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Some days are better than others, and some days are downright fantastic. Last Saturday, I ventured out to the Shenandoah with four of my favorite people for a hike and wine. I never thought of myself as a “nature person,” mainly because I hate bugs and loathe being dirty. Oh, and I don’t like being hot either. But, since I moved to the D.C. area, I have learned that things like hikes can actually be quite fun and are an amazing workout. I’ll write more on the actual hike for Friday’s post (maybe you can check it out this weekend!). For now, I’ll post about part two of Saturday’s adventures.
Since we knew we were hitting up a winery after our hike, my friend brought baby wipes for us to freshen up. Brilliant idea. I brought a change of clothes too, so we were fresh-ish and ready to enjoy our wine sipping.
DuCard Vineyards is way out in Madison Country, and is nestled between several gorgeous mountains that boast some of the best hikes in Virginia. Old Rag is perhaps the most well-known, but there are many others that are an easy driving distance away. My recommendation is to hike in the morning and “wine” in the afternoon. If you get out there early enough, you might even have time to do two vineyards. Amazing.
We did the full wine tasting, which is highly recommend at any vineyard, especially if it’s your first time visiting. I really enjoyed the:
- Gibson Hollow, which is a Traminette-based blend. It’s a perfect “warm weather” wine to me, in that it is light and crisp, without being sweet.
- Cuvee, which is a Traminette/Chardonnay blend. It definitely had more depth than the Gibson Hollow, but was still fantastic.
- Norton, which is a classic Virginia wine (Thomas Jefferson grew Norton grapes!). It’s very a’la jelly, but I think that makes it fun… I personally love how unique Norton is.
Not pictured below is the incredible cheese ball we shared.. Like seriously, WHY are cheese balls sooooo good?
Few things make me happier than a gorgeous day out in the country, and spending part of my perfect day at DuCard did not disappoint.. From the fantastic wine, to the amazing cheese ball (#easilyimpressed), to the live music and ambiance, DuCard is certainly a place worth visiting. Enjoy the photos below, but check it out for yourself ASAP!
