So let’s continue on the Loudon County Wine Trail! We ended things with our wine and lunch at Doukenie and then suggested that we were off to Village Winery. That is indeed what we decided to do. It had been quite a while since our last visit to Village Winery, and we always look forward to our conversations with Kent Mars. With our picnic basket packed and loaded in the trunk, we made our way to Village Winery.

We discovered upon our arrival that Kent was conducting a wine tasting away from the winery that day, but we were warmly greeted by our tasting associate who effortlessly guided our through our tasting that day. We did learn that Kent has been working with Oak Spring Dairy to promote Virginia cheese and wine; given the current trend in artisanal cheese production and family-owned boutique wineries in Virginia, we applaud efforts in this area. In fact, cheeses produced from Oak Spring Dairy can be enjoyed at several Virginia wineries.

So what about the wines? Well, new to us since our last visit was the Viognier and the Rose. The Viognier is a first effort for Village Winery, and it possessed the floral and honeysuckle characteristics associated with Viognier. It was quite enjoyable, and we decided to share a glass after our tasting. The Rose is produced from the Cabernet Franc, and it offered bright berries in the mouth with a dry, spicy finish. Paul procured a bottle of the Rose to rest on the wine rack at home. (Try grilled marinated pork chops with this Rose!) If readers are still looking for bigger reds, try Kent’s Merlot/Cabernet Franc blend; of course, if roasted chicken is on the menu for Sunday dinner, the softer Elderberry wine is a must!

As we savored our glass of Viognier, our first day on the Loudon County Wine Trail came to an end. Day two was already planned—lunch at Hillsborough and a visit to Willowcroft. What did we discover? Join us for the next installment, but in the meantime, visit Kent Mars at Village Winery and mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you!