![]() ![]() One of the couples attending class were partners in a winery and brought along a few bottles for us to try during the break before dinner. We saw a couple of reduction sauces and got a taste of things to come. After that, it was off to the inn kitchen for a quick demonstration about cooking with wine, given by the chef. After lunch, yet another vintner visited to spend the afternoon explaining the process of planting and tending the vines throughout the growing season. The food pairings were really interesting, and apparently we could have taken an entire course on that alone. Next, we were visited by a winemaker (who brought wines to taste, of course) who gave a seminar about the terms used to describe wine, and then he paired wines with each course of our lunch. It's about tasting, not drinking (at least until lunch!) and there were some serious lessons that went with every taste. We tasted and learned about five separate wines in the first session alone! You learn pretty fast that you really need to pour out your glass, instead of drinking everything that goes in it. ![]() Notebooks are provided with all sorts of information, from wine descriptors to why certain glasses are used all the way to bottle shapes, corks, labels, and openers. The overseer of the academy is Warren Dunn, an extremely knowledgeable and entertaining guide, who is obviously enthusiastic about his topic. We immediately got down to business with an introduction to wine -starting world wide and bringing it all the way to Virginia in short order. Breakfast was perfectly delicious, generously portioned, with all local foods. Since my preference is for protein in the morning, it was a relief to not be faced with french toast and pancakes, without other options to start my day. We were served just-from-the-oven muffins with berries, a plate of fresh fruit, and were given a choice of sweet or savory breakfast. There were others staying at the inn who were not part of the wine school package. Next morning, we met in the 'library' dining room for a private breakfast just for class attendees. Traveling alone, it's always a concern about meeting and mingling, but the small class quickly became a group of friends with a common interest: wine! We tasted a couple of wines, had our introductions and some time to visit, and then all went off in their separate directions for dinner. When I arrived Sunday evening, there was a champagne reception for all the folks attending the 'academy'. Meander's restaurant (which took an award from the wine industry last year) serves VA wines exclusively. The most impressive part of this package is the number of experts involved, all willing to share their knowledge and their passion for wine in general and Virginia wines in particular. If you are at all interested in wine, you won't want to miss the Virginia Wine Academy at Meander Plantation. This was the single most perfect way I could have possibly spent these few days. Breakfast was perfectly delicious, generously portioned, with. ![]() ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |