What to do on a Saturday afternoon in Northern Virginia? Drink wine, eat food, enjoy the sunshine, and catch up with good company.
This all started because Veramar Vineyards was offering a "poor man's" wine tasting in honor of post-tax day weekend (?) What could be better than a wine tasting? A free wine tasting (with canned food donation). As savvy young women, we're always trying to save a dollar, so of course we had to go.
For our mini-tour, we went to 3 different wineries: Veramar Vineyards, sister winery Bogati Bodega, and North Gate Vineyard.
Here is my review of each winery:
This all started because Veramar Vineyards was offering a "poor man's" wine tasting in honor of post-tax day weekend (?) What could be better than a wine tasting? A free wine tasting (with canned food donation). As savvy young women, we're always trying to save a dollar, so of course we had to go.
For our mini-tour, we went to 3 different wineries: Veramar Vineyards, sister winery Bogati Bodega, and North Gate Vineyard.
Here is my review of each winery:
Stop 1: Veramar Vineyards
We started here and were huge fans of the
free wine tasting event. They also had a gorgeous patio where we ate our picnic lunch. It was a bit chilly for our taste, but still - we could have stayed here all afternoon and had a pleasant time. The landscape was breathtaking and there was plenty of seating inside and outside.
B+ for Wine Selection
A+ for Atmosphere
We started here and were huge fans of the
free wine tasting event. They also had a gorgeous patio where we ate our picnic lunch. It was a bit chilly for our taste, but still - we could have stayed here all afternoon and had a pleasant time. The landscape was breathtaking and there was plenty of seating inside and outside.
B+ for Wine Selection
A+ for Atmosphere
Stop 2: Bogati Bodega
This winery was a bit busy when we went, so we didn't really get the attention our group desired. However, for a $7 tasting fee, the wines were quite delicious and this was the only winery we visited that had a unique Sangria for us to try. I ended up buying 2 bottles here: the Viognier and the Seyval Blanc.
We were disappointed that we weren't allowed to enjoy our own food at this location, as they only had one table outside, and all other seating was indoors only.
A for Wine selection
C+ for Atmosphere
Stop 3: North Gate Vineyard
This was a our last stop and for a $5 tasting fee + an additional $5 to pair our wines with chocolate, we enjoyed a flight of the winery's offerings. The 3 chocolates we had were very tasty and pretty! North Gate did have a fair amount of snacks available for purchase, but we were still allowed to enjoy our picnic on the back patio, which was nice. They also had live music, but it was a bit crowded inside and on the back patio. None of the wines particularly stood out to us, but a couple ladies still ordered a glass after the tasting.
B- for Wine Selection
A- for Atmosphere
This winery was a bit busy when we went, so we didn't really get the attention our group desired. However, for a $7 tasting fee, the wines were quite delicious and this was the only winery we visited that had a unique Sangria for us to try. I ended up buying 2 bottles here: the Viognier and the Seyval Blanc.
We were disappointed that we weren't allowed to enjoy our own food at this location, as they only had one table outside, and all other seating was indoors only.
A for Wine selection
C+ for Atmosphere
Stop 3: North Gate Vineyard
This was a our last stop and for a $5 tasting fee + an additional $5 to pair our wines with chocolate, we enjoyed a flight of the winery's offerings. The 3 chocolates we had were very tasty and pretty! North Gate did have a fair amount of snacks available for purchase, but we were still allowed to enjoy our picnic on the back patio, which was nice. They also had live music, but it was a bit crowded inside and on the back patio. None of the wines particularly stood out to us, but a couple ladies still ordered a glass after the tasting.
B- for Wine Selection
A- for Atmosphere
Want to take the same trip? See the map of our "itinerary" to the right. We had such a great time, we're planning another winery tour sometime in June. Winery suggestions always welcome! |