watch and enjoy as our guests. Sounds fun? No kids, no cooking,
no chores - come and relax with us! (Reservations are required, seating is
limited. See webpage for more details.)
And then comes Mother's Day. One of our favorite days since we get to celebrate the best people on earth! We'll celebrate by including a very special side-by-side Chardonnay tasting with your regular wine tasting. You'll taste the celebrated 2005 vintage, the current and even more celebrated 2006 vintage and then you'll get an exclusive taste of the upcoming 2007 vintage, right out of the barrel. Mmmmm, Chardonnay all day!
Also on Mother's Day weekend, we'll have Debra Fabian. She's the incredible artisan jeweler that had a show here in the Fall. Her work has been included in major fashion magazines and featured on (my favorite!) show, Project Runway. Normally, her work is available at exclusive boutiques but at this special show, you'll be able to purchase it directly from Debra. Silver, gold, pearls, gemstones, unique designs - don't miss it!
It's been great fun seeing all of our friends back at the winery after a long winter. Keep coming, bring your friends and let's have a great time with wonderful wine!
