Sixteen Virginia vineyards and wineries will present their products at Mount Vernon Estate’s Fall Wine Festival and Sunset Tour the first weekend in October. Attendees will also be able to purchase their favorites for future enjoyment.
To be held Oct. 6, 7 and 8 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., the semi-annual event features blues music on the east lawn of George Washington’s home and exclusive evening candlelight tours of the Mansion and wine cellar.
Although Saturday night, Oct. 7, is sold out, tickets at $25 per person are still available for both Friday and Sunday evenings.
To accompany the wine sampling, fruit and cheese boxes can be purchased in advance at $22 each. A variety of hot and cold foods and deserts will also be available on site from the Mount Vernon Inn Restaurant and Firehook Bakery. Outside food and beverages are not permitted.
During the candlelight Mansion tours, historic interpreters will discuss Washington’s attempts at creating a vineyard and highlight various wine-related items in the Mansion such as the General’s spirits case. The wine cellar is open exclusively for this event.
In addition to visiting the Mansion and enjoying the views from the east lawn overlooking the Potomac River, guests can increase their wine related home entertaining capabilities through a wide array of items available for purchase in The Shops at Mount Vernon. That includes the total range of wines offered by Oasis Winery carrying the Mount Vernon label.
SOME OF THE WINE and cheese items available in The Shops are: A wooden snack board with removable glass cutting area exhibiting an image of Mount Vernon circa 1792; made in Virginia tavern wine/cider glasses that are still handblown in Jamestown; a hardwood butler’s tray; everyday Mount Vernon engraved wine glasses; Mount Vernon collector bottle stoppers; a four piece silver plated wine accessory set by Arthur Court; a crystal single-bottle wine cooler; and a large silver plated bowl wine cooler with rack that can cool up to five bottles simultaneously.
Complementing the relaxed atmosphere of the festival for those who like to enjoy some vino while picnicking there is a heavy canvas tote bag with an interior strap for securing that wine bottle.
It carries the Mount Vernon wine label on the outside and is large and sturdy enough for food and utensils as well as the wine.
For those wishing to become more knowledgeable about Virginia wines and wineries there is “Virginia Wine Country III” by Hide Gabriel Lee and Allan E. Lee.
It explores the history of the 80 Old Dominion wineries through stories and their products.
Of those 80, the 16 wineries featured during the festival will be Athena Winery & Vineyards; Bright Meadows Farm Vinyards & Winery; Burnley Vineyards & Daniel Cellars; Cardinal Point Vineyards & Winery; Chatham Vineyard & Winery; Davis Valley Winery & Vineyard; James River Cellars; Fincastle Vineyard & Winery; Naked Mountain Vineyard; Oasis Winery; Piedmont Vineyards & Winery; Rebec Vineyards; Three Fox Vineyards; Veramar Vineyard; West Wind Farm Vineyard & Winery; and Williamsburg Winery and Gabriel Archer Tavern.
THE SHOPS will remain open each festival evening until 9:30 p.m. Cases of wine purchased at the festival can be transported by wine valets to The Shops for easy pickup.
Tickets for the festival are available at Mount Vernon’s Main gate or through Ticketmaster at 703-573-SEAT or online at www.ticketmaster.com.