Sabin Wine Journeys

March 18, 2022.   Kim and I continued our drive on a warm late winter afternoon by stopping at Firefly Cellars in Hamilton, Loudoun County.   Firefly is close-by the intersection of Route 7 and Route 9 at Paeonian Springs.   It was the former Hunter’s Run Winery that was purchased and renovated by Pete and Patty Pierleonardi, owners of Pest Management Services, Inc.   It re-opened in May 2021 with daughter Andrea Zaidi and her brother Zach Pierleonardi in charge.   According to Andrea, Firefly produces between 2,000 and 3,000 cases a year.   Juice is from vineyards in the Shenandoah Valley.   Firefly uses the services of w inemaker Randy Phillips with Cave Ridge Winery in Mt. Jackson, where the wine is produced and bottled.   Firefly does not bottle on at the Hamilton location.   Sounds like a custom crush business.    Firefly has an adults-only tasting room while families and pets are welcome on the deck and in the backyard.   There are nice swings and even a tetherball to play.  

March 18, 2022.   Kim and I took advantage of a gorgeous late winter day to drive out to Breaux Vineyards near the town of Hillsborough, Loudoun County.   According to WIKIPEDIA, Breaux Vineyards is one of Virginia's largest grape growers and supplier of wine grapes, bulk juice, and bulk wine to other East Coast U.S. wineries.   Breaux states that it is “100% Cajun owned and operated,” having been founded in 1997 by Paul Breaux, Jr., and now being run by Jennifer Breaux, who is the President and General Manager.   Approaching the winery from the valley, you ascend a steep drive to an elevation of 700 to 950 feet presenting a view of the Blue Ridge and Short Hill Mountains.   It is fun to watch the cloud shadows trace across the hillsides. The main buildings and the outbuildings give you a definite Italianate feel.     Inside, there is a New Orleans vibe, from the filigree iron work around the tasting room to the crawfish company logo, paying tribute to Mr. Breaux’s Cajun heri

  February 26, 2022.  To conclude our short trip to the Culpeper area, we drove down to Early Mountain Vineyards in Madison, just a short detour from Route 29.   Originally the property of Sweely Estate Winery, Jean and Steve Case of America On-line (AOL) fame purchased the property in 2010 and reopened it as Early Mountain in 2012.   Jean Case is the owner.   Early Mountain is a fictitious name of Madison County Wines, LLC, a Delaware corporation.   Between the Early Mountain site and the acquisition Quaker Run Vineyard in 2015, there are more than 55 acres of vineyard, featuring Cabernet Franc and Merlot and new varietals including Malvasia Bianca, Sauvignon Blanc, Tannat, and other varietals. The tasting room is palatial, sophisticated, and high-end, especially compared with many Virginia wineries in the area.   If you want the intimate and casual hospitality of a small tasting room, Early Mountain may not be the place for you.   The winery website states that it was voted as

February 25, 2022.  During our short jaunt to Culpeper, Kim and I stopped-in to Mountain Run Winery.   We were last here in May 2018 when a storm confined us to the upstairs tasting room with other friendly visitors for much of the afternoon.   I noted then on the quality of the Culpeper Crimson offering and the Viognier.  Those comments still stand. David Foster opened Mountain Run in 2016 and has the closest winery to Culpeper.   With this location, I sense that the winery hosts a large number of weddings and community events.   We visited on the last weekend before events really picked-up.   It was quiet until a Girls’ Road Trip of six middle-aged ladies from Pennsylvania came through the door – looking for good wine on their travels and tips on what to see.   We obliged!   The tasting room is in a rustic 70 year-old corn crib.   There is also an outdoor tasting bar for the warmer months.   Outside food is permitted.   The winery also has light fare.   The Wine Pass is accepted fo