Glen Manor Vineyards

After having eaten brunch at Claire's in Warrenton, we took a leisurely drive out 211 west towards Washington, VA and then headed north on 522 up through Chester Gap to get on the west side of the mountains so we could visit with Jeff and Kelly and talk about a party that is coming up in a couple of weeks. But that was just really an excuse to go find a chair in the warm sunshine and a nice glass of wine and enjoy what will likely prove to be the final outdoor day of 2012.

Sadly, everyone else was out enjoying the day including hundreds of motorcyclists including one who, after driving quite insanely recklessly, dumped his crotch rocket in the middle of 522 between Flint Hill and Chester Gap. We waited for 45 minutes at a standstill while they sent the medevac chopper in for him. That put a bit of a damper on the day.

We finally got going and skirted around the north end of the mountains and down to Glen Manor just before 3pm. The tasting room was as busy as we have ever seen it and Kelly said that everyone who visisted that day bought wine. A lot of times people come to taste and move on. But why wouldn't you buy wine at Glen Manor, which is on my very short list of the best wineries in the state?

South Side of the Winery

After tasting with Jane and visiting with Kelly and Jorge as much as we could while they were busy with other guests, we took our bottle of Cabernet Franc outside and comandeered two Adirondack chairs. Compare this view with the one just before harvest.


The Vineyards in Late Fall

Doesn't This Look Like a Jigsaw Puzzle Photo?



It's a Rough Job but Someone Has to do it!



With My Beautiful Wife

Towards closing time and just before we had to run to Berryville to get Carter, Jeff showed up and then Randall and we all stood around the tasting room catching up. Jeff went in the back and brown-bagged a bottle and poured it all around. Just smelling it, I thought old school Bordeaux. And judging from the deep color, abundant black fruit with dried raspberry leaf highlights, good acid, and fine firm tannins, I figured mostly Cabernet Sauvignon. I am proud of Ann for saying that it was a Bordeaux! It proved to be a 2004 Cos d'Estournel and a very nice bottle of wine in the classic Claret style. Jeff, many thanks for letting us share the mystery wine!