Headline: Wine Girl Travels to Lorton Breweries

Fairfax County's largest brewery opened in Lorton in March of 2015. Technically, it is a packaging brewery because at least 75% of its beer is sold off premises. Don't let that fool you though because this is quite a brewery! I was quite impressed with the 12,000 square foot tasting room at Fairwinds complete with snacks, games, tv and a
life-size game of Jenga.






The founder of Fair Winds has a Masters in Marine Biology and served in the Coast Guard, hence the sailor reference in the name of this brewery.
"Wishing you fair winds as you depart on seas"

Fair Winds doesn't believe in one-size-fits-all. Instead, this brewery is about craft beer complimenting the moment and adding to the customer's overall experience.

Honestly, I wasn't that impressed with Fair Winds' libations but then again, I wouldn't call myself a beer connoisseur. There are a few beers that I find enjoyable but I definitely am fond of going to breweries and trying new ones.
You never know what may strike my fancy.
(After all, many years ago, I went to Bells' Brewery in Michigan and hated them all except for Hop Slam - go figure!)

 

 

The Quayside Kolsch is a light-bodied German-style golden ale. If I had to pick one to drink at Fairwinds this would be the one. It is made from pilsner and munich malts and has a subtle biscuit and floral flavor. It really wants to be a pretzel beer but alas, it falls short.
There is only one pretzel beer!

( Make sure to check out my April post about pretzel beer and my favorite local brewery here: http://winefoodie.blogspot.com/2015/04/theres-hope-for-me-yet-beer-post.html)

 I would highly suggest Fair Winds to the typical local Northern Virginia beer drinker.
Because I wasn't excited by most of the beer there, it means that most beer drinkers probably will love it.

About a mile away from Fair Winds, in Newington, is another brewery.
Breweries are like potato chips to me. You can't (eat) visit just one. It's all about comparison!

So, I hopped back on that Harley with my favorite guy and we headed on over to
 

Forge Brew Works

where we found quality beer in small batches.

 

"We use our hands to forge great tasting beer because hard work tastes better."

 

 

 While Fair Winds was decent in atmosphere, Forge was where I felt at home instantly. Fair Winds felt more commercial where Forge was definitely a small warehouse space. Wineries should be picturesque; breweries should be down and dirty. I don't need to be impressed by the atmosphere at a brewery. I want to be impressed by the beer. I'd definitely go back to Forge.

 

 

 

 

Forge's flight of four was much more pleasurable and interesting to me than Fair Winds. While I may not want to drink a pint of each that I taste, I enjoy trying new beer, especially ones that are different.

 

 Belgian Blonde - brewed with Belgian Pilsner and Abbey malts.

Very refreshing and easy to drink.

While I am not fond of blondes, I do tend to like Belgian ones.

Beer, people! I'm talking about beer!

Come on!

 

Saison de Wit - light, crisp and flowery
I could easily drink this one. For some reason, I seem to be fond of the Saisons.

Seward Double IPA  - reminiscent of Pacific Northwest beer, or so the beer drinkers say, this beer is citrusy, spicy and malty.

I don't care much for IPAs because of their lingering bitter aftertaste. However, I find that most beer drinkers love IPAs. I have found a few here or there I could fathom but in general, the hoppier the beer, the more bitter the aftertaste and the more the new beer drinker in me will go running full speed ahead back to the vineyards!
 

Belgian Dark Brown Nitro
Whoa! If you like coffee, you'll like this beer.
I don't like coffee.
 I do like the smell though. I should have stopped there.
It was definitely interesting though and that's part of the fun!

 

 Over the past year, I have found that visiting breweries is quite entertaining.

Of course, I'm the wine girl, but even the wine girl needs to branch out sometimes. 

 

  Wine makes me often feel fancy and passionate and I enjoy it best with an amazing meal (or cheese or chocolate).

Whiskey reaches and warms the depths of my heart and soul.

Beer is fun and light hearted.

Beer allows me to just embrace it without thinking.

 Lately, I've really needed that in my life.

 

Lucky for me, breweries seem to be popping up everywhere lately.

