Dry Mill’s Dry Run

Some of you have emailed me with queries similar to this: “you claim to be “Beltway” Bacchus, yet most of your posts are of Finger Lakes or California wines. What gives?” The answer is simply that Caitlin and I spend a lot of time at her parent’s house on Owasco Lake during the summer, which is conveniently located near the Finger Lakes wineries. We do travel out to Loudoun when we can, and the more we get out there, the more I will post about local, DC area wineries. Starting with this post!

We recently were able to get out to Dry Mill Vineyard and Winery in Leesburg, VA. It is one of Loudoun’s newest wineries, having just opened in March of this year, and I was pleasantly surprised by the wines that I tried. Nestled into what was once a horse barn, Leesburg sprawl gives way to the rolling Virginia countryside and Dry Mill is on the rustic side of that divide, yet is still a quick drive from Downtown DC and its environs. Also, Dry Mill has a winery dog, Chard, a friendly black lab, which gets it a few extra points in my opinion. But enough about ambiance and dogs. Onto the wine!

Of the wines that I tried at Dry Mill, there are two that stand out - one white and one red. The 2008 Steel Chardonnay and the 2007 Syrah both were better than I was expecting. As Dry Mill is a newer winery, I was somewhat skeptical of the wines that they had to offer, thinking that they may have purchased their grapes, or were still working to get some of the kinks out of their winemaking process. Surprisingly, neither of these were the case. This is likely due at least in part to the fact that the owners, Dean & Nancy Vanhuss, have been growing grapes in Loudoun County since the 1990s. The wines I tried, and would happily try again, were good, balanced wines that are a great addition to Loudoun’s current roster of wineries.

The 2008 Steel Chardonnay was semi-sweet with a crisp finish with a lot of fruity undertones. It was almost as if I was drinking a fruit salad - with apples, pears and several different kinds of citrus topped with a light vinaigrette, but in a good way.

The 2007 Syrah was a little on the thin side, but had much more of a body than many Virginia reds that I have tried. It also had the spicy kick that Syrahs are known for, but without it being overpowering. The thinness of the body could even be one of the advantages to this wine. If it were any fuller, it would most likely overwhelm and food that it was paired with. As it stands, the 2007 Syrah would go well with just about anything from the red meat camp that is cooked on a Bar-B-Q. Bucket Grill or otherwise.

While both of the wines stand up on there own merits, the benefits of the atmosphere cannot be overlooked. When Caitlin and I visited, there were only a few other customers. We did not need to elbow and claw our way up to the tasting bar and stake a claim. The owners themselves were working the tasting bar, and both Dean and Nancy, along with their dog, were very friendly and welcoming. It helps that the winery is in what was once a horse barn, but has been renovated without losing any of its rustic charm.

Dry Mill is close to DC, has good wine, a great atmosphere and serves light food. It is well worth the trip on a Saturday or Sunday.

Rain, Wolf Trap and Wolftrap

Friday saw DC's

first break from the rain for the first time since the Clinton impeachment…Or thereabouts. And how did Caitlin and I celebrate a beautiful and not too humid summer night free from rain in DC? By going to Wolf Trap to see a band called, Rain. They are a Beatles tribute band, and they did a great job of taking on the persona of the different eras of the Beatles – from their debut on the Ed Sullivan Show

to Abby Road. Paul is right-handed in Rain, but aside from that, they are pretty much spot on.

Even though I love the Beatles, Wolf Trap is only partially about the music. It is more about being outside, packing a picnic and, of course, drinking good wine. We were listening to Beatles music, eating great food outside and drinking a South African wine that was also, not coincidentally, called Wolf Trap. It was the Wolftrap Syrah Mourvedre Viognier 2008. Syrah is the dominant grape of the blend, and it is mostly syrah characteristics that you taste. The Viognier balanced some of the spicier and heavier flavors to make for a more well-rounded wine that worked well with the heavier cheeses that we packed.

I bought the wine from the wine shop at the Wegman’s in Fairfax, VA. The person who helped me told me that Wolf Trap and The Wolftrap have no relationship, which seems to this PR guy like a totally lost marketing opportunity. The wine clerk also informed me that the wine is very well known in South Africa, and expats will come to the store simply to buy cases of it. The bouquet was a bit strong and peppery, as strong syrahs tend to be. The body of the wine was not as heavy as I was anticipating. And unlike other syrahs and shiraz’s that I have had from South Africa, the Wolftrap wasn’t so thick that I felt like I had to chew it. It was a good red to accompany the cheese, spreads and grapes that we brought to eat while listening to the fake Beatles.

I personally do not believe that a bucket or bag of fast food qualifies as “picnic food,” but that may just be me.