March Gladness

The wine and horse country in Northern Virginia is really no farther a drive from my house than my daily commute to and from Capitol Hill, but is it ever a world away......

I went this weekend with my friend Jocelyn.  The weather was just perfect, and we discovered a new winery, Delaplane Cellars, which now stands as my most favorite vineyard in the region. This day of March Gladness could not have been a more perfect alternative to March Madness!

Here's what we loved about Delaplane Cellars: the homemade breads and local farm cheeses served up from a kitchen behind the tasting room; a help-yourself olive oil bar; a large, beautiful tasting room with floor to ceiling windows offering a perfect view of the mountains; and of course, the wine - it was fantastic. I could have stayed there ALL day on the patio, listening to live music, but...we had a reservation for dinner at The Ashby Inn.

This Inn could not be more charming. It's a good country mile from the Delaplane Cellars (and a few other winery favorites like Three Fox). The next time we plan a day trip I see no reason not to just plan an over-night stay. That would allow for a few more tastings at some other wineries (I want to try Naked Mountain - in clothes) along with trying the selected wine pairings from the Ashby menu. The food there was as tastey as it looked....and it's clear why this restaurants made the list of Washingtonian magazine's Top 100 places to dine.


Every time I take a day trip out to this part of the region, I beg the question, Why don't I come here more often? I already have an April weekend planned, and I'm hoping a certain someone makes a visit from Alabama soon for another valid excuse to wine and whine.