I'm ready, bring 'em on!

 

A fine beer may be judged with only one sip, but it's better to be thoroughly sure.

-Czech Proverb

Belgian goodness

"We do not intend to be all things to all people.

Some folks will not like what we do but that is ok with us."

 

 

It's definitely ok with me because I think EVERYTHING is done just right here!

 

Where, you ask?

 

One of my favorite local restaurants, of course.
 

 

 Cock and Bowl  -  an authentic European neighborhood bistro serving up scrumptious fare and friendly service in the town of Occoquan, Va.
 

 About a month ago, I was lucky enough to take my favorite guy to this Belgian place of happiness for the first time. 
 

 

Cock and Bowl prides itself on doing one thing and doing it right - being a "beer and mussel joint".  It's not that there aren't other items on the menu but beer and mussels are its focus.
Having over 60 beers available, you'd think that we would have each had at least one but it wasn't appropriate for this day!
What?!
A day not appropriate for beer? Nonsense!
We were being responsible and using our brains (Yes, we do use our brains - pretty cool how that works, eh?) because we would be stopping by our friend's wine shop afterwards and had to pace ourselves since we were on the Harley.

 

Cock and Bowl is quaint and operates out of a three-story, extremely slender townhouse.  On the bistro's busiest of days there are still only two chefs in the kitchen and everything is made to order. So you may have to wait, but it's all part of the experience. If you're in a rush, you probably shouldn't be coming here anyway. The food that is served here begs to be savored!

 

All sauces, spreads and toppings are made in-house. The owners like to serve food that customers

  can pronounce and that comes from a place customers can visit and where they are able to talk to the person who raised it or crafted it.  At Cock and Bowl, you will find mostly fresh and local ingredients because they tend to shop at farmers markets for the best the season has to offer.

 

 

With all that being said, as I sat down at an outside courtyard table across from my gorgeous man, with my tousled Harley-helmet hair, I sighed and attempted to contain my excitement for the food we were about to enjoy!

We take pleasure in sharing food. It works well for both of us.
We get to try various things and experience more of the menu that way.
The dilemma?
How do we choose?
There are so many intriguing items on the menu!
Well that just meant we'd definitely have to return soon to try out some more items!

 

We started with the shrimp coquettes. This crunchy-on-the-outside appetizer was filled with a decadent cream of diced shrimp, cheese and spices on the inside.

Talking about melting in your mouth!

Wow!

 



Next, we tried the pomme frites which are fresh cut and twice fried. These Belgian frites were served with mayonnaise and normally I'd be turned off because I am a tried and true Heinz Ketchup and fries kind of girl.

But when in Rome, I mean Belgium.....

I must say, they were quite tasty.

 

The primary reason that I love Cock and Bowl is for their mussels and this visit validated that feeling. You can chose your Bols Moules (mussel bowl) from eight different varieties.

The Prince Edward Island blue mussels are prepared fresh daily and served in a kettle pot with bread for dipping. Because it was a hot day and we didn't want anything heavy to eat, we chose the Mariniere mussel bowl which was comprised of mussels steamed in white wine, garlic shallots, parsley and butter.

 

I don't know who made it to heaven quicker but after one mussel, I was on Cloud 9.

Absolutely divine!

What did they taste like? They tasted like more, that's what!

Then when the bivalve mollusks are all gone, you must use the bread to soak up the liquid goodness in the bottom of the pot!

 

I already know that on a return visit, I definitely need to try the following mussel bowls:

 

Alpine - creamy blend of white wine, savory spices and Gruyere cheese

We are the Champignons - mushrooms, garlic, brandy, sage and cream

 Moules de Terre - bacon, spinach, onion, tomatoes  - a hearty one

At this point in the meal, I'm in a blissful food fog and then my favorite guy says we have to share a gaufres douces. Ok, maybe he didn't say it like that.

Maybe he said something like "Wanna get a waffle?"

 

I am not much of a breakfast fan and I surely can't ever comprehend why people eat breakfast for dinner but to each his own. Silly girl, these waffles aren't for breakfast! They are sweet waffles. Dessert waffles!

