Gabriele (center) holds court with the SR gang
from Elizabeth
A couple weeks ago, our wine rep invited us to go wine tasting with him in Charlottesville. The perks of this job are never ending! Surprisingly, I’ve never been wine tasting, so this was an especially nice treat.
First, we stopped at vineyard of Gabriele Rausse, who just recently opened a tasting room to the public. The tasting room was beautifully designed with large windows that were cracked open so we could enjoy the summer air. We sampled six different wines, and everyone had their own personal favorites. I, personally, liked the 2014 Chardonnay Reserve and got to enjoy a glass (or two) with some delicious snacks Chef Brad made for us.
Gabriele has many years of experience making wine and has been coined the “Godfather” of wine making in Virginia. He joined us when we finished the tasting and, after hearing his stories, you know he lived up to his nickname.
Next, we went to Albemarle Ciderworks and tried some delicious hard cider. The Ciderworks has been open since 2009, offering different flavored ciders with their vintage apples. After sampling all of the ciders, the majority of the group seemed to enjoy the Pomme Mary cider released in 2013. This fruity cider has mellow notes of tropical fruits—mango, pineapple, and kiwi.
A highlight for Jennifer and me, though, were the two rescue puppies that roamed the property!
We finished our wonderful adventure in Charlottesville at Dr. Ho’s Humble Pie and had some of their delicious pizza. We made our way back home with great memories of our day in Charlottesville and took a few souvenirs with us.
Our thanks to Sean Tarallo of International Cellars for the great day on the tasting trail!