The cure for a hot summer day
Mint Juleps are a favorite of mine. Many bars serve them, but many bars also do a terrible job of preparing them. I have not been to the Scotch Bar at Round Robin, but they seem to be an authority on the subject - and obviously the intended aim of this video is not to teach me mixology as much as it is to make me want them to mix up their signature cocktail for me. I think I owe them a visit or two.
Personally, I'm also a huge fan of new, creative and unique cocktails. After all, the mint julep has been around for two hundred years. If you're not interested in a place like Round Robin, the late-night speakeasy feel of the Gibson, on U street, may appeal to you. Most importantly, the Gibson has established itself as one of the city's top cocktail bars. Having lived in Chicago, I've been spoiled when it comes to cocktail bars (and I highly recommend the Violet Hour and hipster favorite the Whistler if you're ever in the Midwest), but if I find more bars like the Gibson, I'll be very happy here in DC.
Swedenburg
Swedenburg Winery is one the most disappointing wineries in the area. Its only saving grace? It is remarkably easy to find. Seriously. And with our drivers you don't even have to worry about that. The location is average and the wine - we'll let the customer speak about that: "I come from a long line of non-discriminating wine drinkers - and I couldn't drink it. Three steps below box wine." She continued, saying "the tasting was quickly over, with the vintner talking about it as little as possible."
There are tables on one side of the winery that you can relax at and eat something on, but are basic wooden affairs. They did sell jewelry and a murder-mystery writer set in the winery.
Piedmont vineyard
The second and last of the wineyards, Piedmont is supposed to be renowned for their Chardonnay. Sadly, as a driver I could not try the Chardonnay, but would love to hear about it in the comments.
The clients observed that this vineyard - Piedmont - is smaller and only had 5 wines to try all told. At half of Chrysalis Vineyard's selection, the choices were a bit limiting. The smaller vineyard did have some friendly, homey touches, with a chocolate lab running around and more of a barnyard feel to it.
It also had great places to hangout in a rural setting. You could relax under a tree near the house with a bit of privacy, and the tasting house itself was well sized and air conditioned. On the day we went the weather was great, but the outdoor seating is definitely on the rustic side here.
This vineyard works as either a nice Chardonnay-motivated stopover with its proximity to Middleburg and Boxwood Vineyard, Swedenburg, and Chrysalis, or a rustic relaxing spot for people that enjoy the barnyard feel.
Chrysalis
Although the wine gets mixed reviews, Chrysalis Vineyards is one of the most convenient wineries in the area, blessed with a great location, and offers some of the best amenities
This vineyard has a large stone grill, perfect for grilling burgers while enjoying a bottle of their Rubiana. There are some nicely shaded options in a slightly more developed vineyard than other options.
One customer described the wine as very drinkable but another said that she couldn't find anything she liked here. Fortunately, as a larger vineyard, it has a bigger variety to choose from. The pour, however, was described as small.
Inside line - grill on from 10-4. Mixed wine reviews, with a better selection than most. Perfect lunch stopover with concrete pads for the tables and lots of outdoor tasting booths.
Vineyards Tour Today – Reviewing the wineries!
We are proud to support Virginia's wineries, an up-and-coming set of wineries in the fabulouly beautiful rolling foothills of the Appalachians. Today we are conducting a tour of some of these vineyards. We will be blogging about the individual wineries, helping you and your drivers to be experts in local wine and culture.
Our base for the today will be Middleburg, VA. One of the most wealthy and beautiful places to visit in the Mid-Atlantic, Middleburg has a fabulous collection of historic free-stone walls. These free-stone walls are built without mortar, created by simply stacking stones on top of each other. It seems straight out of Macchu Picchu. They make a wonderful architectural detail, lining route 50 and most of the older properties in the region.
We currently have Chrysalis, Piedmont and Swedenburg vineyards on the list, and will put up individual posts as we visit each one.