 

I'm not a huge dessert fan either but I know how much he wanted to try a waffle so I took one for the team.

Man, am I glad I did!

 

There are six sweet baked-to-order Belgian waffles to choose from: Belgian chocolate, strawberry, maple, caramel, fresh seasonal fruit and the best of all - the one we tried:

 

Tortue (Turtle) 

 a mix of chocolate and caramel topped with pecan brittle and whipped cream

The waffle was light and fluffy with just the right amount of sweet and crisp. I despise whipped cream but this was no Ready Whip!! The pecan brittle crunch was an absolutely phenomenal touch!

 



If I ever opened my own food establishment I would want it to be similar to Cock and Bowl. It would be a small town bistro where the locals would gather as if it was their home away from home and the visitors would never want to leave. It would have fresh, good-for-you ingredients, made to order food, a plentiful bar.  The food would be scrumptious and addictive and leave you yearning for more. I would also embrace my customers as if they were my friends. Best of all, if you come to my bistro and you don't like it, then that's fine with me because there will be plenty of people who do!

 "Food is symbolic of love when words are inadequate."

 —Alan D. Wolfelt

The wines of Amissville

Do you enjoy wine and visiting wineries? 

Maybe Loudoun County vineyards are too busy for you on weekends during the summer.

Maybe you've grown bored with the wineries in your immediate area and want to venture out a bit without going too far.

 

If you haven't been to Amissville, Virginia, I highly recommend that you venture out early on a Saturday or Sunday morning and visit these two wineries!  It's a little over an hour from Prince William County and a really pleasant drive.

 

 

Magnolia Vineyards opened its doors a year ago and are actually having a celebration this weekend. I became an instant fan of this winery upon my first visit. In fact, I can't wait to go back and take my favorite guy and my parents!

 

 

 All things earthy, Italian and wine-related run in Glenn and Tina Marcione's blood! This lovely couple realized their common love of wine and how both of their families emigrated from Italy early on in their first date. In 2006, they traveled to Italy and that is when they began to seriously consider owning a small family vineyard of their own! 

 

 

When they returned to Virginia, Glenn and Tina visited Doukenie Winery (which my mom's lung doctor owns) and met with the winemaker at the time, Doug Fabbioli (who know owns his own winery - Fabbioli Cellars), which started their addiction with wanting to own and operate their own winery!

 

In May 2008, Glenn and Tina bought their first 25-acre plot in Amissville and planted their first three acres of vines in 2009. Their family farm house - including a winery in the customized garage and a tasting room in the basement - was completed in 2013 and at that time they were also able to purchase the adjacent 25-acre plot.  In the Spring of 2014, they expanded their plantings and now have seven of the 50 acres under vine. The tasting room opened to the public in the Summer of 2014 and I was fortunate to make a trip out there in April of 2015!

 

Upon your arrival, I must warn you.

 You will be greeted by the resident guard dog.

 



 

Maggie is the namesake of the winery and an absolute dollface!

At this point, I didn't even care if the wine was terrible.
I was already smitten.

The tasting room is quaint and comfortable. Glenn and Tina made us feel right at home when the Evil Red Genius and I arrived that early April afternoon. I had chatted with Glenn by email previously and was hopeful this would be a nice experience. (After all, it was in honor of "Red's" birthday!) I was not misled! In fact, even though I don't ever expect much from Virginia wine, I was even pleasantly surprised with the wine produced by this wonderful couple.

For $7, you'll taste seven wines and get to take home the glass (which most wineries don't offer anymore). For every two bottles of wine that you purchase, the tasting fee will be waived.  Your tasting also includes a cheese bite pairing!! Must be a tough life to have to taste cheese and wine to determine what you want to sell and will work for your customers, huh? I think I could handle that with no problem. The experimental side of me was super excited about this prospect! I love how food changes the taste of wine and vice versa! You can't go wrong with wine and cheese!

 

We were fortunate enough to also be able to partake of the chocolate truffles that were offered.

Come on, it was Red's birthday celebration. There's no way we could pass that offer up!

