We started the Stomp to celebrate the annual grape harvest at White Fences and to bring together old friends, new friends and neighbors in a small-town event.

Your whole family will love stomping grapes…the kids especially get into it and line up to stomp again and again. And the “stomp-off” between local town officials and residents for the coveted title of “King and Queen of the Stomp” is small town America at its best.

This year the Stomp will again feature a concert by Robbin Thompson, the Virginia-based singer/songwriter. (Bring a blanket or chairs – no coolers please). In addition, we’ve added lots of new activities for the whole family, from skydivers to a maize maze. Food will be available for purchase along with soft drinks and White Fences’ own Meteor wine, of course.

Date: Saturday, September 4th, 2010

Time: 3:00 pm

Ticket Price: The cost is Adults $10, $5 kids 6-16, under 6 free. Pay at the gate.

Friends of White Fences,

Join us Tuesday, August 17th at 5:30 PM for a vineyard evening learning about Virginia’s wine history as presented by James Thompson, noted author and Thomas Jefferson scholar. In this presentation, Professor Thompson will trace the fascinating history of wine in Virginia up to Mr. Jefferson’s time.

About the Presenter
James Thompson holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in Philosophy from the University of Virginia. His interest in Virginia’s history developed as a graduate student living on the Shadwell, Virginia farm of Thomas Jefferson’s daughter, Martha Jefferson Randolph. James completed the research for Thomas Jefferson’s Early Political Rebellions as a Batten Fellow at the International Center for Jefferson Studies at Monticello in 2005. Signed copies of his latest book, The Birth of Virginia’s Aristocracy will be available for purchase at the event.

Tickets are only $15 and include a White Fences Wine tasting or your first glass of wine free. Call the White Fences Wine Stand at 804-438-5559 for reservations.

The summer of 2010 seems to be loaded with great values in wine.  The worldwide glut of wine has forced most producers to look to second labels or release some excellent wines at prices reduced by as much as 50 per cent.  California has been hit very hard by the surplus of grapes and wine. As a result there are some real deals to be had.

Villa Mt. Eden is releasing some of their older vintages.  It is the 18^th Bonded Winery in California – one of the oldest around – and has been making some very upscale wines for many years.  This Summer they released two wines of interest:

Villa Mt. Eden Grand Reserve Bien Nacido Vineyard Pinot Noir 2006 is a classic California Pinot from the Santa Maria Valley.  Aromas of cherry and dried spice with a touch of earthiness and, as typical with a California wine, some cherry flavors wrapped with some of soft tannins make this wine very easy to enjoy. 

Villa Mt. Eden Grand Reserve Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 is an unbelievable wine – rich as you would expect from Napa but the finish is remarkable. 2005 was a great year in California and I have been told by several customers that this was a $40 bottle.  Both of these wines are a great value at $19.99.

From the Kendall Jackson Family of wines comes the Camelot line of California Appellation wines.  Tasting the Chardonnay is wonderful; could it be left over K-J juice? Maybe.  The nose is creamy with toasty oak tones and complex. The taste is fruit-forward apple. Pear and citrus flavors with some great oak enriches the finish. You would expect this wine to cost much more that its $10 price tag.  

Want advice about buying food locally? Interested in getting some ideas about how to prepare foods in season? You might want to check out the “Local Food Journey” blog. Sponsored by Penn State University, this blog explains the positive impacts of buying local food and also shares fresh, seasonal recipes. You can access the blog at http://wpsu.org/localfoodjourney. If you want to know more, contact Emily Wiley, WPSU Multimedia Producer, by email at emilywiley@psu.edu, or by phone 814-863-5622.

Included in the price of admission are free wine tasting from vineyards of the Northern Neck Wine Trail, a souvenir wine glass for the first 250 tickets sold and entertainment under the festival tent.

The Wine Festival is being held in conjunction with the Kilmarnock Farmer’s Market on Saturday June 26^th on North Main Street.  The Farmer’s Market begins at 9:00 a.m. and the Wine Festival runs from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

“We are looking forward to coming back to Kilmarnock,” commented Ray Petrie of Belle Mount Vineyards.  “Last year we were surprised at the number of people that came, stayed listening to music while enjoying samples of wine.  The quality of wines made on the Northern Neck was proven by the amount of wine sold during the festival.”

“We are sponsoring this event for people that may have not had an opportunity to visit these vineyards on the Northern Neck Wine Trail.  It is also an opportunity for people to come to Kilmarnock and enjoy a delightful afternoon, tasting wine and enjoying some music,” said Edie Jett, Executive Director of the Lancaster By the Bay Chamber.  Visitors that come before 1:00 p.m. can also stroll through the Kilmarnock Farmer’s Market.”

Kilmarnock’s Mayor Curtis Smith purchasing the first tickets at the Chamber Office.

WWKiP Day was started in 2005 by Danielle Landes as a way to bring solitary knitters out of their homes and into venues where they could meet other knitters and share the enjoyment of their craft. This year, at least 15 Virginia localities are hosting “knit in public” events.

Participants in Heathsville will help the Five Rivers Fiber Guild to knit afghan squares for donation to From the Heart Stitchers, a nonprofit group that distributes handmade garments and blankets to people in need across the Commonwealth. Even folks who have never knitted will have a chance to add a few stitches to a work in progress.

Summer brings much more than warmer temperatures...wines for summer differ from their wintertime brothers.  Today we look at some great newly released wines for the upcoming months of warm weather and sunshine.

Apothic Red. A great blend from California for the summer.  Inspired by the “Apotheca,” a mysterious place where wine was blended and stored in 13th century Europe, Apothic Red offers “A captivating blend of three distinct grapes, with the dark fruit flavors of Syrah, brambly spice of Zinfandel, and smooth elegance of Merlot” according to the winemaker.  And best of all, he was right.  It is perfect for the warm afternoon grilled burger or steak.  Not overpowering, it gives all the best characteristics of a red wine—balance, light tannins and a smooth finish.  $20

When: June 11, 2010

Where: Christchurch School in Middlesex County

Tickets: Advance purchase only. Visit the Garden Club of the Middle Peninsula website for details.

So get busy snapping. And don't forget to send us your results.