 

 

Glenn and Tina are fond of red wine but they realize that there are people out there who enjoy white wine, especially white wine in Virginia. So while they wanted to just make red wine, they are wise business partners and knew they had to throw a few whites in the mix.
 

With the tasting, you'll get to try a Viognier and what they call Black Walnut White which is made from 100% Traminette grapes. Red had never tried a Traminette and I hadn't had a Traminette in years. I remember when I first started drinking wine and visiting Virginia wineries that Traminette seemed to be offered at every winery but I don't see much of it anymore. With floral and citrus on the nose, this 2012 vintage is an easily drinkable and refreshing white, especially on a warm summer day. 
 

The 2013 Black Walnut White is a bit more complex and reminded me of Orin Swift's Mannequin. Yes, I just compared a Virginia wine to a wine from my all-time favorite winery in California. Shocking right? Yeah, how do you think I felt? It was the first winery we had been to that day too so it wasn't like I had overindulged either! The 2013 vintage is what Glenn and Tina refer to as a Witches Blend Brew - 51% Vidal Blanc, 23% Traminette, 16% Petit Manseng, 5% Chardonnay, 3% Viognier and 2% Riesling. Quite interesting and delightful.

 

These whites are joined on the tasting table by a Cab Franc, Cab Franc Reserve and Hawkins Run Red.

Hawkins Run is a stream that borders the Marcione property on two sides and eventually feeds into the Rapphannock River. It is named for Colonel Hawkins who commanded the 9th New York Volunteers which were active in the area during the Civil War.

 

 

Red and I decided to purchase a bottle of the 2011 Hawkins Run Red vintage to share outside on the patio with the birthday truffles... and with Maggie, of course.

 

The 2011 Hawkins Run Red is made in the classic Bordeaux style and consists of 47.5% Cab, 47.5% Merlot and 5% Cab Franc. It is aged nine months in light French and American oak. With licorice on the nose and black cherry with a hint of nutmeg on the palette, it was absolutely delicious.

Add lavender to the licorice aroma and leather, plum and vanilla to the dark cherry taste and you have the 2012 Hawkins Run Red. Glenn believes this will be their finest offering.



The 2012 vintage label pays tribute to the winery dogs, Maggie and Olie! Both sweethearts were rescued by Glenn and Tina at the Rapphannock Shelter. As a result, $1 from each bottle of any vintate of Hawkins Run Red will be donated to the shelter!

 

 

 One more reason for me to like these people - good wine, friendly couple, inviting tasting room, beautiful landscape, cheese pairing and now they rescue dogs and give back to the shelter too!



 

A big cheers to Magnolia Vineyards!!

 

 

Thank you for a wonderful first time experience!

We can't wait to see what the future has in store for you !

 

Happy one year anniversary!

 Your next stop while in Amissville should be at Narmada Winery which is less than five minutes from Magnolia.

"Taste Virginia. Experience India"
 

Pandit and Sudha Patil had always dreamed of starting a winery and on their 29th wedding anniversary, after dinner at the Inn at Little Washington, their actual plans started to come together when they found a beautiful piece of rolling land.

Their first vineyard was planted in 2004.

 

At first, they just planned to grow grapes to sell to other vintners because the Virginia wine industry was just starting to become known. But having a BS in Chemistry,  Sudha's curiosity of the winemaking process began to peak. Her interest increased over the years and she now closely monitors the vines during the growing season.  In 2007 and 2008, the Patils had banner harvests and Sudha's sustainable farming philosophy of minimal intervention is where she places most of the credit.

  

In 2009, Narmada Winery was established.  

 

 

 "With attention to using the best quality grapes, diligent sorting of the berries, and maintaining proper chemistry of acidity and pH, Sudha’s medical background (DDS from Georgetown) ensures clean processing of the fruit from harvest through the aging process. Her knowledge of complex spices acquired during her childhood in India enable her to coax latent flavors from her grapes that perhaps would be overlooked by others. Her focus is to create graceful wines that are a true reflection of the fruit and to produce Virginia wines of the highest possible quality."

 

Narmada is open Thursday through Monday. You will find a beautifully large tasting room with tables, chairs, sofas and a fireplace. There is also an expansive deck overlooking a pond and the vineyards.

 

This wasn't my first time to Narmada. I had been once before but it was quite a few years ago. In fact, I was interested in returning because my wine tastes have definitely changed. At that in point in time, I wasn't too fond of red wines at all and now my palette is quite refined.  Narmada makes six whites, seven reds, a rose and three dessert wines. They have changed their tasting setup since I first visited and I believe the have 4 preset tastings to choose from.

 

Knowing this was going to be a visit on Red's birthday wine adventure, I had contacted their manager weeks ahead of time to see if they could create a special tasting for us. Jordan was absolutely phenomenal and I couldn't have asked for a better host that day!

 

 

 We started with the Viognier and the Chardonnay and then tried all of the reds that Narmada has to offer (except for the sweet ones of course).

When deciding upon which red we wanted to purchase and enjoy at the winery along with lunch, it was a difficult decision. We had narrowed it down to two and the

2010 Tannat

 was one of them.
With an intoxicating aroma, this Tannat, which has a tiny bit of Cab blended in it, is rich, bold and full of dark cherry and plum notes. Its silky finish is extremely enticing.

 



 

However, it was the

2010 Yash-Vir

that won us over.
 

 43% Merlot, 29% Petit Verdot, 14% Cabernet Franc, 14% Malbec
 

Scents of chocolate, herbs and oak

Big, dark fruit with baking spices of clove, cinnamon and star anise on the palette

 

Plus it's named after the Patil's grandsons! 

 “Yash” is the Indian word for success and “Vir” means bravery.

The 2010 vintage is said to embody the marriage of these characteristics.

 

While I was very pleased with the special tasting that Jordan provided for us and I definitely enjoyed the red wines better than I did upon my first visit to Narmada, I must say my favorite part of this winery is the fact that they offer Indian fare!!!

 

I LOVE Indian food and truly believe that it is the ultimate comfort food.

I was so incredibly brokenhearted when my favorite local Indian restaurant closed down without any warning a few years ago. I'm on a quest to find an equally good one but I haven't been successful as of yet.

 

Red had never tried Indian food before and while I knew Narmada wasn't going to provide her with an accurate and comprehensive Indian experience being a winery, I figured it would be an easy way to get her Indian training wheels on. (Plus, I knew what was safe and this girl is no fool!)

 

We started off with the International Cheese Platter which included a healthy helping of five different cheese that were scrumptious!

 



Then came the classic Indian dish that is perfect for the Indian food virgin.

 



 

Butter chicken!

 

Creamy, tomato-based deliciousness with tender pieces of chicken served over delicate basmati rice!

 

I swear I could have eaten three more plates of this dish and am so glad I decided that we would both have our own individual dish. Sharing a cheese plate is one thing, but not butter chicken!
I want every single last morsel and yes I am not above licking the plate.

 

But it's not butter chicken if you don't sop up the plate with the famous

Indian bread, Naan!

 

Way to go, Sudha!
 

You are one intelligent woman who not only knows how to grow vines and make delicious wine but you know that serving food is just one more reason to not only stop by Narmada but a reason to plan to stay at Narmada for a while!

 



Magnolia and Narmada are my two favorite wineries in Amissville!

 

Gray Ghost is across the street from Narmada and while I have been there I didn't feel the need to blog about it. We didn't go to Gray Ghost on this trip but my visit in the past fell short of anything blogworthy to me. It isn't about how many wineries you can visit in a day. It's about the quality of the winery. I'd easily be content spending the day at either Magnolia or Narmada. No questions asked.

So, if you like wine, want to venture out somewhere new, enjoy delicious snacks, get lovin' from adorable Maggie and enjoy the company of some very down-to-earth and friendly winemakers, I highly recommend both of these places!

 

Who knows? You may just see me and Red standing next to you at the tasting bar!

 

 

 

Wine is one of the most civilized things in the world and one of the most natural things of the world that has been brought to the greatest perfection, and it offers a greater range for enjoyment and appreciation than, possibly, any other purely sensory thing.”
― Ernest Hemingway